Anisette
{{short description|Anise-flavored liqueur}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
File:Anisette Marie Brizard Nouvelle Bouteille.jpg brand anisette]]
Anisette, or Anis, is an anise-flavored liqueur that is consumed in most Mediterranean countries. It is colorless and, because it contains sugar, is sweeter than dry anise flavoured spirits (e.g. absinthe). The most traditional style of anisette is that produced by means of distilling aniseed,{{cite book |title=The Complete Book of Spirits |last=Blue |first=Anthony |year=2004 |publisher=HarperCollins |location=New York |isbn=0-06-054218-7 |page=283 }} and is differentiated from those produced by simple maceration by the inclusion of the word distilled on the label.
The liqueur is often mixed with water or poured over ice cubes because of its strong flavour.
Variations
Geographical spread
=Mediterranean=
{{further|Mediterranean cuisine}}
File:Anise_alcohols_Mediterranean_map.svg spirits of the Mediterranean region]]
In the Mediterranean Basin, anise-based or liquorice-based spirits include:
{{Anchor|Anís del Mono}}
- Spain: Anís del Mono ("the monkey's anisette") has been produced since 1870.{{cite book|last1=Zurdo |first1=David |last2=Gutiérrez|first2=Ángel |title=El libro de los licores de España |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5PnLWI0HMZcC&pg=PA50|year=2004|publisher=Ediciones Robinbook |isbn=9788496054127|page=50}} The label, with a monkey holding a scroll and a bottle, was designed by Ramon Casas i Carbó.{{cite book |last=Eaude |first=Michael |title=Catalonia: A Cultural History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rG3AWygXxYkC&pg=PA113 |year=2007 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780199886883 |page=113}} It is the anisette of choice in Malcolm Lowry's Under the Volcano.{{cite book |last=Lowry |first=Malcolm |author-link=Malcolm Lowry |title=Under the Volcano: A Novel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wY0jbxhreGQC&pg=PT24 |year=2012 |publisher=Open Road Media |isbn=9781453286296|page=24}} Characters in Ernest Hemingway's novel The Sun Also Rises{{cite book |last=Hemingway |first=Ernest |author-link=Ernest Hemingway |title=The Sun Also Rises |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ghKyLjIU4-QC&pg=PA162 |year=2006 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-0743297332 |page=162}} and his short story "Hills Like White Elephants" drink and discuss Anís del Toro – "Bull's Anisette." Another type, Aguardiente de Ojén (es), gained fame abroad and is popular in New Orleans, Louisiana, especially during the Mardi Gras festivities.[http://www.aguardienteojen.com/ Dominique Mertens Impex. S.L., Ojén, aguardiente superior] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129124723/http://www.aguardienteojen.com/ |date=29 November 2014 }}, official website, in Spanish[http://www.neworleansbar.org/uploads/files/OjenUpdate.3-2.pdf New Orleans Nostalgia, "Banana Republics and Ojen Cocktails", Ned Hémard, 2007]
- France: Anisette, made by Marie Brizard since 1755{{cite web |url=http://www.cocktailtimes.com/mariebrizard/press/mariebrizard_history.pdf|title=History of Marie Brizard |work=Cocktail Times|access-date=2 January 2018}} and Pastis, made by Paul Ricard since 1932
- Greece: Ouzo
- Malta: Anisetta (Żambur), made with anise and herbs.{{cite journal |last=Bernardy |first=A. A. |title=Forme e Colori della Tradizione Maltese |language=Italian |journal=Lares |date=1940 |volume=11 |issue=4/5 |pages=245–292 |jstor=26238461}}
- Italy: Sambuca
- Portugal: Licor Aniz Escarchado (crystallized){{cite web |title=Aniz |url=https://www.xarao.pt/en/produto/aniz-2/ |publisher=Xarao.pt |access-date=16 August 2022}}
- Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Albania: Rakı
- Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Israel, Jordan, and Egypt: Arak
- Algeria: Anisette Cristal{{cite news |last1=Dealberto |first1=Clara |last2=Desrayaud |first2=Lea |title=Le pastis, elixir provencal |work=Le Monde |date=25 July 2017 |page=28 |url=http://www.lemonde.fr/festival/article/2017/07/24/le-pastis-elixir-provencal_5164154_4415198.html?xtmc=le_pastis_elixir&xtcr=1}}{{subscription required}}
=Latin America=
Anise-flavoured alcohols from other parts of the world include Aguardiente from Colombia and Mexico.{{cite book|last1=Franz|first1=Carl|last2=Havens|first2=Lorena|title=The People's Guide to Mexico|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qx0eMwW-5pAC&pg=RA1-PA96|access-date=15 February 2013|year=2006|publisher=Avalon Travel|isbn=9781566917117|page=96}}
=Philippines=
Anise liqueur was also introduced to the Philippines by the Spanish, which developed into the local anisado, an anise-flavored liqueur usually made from distilled sugarcane wine. A notable variant of Filipino anisado with sugar is known as anisado Mallorca, or simply Mallorca. They are commonly used as ingredients in Filipino cuisine.{{cite journal |last1=Gibbs |first1=H.D. |last2=Holmes |first2=W.C.|title=The Alcohol Industry of the Philippine Islands Part II: Distilled Liquors; their Consumption and Manufacture|journal=The Philippine Journal of Science: Section A |date=1912 |volume=7 |pages=19–46 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.27242}}{{cite book |last1=Aranas |first1=Jennifer |title=Tropical Island Cooking: Traditional Recipes, Contemporary Flavors |date=2015 |publisher=Tuttle Publishing |isbn=9781462916894 |pages=10–11 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QbCHCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA11}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Alcoholic drinks}}
{{Mediterranean cuisine}}
Category:Mediterranean cuisine