Gagliardo, The Best Bitter in the World Pairs with Italian High Cuisine

Posted by Rowena Dumlao - Giardina 12/20/2019

Gagliardo, The Best Bitter in the World Pairs with Italian High Cuisine

Gagliardo Bitter Radicale, the Italian bitter awarded as the best bitter at the 2019 World Liqueur Awards enters the arena of Italian high cuisine. Four dynamic monthly evenings in the key cities of Italy are earmarked for the dinners with cocktail matching made exclusively with Gagliardo. They are not your classic food and drink matching dinners but these are definitely new gastronomic journeys to experience. The first appointment transpired in Rome last 28 November at Acquaroof, the splendid rooftop terrace of The First Roma Arte Hotel with the remarkable creations of starred Chef Daniele Lippi accompanied by the cocktail drinks of Bar Manager Valeria Bassetti.

Radical Chic (Gagliardo Bitter, sparkling wine, honey with lemon), La Freschezza (Gagliardo Bitter, Molinari, Scortese Bitter Citrusy), ExtraNegroni (Gagliardo Bitter, Gin VII Hills, Carpano Classico, celery), and the dessert cocktail Italian Do It Better (Galgiardo Fernet, coffee, Molinari) accompanied the dishes of Chef Daniele Lippi. Macarons with Raspberries and Foie Gras, Pizzetta Roma-Treviso with Porchetta and Chicory, #Amala (Polenta and Guacamole of Roman Broccoli), Radical Meatballs of Black Pork, Potatoes and Black Truffles, Crudo Gagliardo (Raw Beef, Mayonnaise with Plankton, Parmigiano with Gagliardo), Extra Amatriciana and for dessert, Bombette with Zabaione and Radical XSMAS (Panettone, Dried Figs, Chocolate, Buffalo Ricotta, White Truffles).

The second appointment was in Florence on the 6th of December at Essenziale in the kitchen of Chef Simone Cipriani paired with the cocktail drinks of guest barman Julian Biondi. For the third date in January, Oltre, Lorenzo Costa's restaurant in Bologna, will host the evening with the contemporary creations of Chef Daniele Bendanti and house barman Nico Salvatori on the 14th of January. The fourth and final evening will transpire in Milan in February with the location and date still to be disclosed.

Gagliardo Bitter Radicale is a creation of Marco Schiavo from the historical Schiavo Distillery in Vincenza, Italy. A product made with natural components, in the complete absence of industrial dyes, it is obtained by an 18-day infusion of herbs, roots and spices then processed with the batonnage technique, lending layers of bitterness, spice and balsamic flavors.

“Our liqueurs“, says Marco Schiavo, “are born as a haute cuisine dish, we work like chefs using our mastery and supporting it with the best that the raw material can offer. At the base of Gagliardo Bitter Radicale there is the alcohol produced by the distillation of fruit, much more fragrant and delicate on the palate. The botanicals used include china, rhubarb, Sichuan pepper, licorice and Mexican cascarilla, while the predominant note is that of the gentian root which gives the bittering character that distinguishes this bitter.”