By The Glass
LYLE FUJIOKA
Limoncello gives sublime
relief after a heavy mealThe Bacchanalian feast is over and you've promised yourself -- once more -- that even Caesar himself could never again force you to overindulge in food and drink. All too often one's memory of painful excess is fleeting. Besides swearing never to abuse yourself again, what's the immediate solution to your uncomfortable condition? "Plop, plop, fizz, fizz?" Absolutely not! Not if you're of Italian heart, anyway.
The Italians finish their meals with a glass of digestivo, a digestive liquor. The most widely known type is probably grappa, a spirit distilled from leftover grape byproducts, following wine fermentation. Many have labeled grappa as firewater. I'm one of them.
The digestivo that owns my stomach is limoncello. This liquor traditionally has been connected with the Campania coastline just below Naples, with the town of Sorrento, recognized as the home of limoncello.
Infusing the peels of Sorrento lemons in neutral grain alcohol extracts the essential oils, creating the intense lemon flavor. The extract is then diluted with water, and sugar is added to complete the process.
Limoncello is the elixir of choice for my digestive system. While I'm a staunch advocate of responsible alcohol consumption, completing a meal with a shot of high-octane limoncello really evens things out. Served freezer cold, it provides a sublime relief that "plop, plop, fizz, fizz" could never provide.
Toschi Limoncello ($22.95): With a bit of rind and pulp, this limoncello captures true lemon flavor in a bottle. The slightly higher acidity offsets the caressing sweetness of this beautiful elixir.
Caravella Limoncello ($17): Caravella's balanced and refined limoncello will charm you with just the right amount of sweetness and citrusy accents.
Villa Grazia Limoncello ($18.45): Golden liquid lemon drops for those with a real sweet tooth. Villa Grazia is unabashedly sugary and sensuous, straight from the freezer to your anxious palate.
Villa Massa Limoncello ($22.50): This completely natural product is made entirely from the famed Sorrento lemons. Deep lemon flavors and aromas with light sweetness make this the ultimate limoncello.
Villa Massa Crema di Limone ($24.50): Consult your physician before ingesting ... your pleasure-deprived neurons may not be able to handle the absolute sensory overload induced by this creamy ambrosia! More dessert than digestivo. Some poor individuals have abandoned using glasses altogether, opting for the "milk from the carton" approach with this Crema. Remember, you have been warned. Bailey's fans will definitely jump ship.
Lyle Fujioka owns Fujioka's Wine Merchants.
This column is a weekly lesson in wine
pairing written by a rotating panel of wine professionals.
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