Overview
If you need to invite someone important to Benevento, but they aren't important enough to require a public institutional building, then a group table at Caffè Strega is just what you need. This cafe' is an iconic local meeting point. The reason is its herbal liqueur, the Strega, which has been made in Benevento by a firm named Strega Alberti, since 1860. The company also sells its own coffee liqueur, made from an infusion of a pure Arabica blend.
The authentic Strega liqueur, which has been called "liquefied sunlight", is considered a digestive, to be consumed after a meal. It has an alcohol content of 40%, while the bright golden yellow colour is probably due to the presence of saffron. Strega liqueur is made from 70 different herbs including mint and fennel. As you might imagine, the name is linked to the legend of the Benevento witches. But can you really believe that the local witches used to produce a love potion, designed to unite forever the couples who drank it?
One last thing: Caffè Strega opened its doors 130 years after the Strega distillery. Another question follows: what does the bar have to do with the liqueur? We aren't sure, but whatever the answer, it doesn't matter too much. The important things are the Strega liqueur and its icon. Wait: there is also the Strega literary prize, also launched by the Strega company.
