Meet Chinotto

Ciao amici,

One of the best parts of travel is discovering a new food item. In a country like Italy where foods can differ from one city to the next, the adventure may only require a short train ride. But as we all know, especially in the past couple years, getting to Italy is the hard part. Let me share with you my favorite, lesser-known Italian beverage that you should be able to find in an Italian specialty shop outside of Italy: Chinotto.

Chinotto is an orangey, bitter, caramel colored soft drink that is made from the Chinotto citrus plant and is believed to have been imported to Italy from China in the 16th century by Ligurian maritime explorers. In fact, even the name “Chinotto” derives from the plant’s place of origin.

I discovered Chinotto in Siracusa, Sicily while I was studying there for a few months over a summer in undergraduate school. It has the perfect refreshing flavor profile for a hot Mediterranean day: the slight bitterness of a Negroni, hint of orange blossom and lively bubbles – and it is non-alcoholic!

As the weather warms up, try something new and seek out Chinotto, it makes a great NA drink for your aperitivo or seemingly low-sugar mid-day merenda (snack). Have you had Chinotto before? Try it out, or try it again, I want to hear your thoughts! info@immerseitaly.com

Happy epicurean adventures! Un abbraccio,

Lisa