What is Rosolio?
Old and traditional homemade drinks, more or less sweet or alcoholic have been prepared all over Europe very far back in time.
By macerating or fermenting various fruits, grains and herbs, a distilled alcoholic beverage was obtained and prepared in the known world since ancient history under different names.
An infusion of fruits, nuts and herbs sweetened with honey and mixed with strong wine or alcohol was prepared using the local product to make a liqueur to enjoy the taste or as an herbal mixture to help with illnesses.
In the XII century, alchemists and scholars of the Medical School of Salerno identified the Sundew flower, the Drosera Rotundifolia in Italian and Ros Solis in Latin, beneficial in the cure of whooping cough and also effective as an aphrodisiac.
The medical components of the sundew, the carotenoids to enhance and help the function of the immune and reproductive systems, the flavonoids with beneficial antioxidant effects and the many vitamins are in fact valid cures for coughs, long infections, asthma and other conditions.
When the infusion of Ros Solis was prepared in Salerno, because of the therapeutic attribute it was believed to possess and because of the pleasant taste, it became the drink much sought-after, preferred in all European courts, in all the noble’s sitting rooms and the most favorite afternoon drink.
Also to address various health problems, ingredients were substituted and the original formula evolved into many varieties called rosolio jointly with the name of the infusion’s basic component. For instance the sundew flowers were replaced by bay leaves as a remedy for stomach troubles, the basil leaves as a tonic and to alleviate spasms, the absinthe rosolio made with a liquorish tasting herb called assenzio in Italian, was a selected preparation to stimulate the appetite, to combat high fever and as a diuretic.
The name Rosolio became a symbol of a fine drink and the name Rosolio or Rosoli as the plural, was added to the drinks on hand and many new versions came out; in the Italian peninsula, in Europe, and in all Mediterranean countries the name rosolio in numerous flavors was produced in the family’s kitchens and commercially in abbeys and monasteries.
The sundew flowers are not used any longer to make rosolio, still some people thinking that the word rosolio meant rosa-olio, oil of roses, makes an infusion of rose petals and blend it with sugar and alcohol.
Today’s Rosolio comes in many flavors, mostly using fruits or nuts, very easy to make at home or available in liquor stores.
There are no strict rules or recipes to make rosolio, because you have to be the judge in making a sweeter or stronger rosolio depending on your liking.
The rosolio my mother made was made as follows:
1) In an airtight large jar prepare the infusion with 2 pints of vodka 80 proof and the fruit or nuts; marinate for at least for 3 days.
2) When infusion is ready, bring to a boil 1 pound of sugar and 2 pints of water and simmer at low heat for 1 minute, set aside to cool.
3) Pass the infusion through a strainer, mix with the syrup and return to the jar. Seal the jar and let it sit for a few days.
4) Strain the rosolio using a paper filter or a piece of cotton cloth or a few layers of cheesecloth
5) Bottle and seal the rosolio and use after about two weeks.
We liked a light rosolio at about 20% alcoholic content that can be made using a vodka 80 proof.
It goes without saying that increasing the amount of alcohol and/or sugar will give a stronger or sweeter rosolio and a lighter rosolio by decreasing above amounts.
There are three basic types of rosolio:
