🌿 Herb iva liqueur (taneda): the Valtellinese digestif with an alpine fragrance
A traditional bitter, fragrant and intense, to prepare at home with yarrow 🌼🍋
Introduction
Among the most well-known liqueurs in Valtellina, the herb iva liqueur, also known as taneda, is a natural digestif highly appreciated for its aromatic, anti-inflammatory, and relaxing properties.
It is obtained from Achillea moscata, an alpine plant with an intense and unmistakable scent, also known as herba-rota. The small flowers, once dried, release all their character in a liqueur perfect to enjoy after a hearty meal, perhaps based on pizzoccheri or polenta taragna. 🍽️🌲
The preparation is simple and requires only a few weeks of waiting, but the result is an authentic bitter, intense and natural, to be served cold or at room temperature.
📝 Ingredients
- ½ liter of pure alcohol at 95°
- 25 g of fresh herb iva (Achillea moscata)
- 250 ml of water
- 150 g of sugar
(Increase to taste for a thicker, syrupy liqueur)
👩🍳 Step-by-step preparation
- Infuse the fresh herb iva in the alcohol, inside a well-sealed glass bottle.
- Let it rest for 15-20 days, preferably exposed to sunlight, shaking the bottle every day.
- After the time has passed, filter the infusion to remove the herbs.
- In a small pot, prepare a syrup by boiling the water with the sugar for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Let the syrup cool completely.
- Combine the syrup with the already filtered alcoholic infusion, mix well.
- Proceed to filter again several times (with a fine sieve or cheesecloth) until the liqueur is clear and transparent.
- Pour into glass bottles and store in a cool place.
🕰️ When to enjoy
- Let the liqueur rest for at least 2 months before drinking: the flavors will harmonize and the aroma will be perfect.
- Ideal after a meal or in small evening doses to aid digestion.
🧊 Storage
- Store in a cool and dark place, away from heat sources.
- It keeps perfectly for several months, improving over time.
The image of the dishes is purely indicative and does not necessarily correspond accurately to the recipe
