Sambuca

Browse All Sambuca Recipes

About Sambuca
Wikipedia Article About Sambuca on Wikipedia

Sambuca (also spelled Sambucca) is an elderberry and anise-flavoured, usually colourless liqueur. It is often referred to as white sambuca in order to differentiate it from derivative spirits that are deep blue in colour (known as black sambuca) or bright red (red sambuca).

A traditional Italian preparation is sambuca con mosca (literally, "with flies"); sambuca served with three coffee beans representing "health, wealth, and happiness", dropped into the drink.

A flaming sambuca is typically made by lighting the drink in a shot glass and allowing it to burn. The flame should be extinguished before all the alcohol has burnt off and the shot is drunk once it has cooled enough so it does not burn the mouth. A popular but potentially dangerous party trick is to take a shot of sambuca into the mouth and have someone light it. The flame is then extinguished by closing the mouth.