This week in our Homeschool Cooking Class Charlie and I will be celebrating April 19 National Amaretto Day #NationalAmarettoDay. For most of us when we think of Amaretto we think of beverages featuring liquor. I have a question for you. Did you know Amaretto can be used in baking as well? Charlie will be researching recipes we can make using Amaretto this week. Would you like to join us for snacks and movies?
I know there is a lot of people who are going to be excited to find out today is National Amaretto Day on April 19, a holiday celebrating one of the world’s most beloved liqueurs. The rich classic Italian Almond-flavored drink, which has proudly delighted countless taste buds for centuries, gets its name from the Italian word ‘amaro’-bitter, amaretto translated, “a little bitter.”
Amaretto is sometimes made from a blend of Apricot kernels, bitter Almonds, Peach stones, or Almonds, Amaretto traces its origin to Saronno. The sweet Almondy treat with a tinge of Vanilla and slightly bitter aftertaste comes with a world of tastefulness spicing foods and drinks with its unique flavor.
An unforgettable, sophisticated fusion of the finest ingredients, Amaretto provides the perfect Spice for a lazy day. Amaretto can be enjoyed neat or used to spice up desserts, including Ice Cream, added to a Cake, Cookies, Pancake, Fruits, or as sauce toppings,. Amaretto earns repute as a major ingredient for Cocktails, including the classic Amaretto Sour. Which I’ve never tried. Have you? If not we should go have a drink or two this evening and rest, relax and catch up.
Amaretto didn’t hit the United States until the 1960s and becoming hugely popular by the 1970s to even grab a seat as the second-most popular liquor in the 1980s in the United States, legend has its history interestingly carved out in the 16th Century. Can you imagine a world without Amaretto?
Although the certainty of Amaretto’s true origin is somewhat shrouded in mystery, with two families laying claim to the popular liqueur. According to the more widely accepted legend, Amaretto traces its origin to Saronno, Italy. In 1525, the Church of Santa Maria Delle Grazie contracted Bernardino Luini, a student of the famed painter, sculptor, architect, and inventor, Leonardo da Vinci, to paint a fresco — the Adoration of the Magi, including the Madonna of the Miracles.
A beautiful widowed innkeeper served as his muse and the pair along the line had a thing and she decided to show her love by gifting Luini a special drink, a delicious treat made from Apricot kernels soaked in Brandy that would go down memory lane as the first-ever Amaretto drink, handed down from generations. From Amaretto di Saronno Originale, shortened to Amaretto Disaronno, and Disaronno Originale in 2001 — although the company name has changed over the years, its distinct taste continues to win hearts over.
NATIONAL AMARETTO DAY ACTIVITIES
- What better way to celebrate NATIONAL AMARETTO DAY than tasting the unique taste of the world-famous Italian liqueur?
- Whip up your very own Amaretto Sour Cocktail: using 1 1/2 ounces of Amaretto, 3/4 fresh Lemon juice, 1 ounce of simple Syrup, 1 Egg White in a cocktail shaker or blender, with Ice, strain, garnish with Cherries, and serve chilled.
FACTS ABOUT AMARETTO
- Amaretto contradicts itself because the name is derived from the Italian ‘amaro,’ which means “bitter, from the Almond flavor,” although the liqueur is sweet.
- Amaretto is said to be mostly carbohydrates with a hint of vitamins and minerals and consumed as an after-dinner treat, an ounce of Amaretto has 110 calories.
- Luxury and cheap never go hand in hand, and the D’Amalfi Limoncello Supreme liquor valued at £27,000,000.00 is proof. Did you know the neck of the bottle features three single, thirteen-carat diamonds and the rarest of diamonds, 18.5 carats?
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL AMARETTO DAY
- Although high in calories, this bittersweet liquor is rumored to help lower the risk of stroke, as well as reduce anxiety. With its bitter taste, it sounds off a warning about too much sweetness and the accompanying headaches, often linked to obesity and heart disease, among other dangerous health issues.
- National Amaretto Day presents the perfect opportunity to explore the wonders of this versatile liqueur that can be used in a variety of delights as well as gives a hint to the classic Italian dessert Tiramisu.
Amaretto Cake
Prep Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hour Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
Servings: 12 Yield: 1 to 10 – inch bundt cake
Ingredients
- 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
- 4 eggs
- 1 (5.1 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup amaretto liqueur
- 1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
- In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, instant vanilla pudding, water, oil, almond extract, and 2 tablespoons of the amaretto; blend together well. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and while it is still warm, poke holes in the surface. Drizzle with the Amaretto Glaze, insuring that some of the glaze fills the holes. Let the cake cool for at least 2 hours before removing from the pan.
- To make Amaretto Glaze: Sift the confectioners’ sugar, and combine it with the remaining 1/2 cup amaretto. Blend until smooth. You may add more amaretto as needed.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
