Liqueur from Aosta Region

In the second half of the '700, Piedmontese botanist Carlo Allioni gave an exhaustive botanical description of some particular species of Artemisia as well as their pharmaceutical use. He was referring to the characteristic species of aromatic plant that grows in the Piedmontese Alps and that took since then the name of Genipi.

«Genipi nomine veniunt apud nostras alpicolas» said Allioni «Atque iis est quasi sacra anchora perspirationem suppressam restituendam...» and continues by saying that the plant was frequently used by the villagers against intermittent fevers and as a tonic for the nerves. So much so that even the mountain guides of Aosta Valley and Valtellina use the infusion of Genipi against cold and the so-called “mountain sickness ".

The value of Genipi, especially those of the species Artemisia Genipi or “black Genipì or male”, were indeed made famous by the famous liqueur, the Genepì liqueur indeed that it is unique for its exquisite aroma. It's a really valuable alpine specialties but if prepared in a professional way, as it is used by the mountaineers from Aosta Valley. This because in truth to much liqueur commercialized under that name, when indeed, for their preparation, there is an overdose of food colouring and flavours, that have nothing to do with the Genipì liqueur.

- 20 gr Genipi well dried
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- a little bit of gentian root
- a few juniper berries
- 1 liter Grappa

The recipe from Aosta Valley for the preparation of Genipì is the following: You put in a litre Grappa 20 grams of well dried Genipì, three tablespoons of sugar, a little bit of gentian root and some juniper berries, you leave them to macerate in a sunny location for about a month. Then it will be filtered and left to age for another month. At this point the Genepì will be ready, it will straw-coloured and sweet-sour flavour and it can be used as a pleasant digestive.