Parampampoli - coffee with wine and grappa

Have you ever heard of parampampoli? It's now Christmas market season, and wandering among the stalls in Trento, you might catch a wonderful aroma of boiling coffee with a spicy and slightly alcoholic scent.

It's parampampoli, a warm and restorative drink perfect for recovering from the harsh cold, made with coffee, grappa, wine, sugar, and spices. Its recipe is still a secret and is jealously guarded by the shelter that originated it in the 1950s, in the lands of Valsugana.

The coffee-grappa pairing is a classic that certainly reminds us of the more traditional corrected coffee. However, the combination with wine is definitely curious and unusual. Yet, parampampoli has a special and balanced flavor that is absolutely worth trying if you come across it.

If you haven't planned a trip to Valsugana, or a tour of the beautiful markets in Trento, but are still fascinated by this rejuvenating elixir, you can always try making it at home!

Parampampoli: how to recreate it at home

Although the original recipe is a secret, among the locals and the vast world of the web, it is possible to find different versions of this invigorating drink. From what I've been able to find and reconstruct, to prepare parampampoli, you need:

• 1 cup of grappa

• 1 cup of cognac or brandy

• 1 cup of good coffee made with a moka pot – better if a harmonious and full-bodied blend like Caffè Oro Dersut (available in the online shop)

• 1 cup of full-bodied red wine

• ½ cup of sugar

• 2 juniper berries

• 2 cloves

• 1 g of cinnamon

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and transfer them to a glass bottle, where they must blend and rest for about 15 days, making sure to shake the bottle occasionally.

Parampampoli can also be served cold, but its most characteristic and representative presentation is flambé: first, the drink is heated in a saucepan until boiling, and then it is "lit" on the surface with a match, stirred, and served in coffee cups with a ladle.

Can you think of anything more characteristic to recreate the Christmas atmosphere at home?