Health, Safety & the Environment

Before over-indulging at the dining room table over the Christmas and New Year holidays, I should have taken stock of Eric Asimov’s New York Times column, “An Italian Lesson for the Over stuffed”, which appeared on November 23, 2009.  “Bloated? Overstuffed? More than a little uncomfortable?,” he inquires. After all of the nibbles and noshes, the hors d’oeuvres, the sides and the turkey, the rolls, the stuffing and all of a second helpings, it this time, according to Mr. Asimov, to take gastric refuge in one of the elixirs intended to remedy digestive excesses.  Italian digestives, or digestivos, are known collectively as Amari. The Amari are not just any after dinner concoction. The proprietory formulas for Amari generally includes various herbs, roots, flowers and spices, which are macerated in alcohol, sometimes blended with a sweet syrup, and tempered in barrels or bottles.  Although there are dozens of Amari on the market in  Italy, in the United States well known brands include Fernet-Branca, Averna and Campari.  With an alcohol content that can range from 20 to 40%, Amari may be just the necessary tonic to address over eating over the holidays.  I confess to not knowing much about Amari but something tells me I should get up-to-speed before the next holiday meal. Both my tastebuds and stomach will welcome the effort.