sambuca
{{Short description|Italian anise-flavored liqueur}}
{{About|an alcoholic drink||Sambuca (disambiguation)}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2025}}
Sambuca ({{IPA|it|samˈbuːka|lang}}) is an Italian anise-flavoured liqueur. Its most common variety is often referred to as "white sambuca" to differentiate it from other varieties that are deep blue ("black sambuca") or bright red ("red sambuca").{{Cite web|url=https://lifeinitaly.com/the-most-famous-italian-liquors/|title=Most Famous Italian Liquors|date=February 4, 2020}} Like other anise-flavoured liqueurs, the ouzo effect is sometimes observed when combined with water.
Ingredients
Sambuca is flavoured with essential oils obtained from star anise, or less commonly, green anise. Other spices such as elderflower, liquorice and others may be included but are not required as per the legal definition. It is bottled at a minimum of 38% alc/vol.{{cite web|title=Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 January 2008 on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and the protection of geographical indications of spirit drinks and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1576/89|url=http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32008R0110&from=EN|website=Official Journal of the European Union|publisher=European Union|access-date=28 October 2016}} The oils are added to pure alcohol, a concentrated solution of sugar, and other flavours.
History
The term comes from the Latin word sambucus, meaning 'elderberry'.{{cite book|last=Rathbun|first=A.J.|title=Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz: A Cocktail Lover's Guide to Mixing Drinks Using New and Classic Liqueurs|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|date=2011|isbn=978-1558326651|page=197|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KNu0QfAO-RsC&pg=PA197|access-date=2013-12-23}} The word sambuca was first used as the name of another elderberry liquor that was created in Civitavecchia around 1850 by Luigi Manzi.{{Cite web |url=http://www.molinari.it/english/lasambuca.html |title=Molinari Italia Spa - le Parole |access-date=March 23, 2008 |archive-date=September 30, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930222913/http://www.molinari.it/english/lasambuca.html |url-status=dead }}
Serving
Sambuca may be served neat. It may also be served on the rocks or with water, resulting in the ouzo effect from the anethole in the anise. Like other anise liqueurs, it may be consumed after coffee as an {{lang|it|ammazzacaffè}} (Italian: "coffee-killer") or added directly to coffee in place of sugar to produce a {{lang|it|caffè corretto}} (Italian: "corrected coffee").{{cite news |last=Gray |first=W. Blake |date=February 23, 2006 |title=Coffee drinks give 'I'm buzzed' a double meaning |url=http://www.sfgate.com/wine/spirits/article/Coffee-drinks-give-I-m-buzzed-a-double-meaning-2503645.php |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |location=San Francisco |access-date=2013-12-23}}
A serving of sambuca can be a shot with seven coffee beans, representing the seven hills of Rome. Likewise, a shot with one coffee bean, called {{lang|it|con la mosca}}, (Italian: "with the fly"), is as common. The traditional serving is with three coffee beans, each representing health, happiness and prosperity.{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JDgsAQAAMAAJ&q=sambuca+con+mosca+holy+trinity |title= Wine & Spirit |publisher= William Reed |date= 2008 |access-date= 2013-12-23}} The shot may be ignited to toast the coffee beans with the flame extinguished immediately before drinking.{{cite book |author= |title=1001 Foods To Die For |url=https://archive.org/details/1001foodstodiefo00andr |url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/1001foodstodiefo00andr/page/935 935]|publisher=Andrews McMeel Publishing |date=Nov 1, 2007 |isbn=978-0740770432 |access-date=2013-12-23}}
Sambuca is also used in cooking, in small amounts because it has a strong flavour. It is usually used in desserts and seafood recipes.