In the mountains of Piedmont and around the Aosta Valley a small herb grows that has been used for centuries to make a unique liqueur, Genepì. The plant behind all this, known in the United States as wormwood or mugwort, grows wild above 6,500 feet in the rocks and gravel of the Aosta and Piedmont mountains. It is part of the genus Artemisia, which includes about 200 species. Only three species, however, are used in the recipe handed down for generations to make a versatile liqueur. They are: Artemisia spicata, mutellina and glacialis. The plants are no more than six inches tall and have an inflorescence similar to sorghum. The flowers can be either male or female, but only the male flowers are used in the liqueur.
The history of the Genepì plant and its IPG recognition
Since 1928, the plant has been classified as protected, so there are stringent limitations on harvesting it. Because of this and the difficulty of climbing the mountains where it grows wild, many farmers have tried to grow Genepì on lower ground to continue the tradition of making the liqueur. As it happens, Artemisia mutellina is the only strain suitable for farming. Since 2015, Genepì liqueur has been officially IPG, meaning produced with a protected geographical indication, under the name Genepì della Valle d’Aosta. The process to win recognition for the traditional artemisia-based liqueur, which contains no chemical additives or flavorings, began in August 2014, with crucial support from the Aosta Valley Institute for the Protection of Grappa.
Genepì’s unique features
According to the product specifications, the original must have specific features, namely: a minimum sugar content of about 2 3/4 ounces per quart of product in the form of invert sugar, optionally using sucrose or glucose syrup; a color varying from pale green to amber yellow; and an intense and persistent aroma, with floral notes and a hint of fruit. There may be herbal and spicy notes of hay and citrus, with a smooth, sweet or dry taste. Its production must take place entirely in the Aosta Valley, and the minimum alcohol content is 25 percent by volume. No coloring agents are allowed, and it must only use water from sources in the Aosta Valley area. Also, it must not contain any artificial or nature-identical flavorings, during production the liqueur must be aged in wood, and the packaging must take place only in the production area.
The plant’s origins
Cultivation of the plant, which is widespread in the valleys of Cuneo and Turin provinces, is ideally done at an altitude between about 5,000 and 6,500 feet. Sowing is done in early spring, generally in cold frames, and the seedlings are transplanted to the field during June or July, depending on the local climate. Mulching (covering the earth with cloth or other material to suppress weeds) is essential in growing the plant. Genepì’s growing cycle lasts three years on average: during its first year, the plant develops its roots and top but does not produce flowers. Harvesting is done during the second and third years.
Properties and traditional preparation
Herbal, digestive, soothing, curative, stimulant and neurotonic: these are the most significant properties of this plant, which is used not just for liqueur but also for essential oils. To make Genepì, you need herbs that have been dried for at least two weeks, spring water, superfine sugar and pure alcohol. Two techniques ensure a product of superior quality, along with artisanal craftsmanship and the raw materials used. The liqueur produced by infusion involves immersing the herbs in a hydroalcoholic solution in stainless steel containers for about 45 days. After infusing and pressing, sugar and water are added, and the mixture is allowed to age. After aging, followed by different phases of filtering, the infusion undergoes another finishing period before being bottled. After this procedure, it becomes a straw-colored 80-84 proof liqueur. The suspension method, which produces a colorless Genepì, involves placing the plants on special grates over the hydroalcoholic solution inside closed containers. This allows the alcohol to saturate the aromatic elements in the plant. Making the liqueur in this way takes longer, about 90 days plus 100 to 150 days of aging, but the result is a very pure product.
Maltagliati and Genepì pudding
Genepì can be used in various ways. For example, mixing 7 ounces (3/4 cups plus 1 1/2 tablespoons) Southern Comfort with 7 ounces orange juice and 10 1/2 ounces (1 1/4 cups) Genepì liqueur in a shaker makes an excellent pre-dinner cocktail. Genepì can also be used in pasta dishes, for example in maltagliati. To serve six people, the ingredients you need to make the dough are 2 1/3 cups Italian 00-style flour, 1 1/2 cups plus 5 tablespoons durum wheat semolina, 3 eggs, 3 egg yolks, 1 teaspoon oil, water as needed, and finely minced dried artemisia flowers. For the sauce, you will need 3 tablespoons butter, 6 1/2 tablespoons ricotta cheese, grated hard cheese and salt to taste and more dried flowers. Preparation is easy: on your work surface, make a mound of flour and semolina and form a hollow in the mound. Put the eggs, egg yolks, salt, 1 teaspoon oil, and 1 teaspoon dried artemisia flowers into the hollow along with just enough water to make a dough, then mix well. Roll out the dough into a thin sheet and cut it by hand into wide noodles (aiming for a rustic look). In a pan, melt the butter, then add the ricotta and salt and combine. Parboil the maltagliati in boiling salted water, drain and add them to the pan with a few more crushed flowers and a handful of grated cheese. Gently mix and serve to enjoy the flavors of the Piedmont and Aosta mountains. Now, to make a dessert with Genepì, here is a recipe for a delicious pudding that serves 12. You will need 1 quart milk, 1 pint plus 1 1/2 tablespoons cream, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, 5 or 6 dried artemisa flowers, 9 fresh eggs, 2 cups of Genepì liqueur, 6 bunches of nettles, 2 tablespoons sugar and fresh cream.
How to make Genepì
Place the dried flowers in the cream to infuse, then transfer this to a saucepan with the milk and bring to a boil. Then strain the milk and cream into a bowl to remove the flowers. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar. Butter the bottom of a pudding mold. Combine the milk and cream with the beaten eggs and add 1 cup of Genepì. Pour this mixture into the pudding mold and bake it in a pan of hot water at 350 °F for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool before unmolding the pudding on the serving plate. To make the sauce, parboil the nettles and chop them fine. Separately, caramelize the sugar with the liqueur in a small saucepan, add the chopped nettles and cream and boil for 1 minute. Allow the sauce to cool and serve the pudding with the sauce.