Bombardino
When a winter’s chill threatens to overtake you after a day skiing Cortina or Livigno, consider a Bombardino. It’s the Italian Alpine delight that warms the fingers and restores your energy. This rich, boozy winter drink, part cocktail, part dessert, was invented in 1972 by Aldo Del Bò. He was a ski-lift operator in Livigno who mixed the hot egg custard, zabaione, with whiskey to revive a frostbitten skier. “Accidenti, è una bomba!” the skier reportedly exclaimed. “Accident, it’s a bomb!” and a legend was born.What most visitors don’t realize is that every order of bombardino drops you squarely into one of Italy’s longest-running culinary rivalries: the battle over zabaione (or zabaglione), Italy’s ancestral eggnog. Long before Del Bò heated his famous concoction, zabaione appeared in Renaissance courts and was dosed out to soldiers as “vigorous food wine.” It sparked a century-long competition between two iconic bottled versions, Padua’s VOV and Ferrara’s sweeter Zabov.While most bartenders prepare a bombardino with one of these bottled liqueurs, our version relies on ingredients you can easily find at home. We warm rich eggnog, add a generous splash of brandy, and top it with soft whipped cream. It’s simple, warming, and indulgent—exactly what you want after a freezing day outside whether on the slopes or walking the dog.
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- ½ cup eggnog
- 3 ounces brandy such as Vecchia Romagna, Etichetta Nera or Gran Gala orange liqueur
- whipped cream
- ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Gently heat the eggnog over medium heat until barely simmering. Divide it between two glass mugs. Add 1 ½ ounce of brandy to each glass. Top with whipped cream and a few sprinkles of ground cinnamon. Serve immediately.