Here’s something to try this month: Espresso with a little correction by your favorite spirits, just enough to fortify the espresso. Traditionalists might choose Grappa for the correction, but Sambuca or brandy can also be used; in fact, the variations are limited only by your imagination - the only essential ingredient is a great espresso.

Caffè Corretto, or Espresso Corretto, originates in Italy, and has been used for decades by sailors, fisherman, and other workers to warm and invigorate themselves on the job. Pasquale Madeddu, one of our founders, remembers his father and fellow fishermen taking a Caffè Corretto before starting work in his native Sardegna.

Today, Pasquale prefers to have a Caffè Corretto to finish an important meal or on cold winter days. This drink is a small and simple pleasure that can be enjoyed any time.

If you prefer to have this drink in a restaurant rather than trying it at home, it’s available at La Spiga or Tutta Bella Neopolitan Pizzeria in Seattle, Piccolo Sogno or Coco Pazzo in Chicago, and Gallo Nero or Bellino in Portland.

You can also try:

Rasentìn (risciacquo) – literally “rinse” with a small amount of grappa in the now empty espresso cup. A pleasant ritual at the end of a meal, this ancient custom from the Veneto region is a good way to enjoy your espresso twice.

Affogato Corretto – gelato “drowning” in espresso, with a splash of grappa.

The pictured vintage bottle of grappa “Sgnape dal Checo” comes from Distilleria Aquileia in the Friuli Region of Italy.

(image credit: klaario)