Genziana, intense liquore: origins and curiosities

Genziana​, intense liquore: origins and curiosities

The ​Genziana​ is a plant that is born and grows from 1000 to 2500 meters above sea level, and in Italy it grows only in certain areas of the Alps and the central Apennines. With the roots of this plant excellent liqueurs are produced. ​Genziana ​is generally an intense and very aromatic liqueur .

THE PLANT

Genziana ​is a mountain plant. There are many varieties and it

can be annual, biennial or perennial. Today this plant is at high risk of extinction , and is, therefore, a protected species: it is strictly forbidden to harvest it. There are 400 varieties of

Genziana ​all over the world, but those widespread in Italy are much less. It is not easy to establish in which regions of the world this plant originated: there are so many species that each has its own characteristics and its own areas of diffusion. Today, Genziana ​can be found in all temperate regions of Europe, Asia and America, but some species also grow in North Africa,

Eastern Australia and New Zealand. In our Peninsula, ​Genzianas grow wild throughout the Alps, their ideal habitat. However, some varieties are also found in the Apennines, where the tradition of using this plant for infusions and liqueurs is strongly rooted in the habits of the popular classes.

PROPERTY This plant has always been widely used also in herbal medicine, thanks to its multiple properties, the infusion of ​Genziana ​roots is a fabulous basic element from which it is possible to obtain

products of excellent quality, genuine and highly digestive. In addition to being a very ancient herb, it is famous for the strong digestive, diuretic, tonic, antibiotic and carminative properties that have its roots.

THE LIQUORE

The variety that is used for our digestives and liqueurs is the Genziana ​lutea . This liqueur unites the Italian mountain territory: we find liqueurs based on ​Genziana ​root in different regions,

such as in Piedmont, Lazio, Abruzzo , Trentino. ​Genziana ​is a plant with a strongly bitter taste: it has always been used in history for its digestive properties,​IN VARIOUS REGIONS WHERE ​Genziana ​GROWS SPONTANEOUSLY, LIQUEURS ARE PRODUCED​it is mentioned at the dawn of the Christian era

by Discorides and it is certain that the name of this plant derives

from Genzio, the last king of Illyria, captured by the Romans, who discovered the plant and in particular the numerous beneficial effects of its roots. The traditionality of the product is documented in Piedmont, both by the custom of many Valsusine families in preparing this liqueur, and by a 1970 article published in the Journal of the Botanical Institute of the University of Turin, where the different uses of the ​Genziana ​plant are analyzed. in the

Susa Valley . As for the Apennines and Central Italy, it is rather known than in the mountain areas of the Reatino area, an area where ​Genziana ​grows spontaneously, the preparation of the

liqueur took place above all in the home, where it was used as a digestive or remedy against certain ailments. The ​Genziana ​bitter

is widespread especially in Abruzzo, where in its mountains since ancient times it was produced for domestic use, the typical drink was (and is) made up of a base of wine flavored with the roots of Genziana​.

GENZIANA ​PGI

​ hen we talk about ​Genziana liqueur​, we can think of many W Italian recipes, but the best known and codified are the classic Abruzzese one and the traditional one from Trentino Alto Adige , the only one to have obtained the IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) designation. The latter is certainly more complex and cumbersome because it does not involve the use of wine: in essence, what you get is a real distillate. The Abruzzo recipe instead involves the use of white wine which allows to obtain a liqueur, always with a high alcohol content, but much more drinkable, and above all, much easier to produce at home.