Tuesday 18 May 2010

Mirto Liqueur


Sunday evening, BBQ on the roofs of Shoreditch. Even though the weather was awful. Thanks to my intrepid friends. In this big city, in this multicultural mix that is London, I bring a taste of Italy in a bottle of Mirto.
A faithful friend of sleepless and sweaty nights spent under the moon of warm Sardinian summers. I can feel the warm breeze from the Mediterranean Sea, sit in the old town centre of Alghero, the voices of my Sardinian friends and the cool sweet taste of mirto liquor.
It is bizarre how everyone seems to know Limoncello and not this sweet aromatic counterpart from Sardinia. A sweet natural liqueur with digestive properties, made by macerating myrtle berries (myrtus communis), which grows generous and wild in the Sardinian island, with alcohol and sugar.

It is served chilled, in cooled shots glasses, generally after a meal and drunk it slowly, to fully savour its unique and wild taste. The recipe is quite easy and requires just few essential ingredients.

1 lt water
1 lt alcohol (90’)
600 gr. mirto berries
600 gr.sugar


Place the mirto berries in a container with pure alcohol. Store in a cool cupboard and allow infusing for at least 40 days stirring sometimes.
After this time, strain the berries from alcohol and discard them.
Boil the water and add the sugar. When cold incorporate the mirto syrup and mix well.
Then, just bottle it in a clean bottle and leave it for at least another month (better two) in a cool place.
That is it!

1 comment:

Choclette said...

Sounds delicious. I don't think we can get pure alcohol in the UK so will have to make do with vodka which is what I use when making fruit liqueurs.

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