Vermouth: the ancient Piedmontese recipe in bag in box

Vermouth is the Piedmontese aperitif by definition and can be served straight with some ice cubes, a slice of orange or a spritz of lemon peel on top, or in mixology it can be mixed with other spirits as an ingredient in different types of cocktails. Formally it is a spiced wine with a pleasantly sweet taste, a bitter finish, and a full-bodied flavor with roots that sink into Piedmont, specifically Turin. The traditional recipe involves a secret and well-calibrated blend of herbs and spices immersed in red or white wine with the right alcohol content and aromatics. Among the ingredients particularly used in this infusion, it is worth mentioning: wormwood, gentian, elderflower, vanilla, bitter orange, cinchona, rhubarb, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, juniper, angelica, marjoram, mint and others. Each company puts its unique signature on its Vermouth, which is why the final recipe is still shrouded in mystery. Historically, Moscato wine was privileged as a base for its organoleptic profile, while today simpler, young, and neutral white wines such as Cortese, Catarratto, Malvasia, and Trebbiano are preferred. The botanicals are left to macerate in the wine in large tanks, and sugar and alcohol are eventually added to make the drink more or less soft and consistent. Depending on the level of sugar content in the liquid, Vermouths can be classified as:

• extra dry, less than 30 g/l
• dry, less than 50 g/l
• semidry, between 50-90 g/l
• semisweet, between 90-130 g/l
• sweet, more than 130 g/l

In addition to the typical Piedmontese pairing with gianduiotti from Turin, a prismatic-shaped chocolate with a rectangular base, usually wrapped in gold paper, we recommend drinking it straight paired with flavorful and herbaceous cheeses, such as gorgonzola, roquefort, and aged Parmigiano Reggiano. On Sfusobuono, you can find Vermouth in bag in box made by Distilleria Quaglia, in a particular and innovative packaging that will allow you to prepare your favorite drink at home, leaving it open for over 4 months from the first pour.

Americano: a timeless charm drink

Americano is a great classic of cocktails made with red Vermouth, Bitter, and Soda. It is a drink with an intense, soft, and persistent flavor, born in the 1930s. Its name refers to the habit of Americans traveling to Italy to dilute wine with soda to adapt it to their tastes, which dates back to the 19th century and led to the creation of a unique and original drink. Over the years, the cocktail recipe has been modified and enriched with other ingredients, until it took on its current form. The Americano has had an incredible fortune over time, becoming a classic of Italian and international mixology. It has been served in many bars and restaurants worldwide and has also been the subject of famous films and novels. Its timeless charm makes it a perfect drink for any occasion, both as an aperitif and as a digestif.

If you want to prepare it at home without having to call your trusted bartender, Sfusobuono's Americano in bag in box is perfect for you. Just follow these simple steps:

• fill the glass, preferably a low tumbler, with ice
• pour directly into the glass 60 ml (= 2 pours) of Americano base in bag in box
• spray the soda until it reaches the top of the glass
• gently stir the ingredients with a spoon
• garnish your drink with a slice of orange and lemon peel

And there's more: Americano in bag in box is a pre-mixed base of Vermouth and Red Bitter that you can use to create other famous cocktails such as:

• Negroni: adding a part of Gin
• Sbagliato: adding a part of Spumante, Prosecco or Metodo Classico wine
• Milano-Torino: drinking it straight without adding soda

Amaro: the classic Italian after-dinner drink

Amaro is a liquor with an intense and pleasantly bitter taste, prepared with a blend of herbs and spices. Its digestive effect allows you to end a meal (especially if heavier and richer than usual) with a clean and refreshed palate, concluding the evening in a relaxing and tasty way, sipping a high-quality product with a unique flavor. It is not accidental that historically Amaro was consumed for medicinal purposes, as Hippocrates tells us, defining it as 'able to restore health to the patient'. In addition to the classic herbal Amaro, it is right to include among the typical Italian after-dinner drinks Mirto. A recipe that originates in Sardinia and that involves the use of myrtle berries, alcohol, water, and sugar, without any addition of dyes and flavors. On Sfusobuono, you can find Craft Myrtle Liquor by Istinto Sardo in bag in box, excellent served cold after dinner or mixed with other spirits in a contemporary revision of the great classics of mixology.