This strange concoction has a long history with Convivio Bookworks. My family makes a big batch of it every autumn. Our mother made it, our grandparents made it, all the aunts and uncles, too. It's been made in our family for generations and generations, since time immemorial.

It's a magical brew that is simply cooked grape must, reduced to a syrup. My family, with its Lucerine dialect from Lucera, calls it U Cutto (and I made a limited edition book about it years ago). Its proper name in proper Italian is Mosto Cotto. Giuseppe Giusti, in Modena, where this Mosto Cotto is made, calls it by its local name: Saba.

It's been known since the age of the Romans. The must of local grapes is cooked until a particularly sweet and thick concentrate is acquired. Traditionally Saba accompanied cheeses, but more recently, thanks to its sweetness, has been rediscovered for desserts, such as ice cream, creams, and ricotta based cakes. My family uses it in a penitential dessert we serve on All Souls Day (Cicci Cutto), and in Cartelate, a delicacy we serve at Christmastime. It is truly wonderful stuff. It simmers on the stovetop all day long when we make it at home. This bottled version, imported from Italy, makes it easy to enjoy its wonders.

8.4 fluid ounces (250 ml) in a lovely corked glass bottle. Ingredients: Cooked grape must. Contains sulfites (naturally occurring in grapes).

GG9