PONCE ALLA LIVORNESE

Livorno Style Coffee also called Ponce alla Livornese

In the classic small glass, first of all you put sugar and a twist of lemon (this isn’t obligatory but in almost all the Livorno bars let’s

say it goes in by default) which is called the vela, (sail) and as we are in a port town it’s natural that a ponce has a sail.

Then you add the rumme (rum) which is a liqueur called ‘Rum fantasy’ or ‘Creole’, that is to say a spirit rather than a distillate, being made from alcohol, sugar and caramel to give it its dark colour.

In and around Livorno there are many prestigious factories which produce the right sort of rum for ponce.

Outside the area it’s more difficult to find something suitable.

In the recipe for ponce you can use it on its own or you can have a mix of rumme and cognac, or rumme and sassolino (from

Sassuolo, an aniseed liqueur from the province of Modena). In this last case the ponce is defined as half and half and, sometimes,

the different density of the two liquids, before the time of espresso machines, caused a curious phenomenon of floating

galleggiamento from where it gets the name ‘galleggiant’ (floater).

The quantity of liquor is important.

Usually you use the upper edge of the semicircles at the bottom of the glass to act as a measure.

Then with the steam spout of the espresso machine you bring it to the boil and then fill the glass with a strong coffee.

Now you can drink it as an ideal complement to a good lunch or dinner – like a fish stew – or on one of those winter days

chilled by a maestrale or tramontana wind.