We Ask Nicola Fabbri, President and CEO of Fabbri About Cocktail Cherries

The story of Fabbri 1905 dates back an entire century, when Gennaro Fabbri took over an old grocery store that housed a wine cellar in Port-Maggiore, Italy.

He transformed the shop into a producer and distributor of liqueurs. Later in the 1920s, the opening of the company’s first Bologna plant caused production to expand into delicious alcoholic and non-alcoholic syrups.

Then came along Fabbri’s most famous product, the “Fabbri Amarena,” inspired by a recipe from Gennaro’s wife Rachele. For the next several decades, the Fabbri brand expanded with more groundbreaking products like the “cremolati,” which were semi-finished bases for traditional gelato-making that, when mixed with milk or water, would transform into artisanal gelato. By the 80s, Fabbri’s reached a worldwide market, and in 1995, chefs and bartenders across the globe began to reimagine their menus with Fabbri products as a part of them. Throughout the brand’s extensive history and to this day, tradition and passion have been upheld as the key ingredients in every recipe.

“The authenticity and high quality of Amarena Fabbri is unparalleled. Often rich, sugary syrups can overwhelm the flavors of a recipe so easily, no matter how small the quantity. Our cherries in syrup are meant to enhance a dish, whether sweet or savory, and go well with a range of cocktails from innovative spritzes to classic Manhattans. This versatility also makes them a great product to keep on hand for bar programs constantly looking to innovate and switch up their cocktail offerings,” adds Nicola Fabbri, President and CEO of Fabbri 1905.

We asked Nicola to tell us more about his family’s passion in crafting cocktails.

Tell us a bit about your background and about the Fabbri family history/heritage.

Our history is over 100 years old. The Fabbri story began in 1905 when Gennaro Fabbri took over an old grocery store with a wine cellar in Port-Maggiore in Italy. He transformed the shop into a producer and distributor of liqueurs. This operation led to the 1920’s opening of the company’s first Bologna plant, and production expanded into delicious alcoholic and non-alcoholic syrups. This was the beginning of Fabbri’s most famous product, the “Fabbri Amarena” inspired by a recipe from Gennaro’s wife Rachele. For the next several decades, the Fabbri brand expanded with more groundbreaking products like the “cremolati” which were semi-finished bases for traditional gelato-making that, when mixed with milk or water, would transform into artisanal gelato. By the 80’s Fabbri’s reach was international and in 1995 chefs and bartenders across the globe began to reimagine their menus with Fabbri products as a part of them. In our over a century long history, tradition and passion are still the key ingredients in every Fabbri recipe today.

Talk to us about Amarena Fabbri cocktail cherries.

Fabbri Amarena is the quintessential “Made in Italy” product. Created in 1915 by Rachele, the wife of Gennaro Fabbri, it has been handed down from generation to generation and still used today. We only use Amarena cherries, which are grown in the mediterranean region, and use real sugar so the unique textures and authentic flavors make them an excellent accomplice to craft cocktails.

What makes Fabbri cherries stand out from other cocktail cherries?

The original family recipe for Amarena Fabbri is still being used today, over 100 years later. With the intense color and unique texture, Amarena Fabbri is a real concentration of flavor and taste that you cannot get anywhere else.

What would you like bartenders to know about Fabbri Cherries?

The authenticity and high-quality of Amarena Fabbri is unparalleled. Often times rich, sugary syrups can overwhelm the flavors of a recipe so easily, no matter how small the quantity. Our cherries in syrup are meant to enhance a dish, no matter sweet or savory, and go well with a range of cocktails from innovative spritzes to classic Manhattans. This versatility also makes them a great product to keep on hand for bar programs that are constantly looking to innovate and switch up their cocktail offerings.

Talk to us about the packaging.

The distinctive Amarena Fabbri jar has become a true icon of style and taste. Not only are they eye catching and help to decorate a bar or home bar cart, but we have also seen many other functions for them over the years, from flower vases to cocktail glassware.

Tell us about the other products you make.

We make Zenzero Fabbri which is ginger in syrup, as well as Fragola Fabbri – strawberries in syrup, both of which also perform well in a variety of cocktail recipes. We also produce a range of liquid syrups essential for making unique drinks, milkshakes, sweet recipes and more.

What types of innovative cocktails are bartenders creating with your products?

It has been really exciting to see how bartenders, mixologists and creatives are experimenting with our products across the globe.  We’ve seen them used in Tiki-inspired drinks, mojitos, gin & tonics and so many more.

 

Amarena Spritz

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Prosecco
• 1 Amarena Fabbri cherry
• 1/2 oz of Fabbri Amarena syrup
• 1 tonic water to fill
• Orange peel

Preparation: Pour the ingredients into an ice-filled wine glass and mix gently. Decorate with one Amarena Fabbri cherry and orange peel.

Black Manhattan

• Ingredients:
• 2 oz rye whisky
• 1/2 oz red vermouth
• 2 drops Angostura bitters
• 1 tsp Amarena Fabbri Mixybar Syrup

Preparation: Chill the ingredients in a mixing glass filled with ice cubes, then strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with Amarena Fabbri.

Amarenapolitan

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz vodka
• 1/2 oz Triple Sec
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz Amarena Fabbri Mixybar Syrup
• Splash of water

Preparation: Shake the ingredients over ice and strain into a Martini glass. For the Amarena Tiki version: fill the Fabbri Amarena opaline jar with ice, pour in the ingredients and put the lid back on, then shake and fill with more ice. Serve directly in the opaline jar after garnishing with lime zest and two Amarena Fabbri.