Liquore all'Alloro (Bay Leaf Liqueur) for #SundaySupper

“Eating in Italy is essentially a family art, practiced for and by the family. The finest accomplishments of the home cook are not reserved like the good silver and china for special occasions or for impressing guests, but are offered daily for the pleasure and happiness of the family group.” ~Marcella Hazan 

Italians are passionate about eating and family as represented in the quote above by Marcella Hazan, the Godmother of Italian cooking. Enjoying our family around the dinner table is what #SundaySupper is all about, making this week’s event a perfect pairing. From Antipasto to Zabaglione and everything in between, let’s gather ’round the family table. This week's event is hosted by Manuela of Manu’s Menu.

The Sunday Supper Italian Fest Dishes

Appetizers:

• Cacio e Uova Meatless Recipe from She Loves Biscotti
• Gnocchi alla Romana from Tramplingrose
• Italian Rice Balls from My World Simplified
• Rosemary Focaccia from Curious Cuisiniere
• Tomato Caprese with Burrata from Casa de Crews

Mains:

• Asparagus and lemon risotto from Un Assaggio of Food, Wine & Marriage
• Braised Italian-Style Beef Short Ribs from Hardly A Goddess
• Bruschetta Chicken from Meal Planning Magic
• Bucatini with Roasted Garlic Tomato Sauce from The TipToe Fairy
• Orechietti with Broccoli Rabe and Shrimp from Delaware Girl Eats
• Cheesy Gnocchi and Sausage Bake from Confessions of a Cooking Diva
• Classic Vodka Sauce from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Eggplant Parmesan from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
• Fast Faux-Baked Ziti from Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Florentine Pizza from A Mind Full Mom
• Gluten Free Meatballs with Homemade Sauce from Gluten Free Crumbley
• Green and Yellow Artichoke Tortellini with Mushrooms, Pancetta and Spring Peas with White Wine Reduction from Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Grilled Chicken Pesto Panini from Eat, Drink and be Tracy
• Mushroom Bolognese Pasta Recipe from Life Tastes Good
• Parma Rosa Baked Ziti from Palatable Pastime
• Pasta Con Sarde a Mare – Pasta with Sardines at Sea from Caroline’s Cooking
• Pasta e Fagioli from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Penne with Sausage in Creamy Boursin Cheese Recipe from Feeding Big and more
• Pesce all’Aqua Pazza from Monica’s Table
• Polenta-Crusted Italian Sausage Pies from Wholistic Woman
• Pumpkin Agnolotti from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Shrimp Fra Diavolo from Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Slow Cooker Lasagna from Food Lust People Love
• Stuffed Ravioli in Alfredo Sauce from The Freshman Cook
• Tuscan Kale Pesto Risotto from Cooking Chat
• Tuscan Porterhouse with Balsamic-Rosemary Steak Sauce and Seared Radicchio from The Texan New Yorker
• Tuscan Style Chicken Breasts from Simple and Savory
• Zuppa Toscana from Momma’s Meals

Dessert:

• Italian Berries, Mascarpone and Marsala Budini from La Bella Vita Cucina
• Berry Tiramisu from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Cannoli Poke Cake from Moore or Less Cooking
• Cherry Walnut Biscotti from Pies and Plots
• Chocolate Tiramisu from Renee’s Kitchen Adventures
• Fiordilatte Gelato from Manu’s Menu
• Italian Cream Cheesecake from The Crumby Cupcake
• Lemoncello Tiramisu from The Redhead Baker
• Limoncello Cookies from Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Orange and Almond Ricotta Cheesecake from Pine Needles In My Salad
• Panna Cotta with Fresh Berries from The Chef Next Door
• Salame al Cioccolato (Chocolate Salami) from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Strawberry Panna Cotta from From Gate to Plate
• Tiramisu Semifreddo from Tara’s Multicultural Table
• Wine and Cheese Chocolate Muffins from What Smells So Good?
• Zabaglione Gelato from Magnolia Days

Beverages:

• Bicerin (Italian Coffee) from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Easy Limoncello from Our Good Life
• Liquore all’Alloro from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Sgroppino (Frothy Italian Sorbetto Cocktail) from The Wimpy Vegetarian

And Artichoke Torta plus More Recipes for Italian Fest from Sunday Supper Movement

Liquore Alloro

Bay Leaf Liqueur

Travelers who spend more than a few weeks in Italy likely will find themselves around a local family’s dinner table, sipping homemade liqueur. When I was living and working in Rome - I went as an au pair after I graduated from college - I was lucky enough to be at a dinner party where bottles and bottles of homemade grappa and different liqueurs came out after dark! That was the first time I had ever had grappa and I was instantly enamored.

Initially crafted for medicinal purposes by Medieval monks, liqueurs (liquori in Italian) aided in everything from digestion to staving off a cold. And, it seems, that almost every household has recipes that are handed down from one cook to another.

I have never heard of a cordial made with bay leaves. But, when a friend returned from a trip to Italy last year, she mentioned it to me. That was all it took. I was on a mission to find fresh bay leaves and create my own.

Bay leaf liqueur may sound strange, but its aroma and taste are remarkably similar to France’s Chartreuse, a liqueur made by Carthusian monks according to a centuries-old secret recipe. It makes me wonder if bay leaves are not one of the secret ingredients.

The only stumbling block would be: you need fresh bay leaves, not dried. Thankfully, I live on the central coast of California and bay laurels abound on every hiking trail from Santa Cruz to Big Sur. So, when I was out with my family, Jake caught a strong whiff of bay and plucked a small branch for me.

Ingredients

• Between 30 and 50 fresh young bay leaves plus stems (I just used enough to fill my jar) 
• 2 C vodka (you can use other base alcohols, but I had vodka)
• 2 C water
• 2 C organic granulated sugar

Procedure

Crinkle and crush the bay leaves in your hand to bring out some of their oils. Place them in a jar and cover with vodka. Let the leaves infuse for at least 1 week. After a week, the liquid will have turned a deep emerald green and the bay leaves themselves will have lost their color.

Make a simple syrup by combining the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. The syrup is ready as soon as the sugar dissolves completely and the syrup is crystal clear. Let cool to room temperature.

Strain the alcohol into the sugar syrup. Discard the bay leaves. Let stand for another week. You can drink it after that, but I prefer to pour into smaller bottles and letting it age for another 2 weeks.

Serve at room temperature.

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