Dear Blossom,
As you know since our Affogoato invention, I have wanted to see for myself the home place of the Ponce Livornese. It is in the seaside village of Livorno, Italy where everybody buys their fish. Bar Civili is far off the tourist path, but the Italians know of the traditional drink made by the generous and strong people of Livorno to make a coffee that will blow your socks off! It is one part coffee, lemon peel, that tops a scalding hot shot of this maroonishblack syrup called ponce (punch) that is essentially rum and cognac loaded with sugar. To drink this you must keep one hand on the bar and have both feet braced firmly on terra madre. Of course, I tasted my first during coffee hours and probably because I’m not a sailor, it took a more pronounced effect. Thankfully, the fisherman’s morning air salted my senses and I emerged from bar Civili a stronger regazza worthy of a mariner’s parting wink.
Love,
Laloo
