Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Sambuca con la Mosca
Meaning 'Sambuca with the fly'. A classic after-dinner presentation where anise-flavored liqueur is served with three coffee beans and briefly set on fire.
- Prep
- 2 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 2 min
- Servings
- 1
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 1 serving
- Sambuca (clear, high-quality anise liqueur)
- 3 roasted espresso coffee beans
- matches or a lighter
Equipment
- Shot glass or small snifter
Instructions
- 1
Select Glass
Use a small, heat-resistant shot glass or a very small brandy snifter.
- 2
Pour Sambuca
Pour 1.5 oz (45ml) of clear Sambuca into the glass.
- 3
The 'Flies'
Carefully drop exactly three roasted coffee beans into the liqueur.
- 4
Meaning of Three
The three beans traditionally represent health, happiness, and prosperity.
- 5
Prepare to Light
Ensure the area is safe, dim the lights if possible for effect, and have a lighter ready.
- 6
Ignite
Briefly touch a flame to the surface of the Sambuca. The high alcohol content will catch a low blue flame.
- 7
Toast the Beans
Let it burn for just 3-5 seconds. The heat lightly toasts the floating coffee beans, releasing their aromatic oils.
- 8
Extinguish
Extinguish the flame immediately by covering the glass with your hand (or a small saucer) to starve it of oxygen.
- 9
Inhale (Optional)
Some people briefly trap the vapors with their hand and inhale the anise fumes before drinking.
- 10
Drink and Chew
Drink the warm liqueur, then chew on the toasted coffee beans. The bitter coffee perfectly cuts the intense sweetness of the anise.
Cooking Tips
- Do not let the flame burn for long. It will heat the glass dangerously and evaporate the alcohol you are trying to drink.
- Be extremely careful. Alcohol fires are blue and can be hard to see in a brightly lit room.
Variations
- Sambuca Ghiacciata: Skip the fire and the beans, and serve the Sambuca straight from the freezer.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- A dramatic and traditional way to end a heavy Italian meal.
Nutrition Estimate
100 calories · 0g protein · 10g carbs · 0g fat · 0g fiber per serving
