In celebration of National Harvey Wallbanger Day (Nov. 8), the drink of this month is Galliano. Officially known as Liquore Galliano L’Autentico, this liqueur created in 1896 by Italian distiller and brandy producer Arturo Vaccari of Livorno, Tuscany, who named it after Giuseppe Galliano, an Italian hero of the First Italo–Ethiopian War at the end of the 19th century.

Galliano liqueur has a large amount of natural ingredients that includes star anise, Mediterranean anise, juniper, musk yarrow, ginger, lavender and peppermint as well as vanilla and cinnamon. Vanilla is the most important ingredient in this liqueur.

Here are two recipes that call for Galliano. One is for the Harvey Wallbanger to honor its national day (raise your glass!) and the other is for a yummy and scrumptious bundt cake that includes Galliano in the batter as well as the glaze. Now you can have your cake (and drink it, too!)

Harvey Wallbanger

Legend has it that in the 1960s a California surfer named Harvey, who liked his screwdrivers spiked with Galliano, lost an important surfing competition. Harvey decided to drown his sorrows and when he tried to leave the bar, he banged into the walls on his way out. Voila! The Harvey Wallbanger was born! The next time you want to add some spice to an ordinary screwdriver, consider adding some Galliano for an extra little kick.

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz. vodka
• .5 oz. Galliano
• 1.5 oz. orange juice
• Orange slice for garnish (optional)
• Maraschino cherry for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Fill a tall glass with ice. Add the vodka, Galliano and orange juice. Stir well. Garnish with a slice of orange and/or a maraschino cherry (for old time’s sake, of course!)

Welcome to the 60s! By the way, you can change the amounts of alcohol to taste, but just watch out for those wayward walls!

Wallbanger Bundt Cake

Luckily there is more to do with Galliano than turning a screwdriver into a Harvey Wallbanger. I found this recipe online at allrecipes.com and it makes for one delicious and moist cake. Next time I try this I will use orange cake mix instead.

Ingredients (for the cake and the glaze)

• 1 box (18.25 oz.) yellow cake mix
• 1 package (3.5 oz.) instant vanilla pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup oil (I use Canola)
• 5 fluid oz. Galliano
• 2 fluid oz. vodka
• ½ cup plus 1 oz.  orange juice
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and grease and flour a bundt cake pan.

Combine cake and pudding mixes in a large bowl. Add eggs, oil, 4 oz. Galliano, 1 oz. vodka and ½ cup orange juice. Blend well until smooth – approximately 1-2 minutes with an electric mixer.

Pour the batter into bundt cake pan and cook for 40-45 minutes, until the cake is done (insert a toothpick into the cake – if it comes out clean, the cake is ready.)

Let cake cool for 10 minutes or so and then remove it from the pan.

Meanwhile, make the glaze by mixing the confectioners’ sugar with one ounce each of the Galliano, vodka and orange juice. Spoon this over the warm cake.

I like to serve this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, but it is great plain!

Bon appétit!

Eat, drink and be merry!