Marsala, the Wine of Victory

Cinzia Cuneo 11 gennaio, 2010 bevande, ricette

Marsala wine has been produced for over hundreds of years in the region surrounding the port of Marsala in Sicily. The name is derived from the Arab « Marsh Allah », meaning « port of God ».

An English trader named John Woodhouse, who accidentally discovered this fortified wine in the 18th century, saw it as a potential contender to Spanish and Portuguese Sherries and Madera wines.

This wine making process raised its alcohol level and alcoholic taste while also preserving these characteristics during long distance sea travel, making it widely appreciated, especially by the English army.

In fact, Admiral Nelson and his fleet were so fond of Marsala wine that, following their success at the Battle of Trafalgar, it became known all over the British Empire as the « Wine of Victory ». It is frequently used in cooking to add flavour to sauces, tiramisus and sabayon.

A few of our recipes that feature Marsala wine:

Chicken Marsala

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Kiwi and Orange Sabayon Gratin

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Marsala Scaloppine

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Roman-Style Chicken Breast

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Sabayon Cream

See the recipe >>

Originally published in Journal de Montréal on January 19, 2008.

Autori

Cinzia Cuneo

Italiana di nascita e canadese d'adozione, Cinzia ha deciso di coniugare le sue competenze professionali e la sua passione per la buona tavola sviluppando un servizio per aiutare i numerosi «aventi bisogno» a riprendere il controllo della loro alimentazione. Così è nata SOSCuisine. Ingegnere di formazione al Politecnico di Torino, Cinzia ha conseguito un Master's Degree in scienze applicate all'École Polytechnique de Montréal.