Grappamiel

Ingredients

Base

• 700 mlgrappa or caña, 40%
• 250 ghoney, a dark one if you can get it

Optional

• 1cinnamon stick
• a strip of orange peel, no pith
• 2cloves

Directions

1. Warm about 150 ml of the grappa in a pan over the lowest heat — just warm to the finger, never hot enough to steam.
2. Do not let it get hot. Alcohol carries off fast at temperature and a heated pan of spirit near a flame is a genuine hazard; warm is all that is needed.
3. Stir the honey into the warm grappa until it has completely dissolved and the liquid is clear rather than cloudy.
4. Dissolving the honey in a little spirit first is the only technique in the drink. Poured straight into a cold bottle it sinks and sits in a lump at the bottom that never comes up again.
5. Take it off the heat and stir in the rest of the grappa.
6. Add the cinnamon, peel and cloves if you want them, and pour into a bottle.
7. Leave it a week in a dark cupboard, shaking daily, then strain out the spices.
8. Taste and add more honey the same way if you want it sweeter. Uruguayan bottlings run sweeter than most people expect.
9. Serve at room temperature in a small glass, or warm on a cold night. It keeps indefinitely.

Technique

• Dissolve the honey in warm spirit, never in the cold bottle.
• Warm, not hot. Never over a bare flame.
• A dark honey gives far more character than a light one.

Substitutions

• Caña, cachaça or any clean grape spirit.
• Eucalyptus or chestnut honey, which are the classic Uruguayan choices.
• A splash of lemon juice, which some households add to cut the sweetness.

Variations

• Drunk hot with a slice of lemon as a cold remedy.
• The Italian grappa al miele is its direct ancestor.

History

Grappa sweetened with honey, drunk against the cold in the countryside; Italian immigrants brought grappa distilling to Uruguay.

Frequently asked questions

What is Grappamiel?

Grappamiel is a wine & spirit from Uruguay: grappa blended with honey, countryside winter warmer. Grappa sweetened with honey, drunk against the cold in the countryside; Italian immigrants brought grappa distilling to Uruguay.

How long does Grappamiel take to make?

Grappamiel takes 15 min of preparation and 5 min of cooking. The recipe makes makes 750 ml. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Grappamiel?

Yes, within limits. Caña, cachaça or any clean grape spirit. Eucalyptus or chestnut honey, which are the classic Uruguayan choices. A splash of lemon juice, which some households add to cut the sweetness.

What is the most important thing to get right in Grappamiel?

Warm about 150 ml of the grappa in a pan over the lowest heat — just warm to the finger, never hot enough to steam.