Tuaca: Italian Culture comes to Canada

I’ve got a soft spot in my heart for versatile spirits, and Tuaca (pronounced Two-aww-ka) fits that bill perfectly. It’s also one of the most difficult spirits to describe. In fact, I’ve gone as far as pulling the bottle out of the fridge, read the back of the bottle and also looked through all the literature I have on it. I’m still not exactly sure how to explain it.

There’s notes of vanilla, orange, brandy, and citrus, and it sometimes has been described as a Grand Marnier type spirit.

Let’s just put it this way, Tuaca is really good.

Legend has it that the origins of the secret family recipe for Tuaca dates back to the Renaissance. It was apparently crafted for Lorenzo the Magnificent, a patron to Botticelli and Michelangelo.

The Washington Post called Tuaca the “new Jagermeister” and said that it’s a “shot of a generation”. This is certainly true – one of the best ways to drink Tuaca is icy cold and either shoot or sip it.  However, in my opinion, it’s more complex spirit for just a shot. 

When I’ve got all the ingredients in stock, I prefer a “Tuaca Twister” or a “Consigliere”  (recipes below) and if I don’t have everything on hand, I go simple and have Tuaca and ginger ale. There’s a million different things you can do with Tuaca though, so experiment. There’s very little that you can’t mix with Tuaca. It mixes amazingly well with Bourbon or Tequila, and provides a soft edge to drinks.

Tuaca has been available in the States for ages, and has recently launched in Canada, which just makes me happy. I don’t know what you’re doing tonight, but I’m going to have dinner, and go get the ingredients for a Tuaca Twister, and if I can find Giffard Citrus, an Italian Sour as well.

Italian Sour

In shaker filled with ice add:
2oz Tuaca
1oz Giffard Citrus Syrup
1oz Egg white
2-3 dash old fashioned bitters
Shake hard and pour into double rocks glass

Tuaca Twister

1.5 oz Tuaca
1 oz Finlandia Lime Vodka
1 oz Midori Melon Liqueur
Splash of Sprite or 7-up
Pineapple Juice

Pour the Midori  into the bottom of a rocks glass. Add ice. Shake tuaca, vodka, soda and pineapple juice over ice. Carefully pour into the rocks glass, ideally, not disturbing (too much) the Midori.
Consigliere

In Double Rocks glass muddle orange peel (no flesh) with brown sugar (1/3
tsp) and 2-3 dash old fashioned bitters
FIll Glass with ice.

In Shaker filled with ice:
Add 1.5oz Tuaca
Add 0.5oz Jack Daniels
Stir until very cold
Strain into double rocks glass.

(image courtesy: Tuaca & me on Flickr)