Happy Hour Tuesday: Rometti Aviation

Happy Hour Tuesday!

What do Time Square and Hugo Ensslin have in common? The answer comes in a martini glass and is dearly loved by all the cocktail enthusiast in the world: it’s Aviation, a gin based cocktail that traces back to the era of airshows and flight races. Aviation is “from the ’20s, and tastes like spring”, as The Blacklist‘s character Raymond Reddington states during a dinner with FBI agent Elizabeth Keen.

Made with dry gin, lemon juice, maraschino liqueur and Creme de Violette, the first recipe for Aviation appears in Ensslin’s 1916 Recipes for Mixed Drinks. Later on in 1930 another version of Aviation appears in the well-known Savoy Cocktail Book, this time without the Creme de Violette. The distinguishing blue/purple color given by such ingredient was now gone, and became impossible to replicate once Creme de Violette completely disappeared from the market shelves in the ’60s, slowly leading Aviation to the oblivion. Only in 2007 Rothman and Winter reintroduced Creme de Violette in the United States, and the past seven years have brought the original Aviation back onto out cocktail lists!

Although many of you might still stick to the recipe without the Creme de Violette, Rometti Limoncello feels like it’s necessary to include it in the ingredients of our Rometti Aviation version: the floral taste and sky color make Aviation a unique, mysterious drink that seems to take us back to the sophistication of those year.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Aviation American Gin
1 tsp Crème de violette
1/2 oz Maraschino Liqueur
1/2 oz Freshly pressed lemon juice
1/4 oz Rometti Limoncello

Pour all the ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake well, strain into a well-chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with brandied cherry, or a slice of lemon if you prefer.

~Enjoy!

 

Image from 2eat2drink.com

Happy Hour Tuesday: The Corsican

Happy Hour Tuesday!

If you are not Italian or French you may not know that Corsica is a small island located to the West of Italy or to the South-East of France, thus a territory that in the past has been fought over between these two countries. Today Corsica belongs to France and it’s also called Island of Beauty, as it offers a variety of sceneries, from its beautiful beaches where scuba diving is almost a must, to its great trails along the mountains.

The Corsican Cocktail, similarly to the inner nature of the island, mixes a bit of French and a bit of Italian: the aperitif Lillet Blanc with Rometti limoncello. Given the refreshing, zesty taste of limoncello, these two ingredients marry well together since Lillet Blanc contains wine, orange peel and quinine. Their flavors combined make a remarkable, balanced, modern drink, not extremely bitter and with a moderate sweetness. In addition to Lillet Blanc and Rometti Limoncello, eldelflower syrup and club soda are added, which increment the sweet, floral taste that makes this cocktail an enjoyable treat for every occasion.

Ingredients:
3 ounces Lillet Blanc, chilled
7 ounces Rometti limoncello, chilled
3 1/2 ounces elderflower syrup
1 3/4 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 (10-ounce) bottle club soda, chilled
6 lemon twists (optional)

Combine the Lillet, Rometti limoncello, elderflower syrup, and lemon juice in a large measuring cup or medium bowl. Using a funnel, transfer to a 3-cup-capacity bottle (or 750-ml bottle) with a tightfitting lid and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
When ready to serve, pour about 4 ounces of the mixture into a chilled cocktail glass and top with about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 ounces of the club soda. Garnish with a lemon twist, if desired, and serve. (Alternatively, you can combine all of the ingredients except the lemon twists in a 5-cup punch bowl and serve immediately.)

~Enjoy!

Recipe from http://www.Chow.com

Image from OHSOBEAUTIFULPAPER.COM

Happy Hour Tuesday: Amerouge

Happy Hour Tuedsay!

Italy marries Brazil in this week’s cocktail called Amerouge, which features among its ingredients Campari bitter -which at this point we all know what it is, right?- and Cachaça, a distilled spirit made from sugarcane. Cachaça originated in Portugal where it was made up until the 16th century when its production moved to Brazil. Similar to rum, cachaça can be unaged or aged, and today it’s most known in countries outside of Brazil as one of the main ingredients for Caipirinha.
Sweet, smoky, with hints of fruit and spices, cachaça is the yang to the Campari yin: together they balance each other in a bittersweet symphony of smooth, citrusy blend.

Orange juice, mango and a splash of Rometti limoncello contribute to make Amerouge the perfect, exotic aperitif that couldn’t open up our Spring 2014 Happy Hour Tuesday series in any fresher way. Consume preferably ice cold and in company of some good friends.

Ingredients:
1 1⁄2 oz Cachaça
1 oz Campari
1 1⁄2 oz Orange Juice
1 1⁄2 oz Mango Juice
1/2 oz Rometti Limoncello
1/2 Fresh Lemon Juice
3 oz Tonic Water

Mix juices, Rometti Limoncello and cachaça in a shaker with some ice cubes. Shake well until chilled and pour over a glass with some crushed ice. Add Campari, stir gently. Fill up with Tonic Water and add a slice of orange to garnish.

~Enjoy!

FridayLicious: Limoncello Cheesecake

Thank God It’s Friday… Thank God It’s Delicious!

Do you enjoy savoring a slice of cake with your coffee but don’t enjoy so much baking? Or, unfortunately for your husband and little ones, you would bake everything you could but your relationship with the oven is a love-hate affair that tends to lean a little bit more towards the “hate’? This Friday Rometti Limoncello has a delicious recipe for you that does not require baking: Limoncello Cheesecake. Well, there is a little baking, but it consists in only letting the crust sit!

Cheesecakes are very popular in the United States. If you ask around, some people will even tell you that Cheesecakes are an American invention, which is partially true and partially not. Believe it or not, the ancient Greek were already mastering the art of Cheesecakes, although at the time Cheesecakes were used for religious uses and had a very different taste. It took the introduction in 1872 of American cream cheese to develop the modern Cheesecake we all so love today. And once again, like for other cooking ingredients, cream cheese was nothing less than a mistake! In fact a dairyman called William Lawrence  from Chester, NY,  is the one to claim for such a popular dairy ingredient which he accidentally made while he was trying to reproduce the French Neufchatel cheese. Mr. Lawrence was the founder of Philadelphia brand Cream Cheese. The rest is history.

Just FYI shall you want to make this Limoncello Cheesecake a little more Italian-style, you can substitute cream cheese with ricotta.

Ingredients:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup unsalted butter – melted
8 ounces cream cheese – softened
8 ounces frozen whipped topping – thawed
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup Rometti Limoncello

Preheat oven oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray. Stir together crust ingredients. Press firmly and evenly in bottom of pie plate.
Bake 9 minutes. Cool 20 minutes.
In the bowl of your mixer, beat cheesecake ingredients on medium speed until smooth; spoon over crust.
Refrigerate at least 30 minutes prior to serving.

~Enjoy!
Recipe and image copyright of Paula Jones with Bellalimento

Happy Hour Tuesday: Italian Fizz

Happy Hour Tuesday!

Today is la festa del papa‘ – Father’s Day- in Italy, as it falls on the same day of Saint Joseph’s Day. In consideration of such great celebration Rometti selected a drink made with ingredients such as Rye whiskey, port and, of course, limoncello: Italian Fizz.

Aged for a minimum of two years in charred, new oak barrels, Rye whiskey is distilled from at least 51% rye (a type of grass similar to barley and wheat). Dry, peppery and with notes of walnut, rye whiskey marries well with Tawny Port, a nutty, woody and dry dessert-wine made with grapes from Portugal fortified in grape neutral spirit aged for 10 years or more in porous wooden casks. The cozy, mellow taste of the two dry ingredients harmonically contrasts with awakening, bittersweet flavor of Rometti Limoncello.

Whether or not you are celebrating paternal bonds today, Italian Fizz is a modern drink to enjoy with your Father any time of the year!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 ounces Rittenhouse Rye
1/2 ounce Taylor-Fladgate 10 year old Tawny Port
3/4 ounces fresh lemon juice
3/4 Rometti Limoncello
the white of one egg (optional)
Club soda
Ice

Combine ingredients but ice and soda in a shaker and shake well. Add ice and shake again for 10 more seconds, then strain into a highball glass with 2 ice cubes. Add chilled club soda and stir gently.

~Enjoy!

Image from http://www.foodrepublic.com, Bryan Quinn

FridayLicious: Rometti Limoncello Pound Cake

FridayLicious was delayed this week but,Thank God It’s Delicious!

We all grew up with Pound Cakes throughout our childhood, and personally, I still consider it one of my favorite treats. The simplicity of its ingredients (flour, butter, eggs and sugar) make Pound Cake a simple, versatile type of dessert, loved by both the little ones and grown-ups. Using one pound of each ingredient (from here the name Pound Cake), anyone can adventure in this baking experience and turn out victorious, even those who, well, don’t exactly master the art of cooking.

Pound Cake seems to have Northern European origins (some say British) that date back to the 1700s, and appears for the first time as a recipe listed in a cookbook in the 1796 American Cookery: or, The Art of Dressing Viands, Fish, Poultry and Vegetables, and the Best Modes of Making Puff-pastes, Pies, Tarts, Puddings, Custards and Preserves, and all kinds of Cakes, from the Imperial Plumb to plain Cake by Amelia Simmons, and published in the United States. Pound Cakes were already popular way before though, as they trace back to the Egyptians and, later, Medieval Times, when they were made similarly to bread with the addition of honey, nuts and dried fruits.

Today baking powder is also used in the recipe to make Pound Cake lighter and stir away from the bread-consistency, while yoghurt is often a great (and healthier!) substitute for butter.

Last year we were honored to be featured in the Rometti Limoncello Pound Cake by Chef Larry at Whitehall Lane Winery. It’s the perfect, light, zesty pound cake to enjoy as a snack in the afternoon, with tea or some Rometti Limoncello. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

11⁄2 C cake flour
11⁄2 t baking powder
1⁄2 t baking soda
3⁄4 t salt
3⁄4 C unsalted butter (11⁄2 sticks), room temperature
11⁄4 C sugar
1 C plain Greek yogurt
3 eggs
1 T vanilla extract
2 T + 4 T Rometti Limoncello
Zest of one lemon

For the Glaze:
3⁄4 C confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
4 T Rometti Limoncello

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and position a rack in the center. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter, dust it with flour, and tap to knock out the excess. In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, yogurt and sugar on medium speed until smooth and light, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of the bowl after each addition. Add vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons of limoncello, lemon zest, and mix well. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients to combine them, scrape down sides of the bowl, and beat batter for 30 seconds on medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pan and use a spatula to smooth the top. Give the pan a few gentle whacks on the counter to remove any air pockets. Bake cake for 15 minutes, then turn the pan 180 degrees to ensure even browning. Lower the temperature to 325 degrees and continue baking until the cake springs back lightly when touched, the sides have begun to pull away from the pan, and a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25 to 35 minutes more. Drizzle the remaining 4 tablespoons of limoncello over cake. Allow cake to cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully invert it onto the rack to cool completely. To make glaze, mix together the confectioner’s sugar with the limoncello until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cake.
If you would like to see the whole recipe book you can click here.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Larry at Whitehall Lane Winery
Image © Franck Schmitt/Oredia/Corbis

Happy Hour Tuesday: Pear Lemon Fizz

Happy Hour Tuesday!

If there is one fruit that is usually underrated, well.. That is Pear! Apples, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries always grab people’s attention, while this pulpy fruit that becomes ripe towards the end of summer and beginning of fall seems to make no noise. But, believe it or not, pears with their subtle, earthy skin color, definitively less bright than all of their fellow fruits, are actually one of the world’s healthiest foods! Rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and apparently even anti-cancer nutrients, pears also help maintaining good glucose levels. Yep, pears basically seem to cover everything, from a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, to heart disease, and ultimately, reduced cancer risk.

This week we decided to give some well-deserved spotlight to this underdog fruit. Before today is over, I bet you are all going to make a quick stop to the grocery store to buy some delicious, succulent pears. You might also want to get some more ingredients (in case you didn’t have all of them) to make a bubbly Pear Lemon Fizz!

Ingredients:
Ice cubes
1/2 oz pear vodka
3/4 to 1 oz Rometti Limoncello
A splash of fresh lemon juice
Champagne, for topping off (about 1/2 cup)
A slice of pear

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka, Rometti Limoncello and a splash of fresh lemon juice. Shake well and strain into a glass. Top off with Champagne. Garnish with a slice of pear, or a lemon wedge.

~Enjoy!

Image from http://www.pinterest.com/pin/14847873741711341/

Fridaylicious: Limoncello and Raspberry Semi-freddo

Thank God It’s Friday, Thank God It’s Delicious!

Being Valentine’s Day, today we couldn’t help but looking for a lovely, tasteful dessert that would sweeten up your day (and/or night!). Although the cold weather is still letting some of us shivering and shaveling in most of the country, our selection fell on a classic and versatile Limoncello and Raspberry Semi-freddo.

Perfect for both after lunch and after dinner, semi-freddo is not as thick as ice-cream, its lighter richness makes it instead more similar to a mousse because made with half ice cream and half whipped cream. Visually more elegant than gelato, with its etherial consistency semi-freddo is often consumed as dessert, and suits perfectly every kind of dinner party.

Limoncello and Raspberry Semi-freddo is the perfect Valentine’s Day treat if you live in a sunny place, such as our beloved Newport Beach. But don’t worry, if you are in one of the regions still affected by the winter storm, this semi-freddo will bring you a little sunshine and works as a sweet excuse to have your partner warming you up while enjoying every bite of this delicious dessert! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Ingredients:
100 grams (3.5 oz) raspberries (fresh or frozen, thawed)
85 grams (3 oz) golden caster sugar
284 ml (1.2 cups) double cream (carton)
4 tbsps Rometti Limoncello
200 ml (0.95 cups) crème fraîche (cartons)
225 grams (8 oz) raspberries (fresh or frozen, thawed)
2 tbsps golden caster sugar
2 tbsps Rometti Limoncello
raspberries (extra)

Line the base of a 1kg loaf tin (7.5in x 4.75in x 3.5 deep) with baking parchment. For the semi-freddo, mash the raspberries and half the sugar in a bowl with a fork. Whisk the cream, the rest of the sugar and Rometti Limoncello to soft peaks. Beat the crème fraîche briefly so it is in soft peaks like the cream. Gently fold the cream mixture and crème fraîche together.
Pour the mashed raspberries into the cream and give a few stirs only – just enough to swirl it through the creamy mix. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and smooth the top.
For the coulis, mash the raspberries, sugar and Rometti Limoncello with a fork, then push through a sieve.
Open-freeze  the semi-freddo then cover with cling film and foil and freeze for up to 1 month. Pour the sieved coulis into a rigid container and freeze for up to 1 month.
To serve, thaw the coulis in the fridge overnight. Thaw the semi-freddo in the fridge for 1 hr. Remove it from the tin and peel off the lining paper. Drizzle with a little of the coulis and scatter some raspberries over the top. Serve in slices with the rest of the coulis.

~Enjoy!

Recipes from http://www.yummly.com

Happy Hour Tuesday Valentine’s Day Special: Blushing Sparkler

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Today is the sweetest day of the year, the day when if you have a husband/wife or a boyfriend/girlfriend, or simply a friend that cares about you, you might get a box of chocolate that symbolizes the three words that everyone longs to hear: I love you. It’s time to celebrate!
Rometti Limoncello has found for you a special recipe for such a special day, Blushing Sparkler.

Sweet and sour, definitively fruity and bubbly, Blushing Sparkler is perfectly in theme with Valentine’s Day, and – open your ears my friends!- if you choose a zero calorie flavored sparkling water, you might feel less guilty for all that chocolate that you will have eaten before the end of the day! Not to mention that a flavor such as Pink Grapefruit or Raspberries is simply perfect for such a romantic day!

Ingredients:
1 oz whipped vodka
4 oz Cascade Ice Pink Grapefruit
1/4 oz Rometti Limoncello
ice
Lemon wedge to garnish

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice pour vodka, sparkling water, and Rometti Limoncello. Shake well and pour in a chilled glass. Garnish with lemon wedges.

~Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Cascade Ice Sparkling Water

Happy Hour Tuesday: Sweet Seduction

Happy Hour Tuesday!

Alright folks, it’s that week of the year again, the one that couples in love have been waiting for yet the one week out of the year that singles simply could live without! It’s Valentine’s Day week, and we magically came across a delicious recipe with a name that could not be more appropriate: Sweet Seduction. Featuring a harmonically flavored blend of banana liqueur, pineapple juice and Malibu rum, the original recipe does not list limoncello among the ingredients. However, just like enduring love is always better when there is a balance between sweet and spicy, we feel like a splash of Rometti Limoncello could contribute to the refreshing taste of such an exotic drink.

If you are going out on a date this coming Friday, Sweet Seduction is the drink that will take you and your partner on a gateway trip at every sip! And if you do not have a partner… well, you surely have a delicious drink that you can serve to your friends for a cozy, fun evening together!

Ingredients:
1 oz Malibu Rum
1 oz Banana Liqueur
1/2 cup Pineapple juice
1/4 oz Rometti Limoncello
ice cubes
1 tbsp Grenadine

In a cocktail shaker with ice pour Malibu Rum, banana liqueur, pineapple juice and Rometti Limoncello. Shake for about 30 seconds or until the outside gets frosty. Strain into a glass filled with ice and pour the grenadine on top. Garnish with a slice of pineapple or a cherry.

~Enjoy!