SAMBUCA samba to ORANGE ANIS rustic FRENCH TOAST

In this aromatic dish, the milder anis based Italian liquor...
will be highlighted as the principal flavour enhancer.

 Sambuca is a traditional Italian liquor...

created in as far back as 1815.

It is a slightly sweet and syrupy liquor distilled

from the seeds of the anis star.

photo: crazyfortea.com

It is characterized by its strongly pronounced...

liquorice and elderberry distinct flavours.

photos: mountainmeadowseeds.com kaweahoaks.com

Sambuca -- is generic for a very sweet-yet-piquant clear Italian liqueur flavored with anise, licorice root and an infusion with elderberry in a neutral spirit base.  Sambuca is similar to 'Anisette' but with a higher alcohol content.

The term Sambuca usually refers to the transparent version, although other versions exist such as black sambuca. The liqueur is prepared by the steam distillation of star anis seeds.  The resulting fragrant essential oil is infused with neutral spirits, witch elder berries and licorice. Other natural flavors and sweetening are added.

The origin of the name Sambuca is believed to be Arabian, likely an Italian version of Zammut--the anise-based drink that first came to the Italian harbors on ships coming from the Far East centuries ago.
Residents of Civitavecchia, a port city near Rome, already produced the anise-based liqueur and perhaps renamed it ' Sambuca ' for trading convenience. -- referenced here

This slightly sweet, yet powerful Sambuca liquor
will serve to enhance the flavour of this
otherwise classic French Toast dish.

Orange Anis SAMBUCA
rustic French Toast


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INGREDIENTS:

(American / Metric measures)

Egg mixture:

2 xLarge eggs

1/8 cup (30ml) Sambuca * Ramazzotti
(or other anis-flavored liquor)
3 tbsp. (45ml) frozen orange concentrate

(or double it in orange juice)

1 tsp.(5ml) vanilla extract

pinch of sea salt

..................

8 x (1in./ 25mm thick) slices of day old French 'Parisian' bread

(a little bigger than a regular baguette)

..................
3 tbsp. (45ml) grape seed oil (vegetable oil)

3 tbsp. (45ml) unsalted butter

..................

Cold Fruit mixture:

2 cups (300gr) cut fresh strawberries

1 large banana sliced

Note: any fruit of your choice can be substituted with great results

Garnish:

Maple syrup for pouring over the ‘French Toast’

Sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)


PREPARATION:
Total prep time...about 20-25 minutes

. Prepare ahead: a paper towel onto a wire mesh or rack...to later receive the pan fried bread.

. In a large bowl...beat the eggs together with the orange concentrate, vanilla, salt and Sambuca.

. Soak each bread slice generously with the liquid in order to allow each slice to absorb the liquid well. Then place them all back into the bowl and cover temporarily.

. In a large skillet...on medium heat...add the oil and butter.

. Add each slice slowly in order not to disturb the temperature too much.  Always make sure the heat remains as steady as possible so that the bread doesn't soak up too much oil.

. Pour the remaining liquid slowly over the bread so that it penetrates properly.

. After a minute or so...check to see is the bread is golden brown underneath.  If so, start turning each one over to finish the cooking process.

. Take the bread out and place on the paper towel to reduce the oil left over on their surfaces.

. Plate the 'French Toast'...with an optional cinnamon sprinkle and a generous drizzle of excellent maple syrup.

Serve with the fruit mix...which you would have prepared towards the end while the bread was resting.

Bon appetit and flavourful wishes,

Foodessa

* Much more INFO on SAMBUCA?

There are a number of respected Sambuca brands on the market:

The Molinari is the overall market leader...however, the Borghetti and the Ramazzotti have the largest market share. In the United States...the Sambuca Romano happens to be the most popular.

Sambuca, for now comes in 3 hues: Clear, Black and Ebony (a popular and more recent arrival).

The brands of Ramozzotti and Luxardo dei Cesari are both of the clear variety and forcefully anise scented and flavoured...with Luxardo being the rounder and slightly sweeter of the two.

In the black category, Opal Nero carries an alluring elegance, while the Luxardo Possione Nera is similar to its clear cousin but more herbal.

Ramazzotti Black, with its exotic, turquoise-tinted colour has a drier, slightly spicy body.

Sambuca is mostly used within a cocktail or most popular in tradition is to be taken straight up as a digestif : 'con la mosca' with the addition of 2-3 coffee beans and flambéed to accentuate the aromas.

Some, like myself, integrate in our cooking and baking ;o)

BTW: besides loving this fragrant tasty liquor in my food...I do enjoy it very much on the rocks as a digestif.

Refer to this small goldmine of info for much more on other Anise based liquors like:

Sambuca, Ouzo, Arak, Raki, Pastis and Absinthe

Are you daring enough to make your own Sambuca?

Don't have a recipe...well here's one

***

Now let's go over and...

Samba with friends and their superb

Sambuca Savoury Recipes

Starting our Savoury Recipes...from the far left hand corner:

* Sambuca Shrimp *
* Sambuca Shrimp Salad ...presentation idea only *
* Orange-Avocado-salad-flavored with Pernod *
* Mussels with Sambuca and Fresh Basil *
* Cheesy Sambuca Chicken *
* Fettuccine with Leek Pesto and Sambuca Cream *


Samba to the end with
Sambuca Sweet Delights

* Strawberry-Sambuca Sorbet *
* Crinkle Cookies with Sambuca *
* Sambuca jellies *
* Espresso Sambuca Tapioca Pudding *

If wanting to prepare this delicious cake...
APPLE cranberry SAMBUCA maple torte cake

you will be incredibly pleased eith the results ;o)

***
Some Drinks to finish off in style:
* Sambuca Coffee Frappe *
* Coffee Granita and Sambuca Creme *


I hope all these great recipe ideas will put you in a...
SAMBUCA SAMBA mood in your kitchen today.

Have you already made a Sweet or Savoury recipe using Sambuca?


Flavourful wishes,
Foodessa