Ago Perrone, Galliano

Ago Perrone, Galliano Global Brand Ambassador and highly acclaimed bartender of London’s glamorous Connaught Hotel and Bar, visited Australia last week to celebrate the brand’s Spirito Italiano.

Ago Perrone at La Rosa

During his visit to Sydney, Galliano and Italian Restaurant La Rosa Bar and Pizza offered an opportunity to experience Spirito Italiano with an Aperitivo Hour running from 11th – 13th October. The Aperitivo Moment included a complimentary Galliano cocktail, especially created for the event by Perrone and matched with delicious traditional Italian canapés.

La Rosa Bar and Pizza, Strand Arcade

At the media lunch held at La Rosa in the Strand Arcade, Ago Perrone prepared a variety of Galliano cocktails to accompany an Italian lunch. The drinks (full recipes below) demonstrated the Italian spirit’s versatility beyond its popular reputation as a liqueur or digestivo.

G&B Collins

A G&B Collins was served on arrival, a refreshing mix of Galliano L’Autentico and Bols Genever topped with carbonated eucalyptus soda – the eucalyptus being a touch of local ingredient and Ago’s tribute to his Australian visit.

Salumi Misti di Casa

Salumi Misti di Casa, or mixed house-cured meats was the first dish with which to start the elaborate pranzo. The selection includes a Calabrese sausage made with pork, San Giovese red wine and paprika, Wagyu and pork sausage, Venetian pork sausage flavoured with wild fennel and garlic, Renaissance pancetta flavoured with spices used during that period, Wild boar with cracked pepper sausage and Nduja, a Calabrian specialty with meats processed in a mincer with pork fat, lardo and chilli.

La Rosa pride themselves on their salumi and with very good reason. Every component of the dish packed freshness and flavour, with the wild boar sausage and nduja being the favourites.

Pizza: Calabrese and Funghi

Next was the Yellow Submarine cocktail, made with gin, dry sherry and Galliano L’autentico to accompany slices of Calabrese and funghi pizza, both delicious and went well with the savoury cocktail.

L-R: Ago Perrone, Jared Plummer with the Cobbler cocktail

The Cobbler was the next cocktail Ago introduced, a versatile drink made with Galliano Vanilla, Chianti red wine and tarragon carbonated water and lemon juice for balance.

Cannelloni alla fiorentina

An easy drinking cocktail on its own or with food, the herbal notes from the tarragon give a sweet and liquorice mouthfeel which goes well with spices and dishes with spinach and ricotta such as Cannelloni alla fiorentina.

L-R: Cocktails – Yellow Submarine, Cobbler, Livorno Lust, Cocoa and Sgroppino

Moscardini Ubriachi

Livorno Lust – designed to make you fall in lust before you sip it – was the most sour and refreshing cocktail made with Galliano Vanilla, lemon Vodka, a touch of Lillet Blanc and coriander. The drink had a good fragrance and aroma that went well with the Moscardini Ubriachi, drunken baby octopus slow-cooked in tomato and white wine with garlic and parsley potatoes. Delicious.

Affogato

The Affogato with vanilla bean ice cream with espresso coffee was topped with a generous amount of Galliano Ristretto and served with a delightful cocktail Cocoa & Sgroppino, made with Galliano Vanilla, Kirsch Eau de Vie infused with cocoa beans and lemon sorbet. The cocoa gives the aroma on the nose and the vanilla provides the final bouquet.

Petits fours with Espresso Martini

And to finish, Petits fours with Espresso Martini were a crowd-pleaser, made with Galliano Ristretto and served in an espresso cup.

L-R: Ago Perrone, Guénaël Fily (Lucas Bols)

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Galliano Cocktail Recipes – Ago Perrone

Galliano was created 115 years ago and was inspired by the Tuscan-born son of liqueur importer Arturo Vicario and named after a famous Italian War hero. Its iconic bottle design was inspired by Roman columns and has remained unchanged over the years. The Galliano portfolio of liqueurs includes Ristretto, Vanilla, Amaretto, White Sambucca and Black Sambucca.

Below are the cocktail recipes created by Ago Perrone which were enjoyed at the media lunch.

G&B Collins