Amari_Design_Win19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 11/29/19 9:23 AM Page 20
liquids | spirits
Pizza Lupo’s Beverage Director Jessye Ramsey
BY MARTY ROSEN | PHOTO BY DAN DRY
he typical well-stocked backbar in Louisville – or anywhere in America, for that matter – gives off an amber glow as stately and authoritative as the burnished chambers of an old-school attorney. As evidence of quality, the labels on the bottles state their age and their proof. The names on the bottles invoke legendary people, places, and landmarks. The most frequently used adjective is “old.” Even the fonts look like something copied from an ancient parchment. Such bars have a reassuring gravitas built around rigorously defined categories and classifications and legally-defined mash bills. A person can behold such a bar and think, “Yes, the universe truly is orderly and predictable.” But there are other bars where the labels are a riot of colors and images. They sport strange vegetal tangles and maidens dancing across Alpine landscapes. The fonts could have been created for the cover of a comic book or a noirish graphic novel. And in many cases there’s not a word of English to be seen on the label. If you run into a bar like that, there’s a pretty good chance that you’ve come across a place that highlights the chaotic, anarchic pleasures of Amaro.
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20 Winter 2019 www.foodanddine.com
The Italian word “Amaro” translates as “bitter” in English. Intuitively, “bitter” is an offputting word for most of us. In the U.S., bartenders have long used amari (the plural form) to bolster the flavor profiles of cocktails (especially in the vibrant class of Italian-style pre-dinner cocktails, like Negronis). But for many of us the notion of sipping full-strength bitter liquids is intimidating. Elsewhere in the world, though, and increasingly in the U.S., amari are becoming stand-alone beverage staples, sipped neat, on the rocks, with a splash of sparkling water, or as the main ingredient in virally popular drinks like the Aperol Spritz. In the Fall issue of F&D, we profiled Max Balliet, chef-owner of Pizza Lupo, who took us on a deep-dive into the culinary joys and mysteries of bitterness on the palate. So it should come as no surprise that amari are highlighted in Lupo’s bar program. At last count the Lupo Amari list had nearly fifty entries — and Lupo Bar Manager Jessye Ramsey frequently greets customers with news of another arrival (most recently it was a blueberry-inflected bottle called Pasubio that’s produced in Italy’s northern Alpine region). Before coming to Louisville, Ramsey spent part of her career in Portland, Oregon, at the
renowned Multnomah Whiskey Library. And talking to her is like consulting a gifted and enthusiastic reference librarian. She’ll chat with you about your flavor preferences, your menu selections, your tastes in beer, wine, and spirits. Then her mental Rolodex starts spinning and she’s laying out options and steering you to a perfect choice: like the pine-scented, orange peel and artichoke notes in the sippable, winebased Cardamaro that pairs perfectly with the old-fashioned cream pie that Max’s mom cooks up for the weekend service.
A Drink That Knows No Rules
Expert advice is helpful as you enter into the world of amaro – and if you ask you’ll find that a high percentage of bar professionals are knowledgeable enthusiasts; many are passionate enthusiasts. And the first advice you’re likely to get from amaro enthusiasts is likely to be: “There are no rules.” You’ll see labels like “aperitif ” or “digestif,” which suggest that an amaro is better suited for drinking before a meal or after, but those are just suggestions. Ramsey says that an Italian may ardently recommend a preferred amaro, but as for how and when to drink it, their advice is likely to be,