Orange Grappa
The secret of this liqueur’s wonderful wintry flavour is macerating the clove-studded orange.
Ingredients:
30 cloves
1 medium organic orange
1 litre grappa or pure alcohol
400 ml of sugar syrup (240 g sugar dissolved in 400 ml simmering water, skimmed and allowed to cool)
Stick the cloves in the orange then place all the ingredients in a wide-necked bottle or
container with a lid and leave to macerate for 14 days, stirring occasionally. Orange varieties will
vary and the aim is to release the orange oils from the skin. I have found that some oranges take
longer than others, so taste the liqueur to check the flavours. If it’s not orangey enough then
leave for longer, and if it’s not sweet enough, add a little more sugar. When you are satisfied
with the flavour decant into a bottle.
*taken from the book ‘From Seed to plate’ by Paolo Arrigo, published by Simon and Schuster