There is a prevailing assumption all across Italy that at the end of your meal you will want a small glass of Amaro. It’s almost always offered, and many times I have had a bottle of it simply plopped onto the table along with one tiny (shot) glass for each person. When dining with a family it’s often treated just like dessert. You don’t “drink” it, as you might wine, you sip a small glass (about a shot) that is room temperature, and it is supposed to calm your stomach. It is an acquired taste.
There are a variety of types, but what they all have in common is that they are a bitter liqueur meant to aid digestion. Amaro means “bitter” in Italian, and they’re not joking. The Amaro I had most was by Tosolini, who described it as, “Fine herbal liqueur produced from 15 different types of alpine, maritime herbs and spices macerated in ash barrels for over 4 months. A complex, full-bodied liquor with a sweet , yet bitter orange taste.”
I have to be honest, I did not ever acquire the taste for it. I did, however, really enjoy the way it was always offered. There is a quality to Italian hospitality and friendliness that is infectious and makes me fall madly in love with the country. So I found myself regularly sipping it down with a smile and enjoying the experience for what it was. A bitter drink, served with heartwarming sweetness.