Grolla
The Grolla is a wooden wine goblet with a lid, typical of the Aosta Valley in Italy . Its origin is of a religious nature, the etymological origin of the word is derived from Grail . The grolla is a symbol of the region and local artisans make a living from its manufacture. It is from a block of wood (often made of walnut or maple ) rotated , with notch carvings decorated and finally with hot red wine glaze .
A variant of the Grolla is known as the Coppa dell'amicizia (friendship cup ), but the term Grolla is used in everyday life for both vessels. Friendship mugs are much flatter than traditional goblets and are also made of wood, but they are also made of other materials such as ceramic or pewter . The cup has two to ten spouts (spouts), it is shared and passed on to the next drinker after each sip, who then drinks from the next spout. As a rule, the friendship cup is used to drink the Caffè alla Valdostana , a coffee with grappa and orange and lemon peel or pieces of apple. The rim of the mug is sprinkled with sugar, poured with grappa and the mixture is set on fire. The resulting caramel drips into the cup and dissolves in the drink. Then the lid is put on and the fire goes out.
The superstition is often pointed out that the Grolla must not be turned off while it is being passed on from person to person, otherwise the friendship of those involved would break.
Web links
- Turned objects: Grolla and friendship mug , article on the Aosta Valley tourism website , accessed on 25 January 2015
- Caffè alla Valdostana , recipe on the Valle d'Aosta tourism website, accessed on 25 January 2015
- Grolla - Friendship Cup, description and recipe for the Grolla, accessed on February 21, 2016