As Italy races to compete with the fast-paced modern economy, there is less and less time for long lunches and drawn-out coffee breaks. This is most evident in cities like Milan and Rome, where business-suited men can be seen slamming espressos, dashing their change onto the counter, and smoking a hurried cigarette en route to the office.
Italy's most lasting tradition of culinary conviviality is the aperitif, or aperitivo. The custom of consuming a bitter or mildly alcoholic drink before lunch--or, most frequently, before
dinner--has been around for as long as anyone can remember. Old men sip white wine around 11 in the bar downstairs before heading up to lunch, young professionals cluster with colleagues and friends after work to catch up and decompress over an Aperol spritz, and city socialites organize opulent aperitivo events at lounges and nightclubs that start with a Prosecco at around 7 and finish with mojitos after midnight.
In recent years, the aperitivo has grown to include everything from small tapas-like plates to elaborate buffets of food, all included in the price of a drink. The trend began in modeconscious Milan, perhaps as a way to feed the flurry of business and fashion executives.
For all its evolution, the aperitivo is still as Italian as ever. Next time you're in Rome, check out these bars sometime between seven and nine in the evening.
Pigneto is Rome's latest exercise in gentrification. Although the area is cleaner and safer, it still has a neighborhood feel, with residents of all ethnicities clustering in the area's pedestrian stretch. Primo al Pigneto has a decidedly urban feel, with high ceilings, sparse décor, exclusive cheeses, and a wine list three times the size of the menu. For the aperitivo, they serve crisp, toasted bread with whipped butter, olive tapenade, and marinated anchovies.
Continue reading Aperitivo!.
The welcoming aroma of the fresh-picked apples that perfectly align the racks of the vestibule at Bouley restaurant has inspired the creation of a fragrant, apple-infused signature cocktail.
Martini
2 oz Smirnoff vodka
2 oz green-apple purée (or Ravifruit, found in specialty food stores)
1 splash vermouth
1/2 shot of simple syrup
Combine and shake well. Strain into frozen martini glass, and garnish with an apple chip. Enjoy!
Simple Syrup
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
In a small saucepan, bring water and sugar to boil. Simmer until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Add lemon juice.
Apple Chip
Slice one green apple very thin using a mandoline. Soak slices for 5 minutes in simple syrup mixture. Remove, and lay flat on a nonstick baking mat. Cook for 1 hour at 190ºF. Remove and let cool.
In the spirit of finding a cocktail that titillates the palate without overwhelming it, we have brought together the finest sparkling wine, Champagne, and one of Italy's greatest aperitivi, Aperol. The pear puree rounds out the drink and adds a slightly savory element. Created by Alto bartender, Daniel Horvath, this crisp and refreshing cocktail will prime your palate for a great food and wine experience!
 Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. Aperol
3/4 oz. lemon juice
1 tsp. simple syrup
5 tsp. pear purée
2 oz. Champagne
Directions:
Put ice in a shaker. Add the Aperol, lemon juice, simple syrup, and pear puree to the shaker, and shake briskly. Strain the cocktail with a bar strainer into a chilled martini glass. Top with champagne.
 This is one of the best classic cocktails, with a twist of the everpopular pomegranate juice. The Hennessy Pom Sidecar has the balance every good cocktail should have: alcohol, sugar, and acidity, all mixed up in a tasty drink.
1 oz H ennessy VS
1/2 oz Grand Marnier
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz pomegranate juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
fresh thyme (optional garnish)
Alto's Bartender Daniel Horvath
 Amari, Italy's traditional bitter liqueurs, are usually consumed as a digestivo, but are now finding their way into cocktails, especially in the United States. Brewed with an often secret mix of herbs, roots, flowers, and other botanicals, the concoction is left to macerate in a neutral spirit before being distilled. Horvath chose Averna, a Sicilian amaro, for The Italian Job cocktail because of its bright and refreshing characteristics, which highlight the addition of blood orange and lemon peels to its aromatic base of herbs.
1 limev
1.5 oz Averna Amaro
1 oz Plymouth Gin
mint leaf
ice
Cut the lime into four equal pieces. Muddle three wedges in a shaker with the Averna and the Plymouth. Fill the shaker with ice, and shake. Pour entire contents of shaker into a rocks glass. Garnish with a mint leaf.
2 oz Woodford Reserve
1 oz sweet vermouth
1 dash of Angostura bitters
1 dash Peychaud's bitters
splash of cherry juice bourbon-infused cherry
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add ingredients, shake well, and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a bourbon-infused cherry.
In homage to the mojito, the Grand Marnier Smash is a classic cocktail updated with Grand Marnier as the base ingredient. Easy and delicious, Grand Marnier is muddled with mint and lemon to create a refreshing drink designed to please imbibers everywhere.
8 leaves fresh mint
4 wedges of fresh lemon
1.5 oz Grand Marnier
1 sprig mint
Muddle mint leaves and lemon wedges in a tall mixing glass. Add Grand Marnier and ice, and shake vigorously. Strain liquid over fresh ice in a rocks glass, and garnish with a fresh mint sprig.
Amari, the plural of amaro, an Italian term for "bitters," refers to distilled spirits containing an infusion of bittering compounds such as herbs, roots, or barks. Basic elements are the aromatic herbs gentian, rhubarb, quinine, saffron, calamus or sweet rush, and centaury, among others. Bitters were originally produced to soothe and relax the stomach after meals, and therefore are often referred to as "digestives." They are also used as ingredients in some cocktails.
Aperire, a simple Latin word that means "to open," is the origin of the word apêritif--a beverage that usually "opens" lunch or dinner as a stimulant to the appetite. Most apêritifs are initially sweet with a somewhat bitter aftertaste because of the use of quinine (or cinchona bark). This slight harshness whets the appetite and cleanses the palate.
Although Italy certainly produces the lion's share of amari, you'll also find delectable offerings from Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Hungary, and the United States. There is no one correct way to serve amari--they are great served neat, at room temperature, chilled, or on the rocks. Each can be served in a tall drink, with sparkling mineral water and a wedge of lemon, lime, or even orange as a garnish. A maraschino cherry on top provides a finishing touch.
Aperol (22 proof) was developed in Veneto, Italy, by Silvio Barbieri in 1919. Made from an infusion of more than 30 aromatic herbs, spices, and roots-- including bitter orange, gentian, and rhubarb-- Aperol has a luminous, distinctive deep orange color and is made from grain-neutral distilled spirits with natural orange flavors.
Campari (48 proof) was first developed shortly after 1862 by Gaspare Campari, a master drink maker by the age of 14 and a native of Castelnuovo southwest of Milan, Italy. This ruby-red, bitter beverage is a mixture of more than 68 aromatic extractions from herbs, roots, plants, and fruits. Campari has a bouquet and taste of bitter orange, cherry, ginger, lemon, licorice, orange zest, and strawberry, with a bittersweet aftertaste.
Ciociaro  (60 proof) is a dark brown, bittersweet mixture of carefully selected herbs and spices that was conceived in 1873 by Italy's Paolucci family.
Cynar  (34 proof) is a zesty, bittersweet apéritif made from artichoke leaves
and herbs, conceived in 1950 by Angelo Dalle Molle. The late A. Charles Castelli, said the organic acid cynarin in Cynar "makes what follows taste softer, taste better." The brown digestive has a bouquet and taste of almonds, herbs, honey, and walnuts and is bittersweet, with a hint of orange in the aftertaste.
Fernet-Branca  (80 proof) is a dark brown, extremely bitter tincture introduced in 1845 by Bernardino Branca in Milan, Italy. Fernet contains more than 40 herbs and spices (among them, cardamom, chamomile, cinchona bark, gentian, myrrh, rhubarb, saffron, and sage) in a base of grape alcohol, and it is aged for one year in oak barrels.
Ramazzotti Amaro  (60 proof) was created in 1815 in Ausano Ramazzotti's small shop in Milan. The naturally bitter apéritif is produced from 33 medical herbs and roots, including gentian, cinchona bark, rhubarb, cinnamon, oregano, sweet orange from Sicily, bitter orange from Curaçao, and other ingredients from
around the world.
Jägermeister (70 proof) is a dark red, bitter liquor made from 56 botanicals, fruits, and herbs--including aniseed, citrus peel, ginger, ginseng, juniper berries, licorice, poppy seeds, and saffron--that are steeped in alcohol and aged for one year. The name is German for "the hunter," and the bottle's label depicts a picture of a noble stag.
Montenegro (46 proof) has a delicate bouquet and flavor of bitter orange, coriander, cucumber, orange peel, pekoe tea, red cherries, and tangerine. Its initially sweet taste quickly turns mildly bitter.
Veloce  (70 proof) is a pale yellow, bitter liqueur made from such selected herbs as absinthe, licorice, and rhubarb for power and the fruits peach and apricots for elegance. A touch of barrelaged nebbiolo grape spirit rounds out the finished product.
By: Bob & Kathie Lipinski
Foreword by: Gary Grunner
The International Beverage Dictionary is written for anyone who consumes, writes, enjoys, or even is involved in the alcoholic beverage industry. It is the only dictionary in the world covering international beverage terms. It does not cover, nor does it mention brand names. It covers terminology...both alcoholic (wines, beers, and distilled spirits) and nonalcoholic (bottled water, coffee, tea, soft drinks) beverages. Literally any beverage you may consume anywhere on the planet is discussed and defined in easy to read terms. It encompasses words and terms, label terminology, slang, cocktails, trivia, geography, terms relating to the production, and service of beverages, as well as origins of historical significance. The dictionary contains more than 13,000 terms, serving as a quick resource, as well as providing much needed research and reference material, with in-depth coverage. It defines everyday and technical terms, making it a necessity for everyone's library or bookcase.
Available on Amazon.com
With a trend toward artisan spirits in the beverage industry, microdistilling has gone the route of microbrewing. Tuthilltown Spirits, the only whiskey distillery in New York, is handcrafting and hand bottling a variety of spirits in small batches. Their Hudson Single Malt Whiskey is distilled the old-fashioned way, with whole malted barely and nothing else. Rich in color and full flavored, it draws much of its character from aging in small American oak casks.
tuthilltown.com
MIXOLOGISTS CAN BE EQUATED TO LIQUID CHEFS: CONCOCTING A COCKTAIL IS VERY MUCH LIKE CREATING A DISH. THERE'S A FORMULA, THE RECIPE: ALCOHOL, SOUR, SWEET, AND FLAVOR . HOW GOOD THE DRINK IS DEPENDS ON SKIL, TECHNIQUE, AND OF COURSE CREATIVITY .
BLT Market's ingredient-driven concept has inspired the use of fruit preserves in cocktails. Preserving fruit in the peak of season ripeness further enhances the pronouncement of flavors since they are now more concentrated. And because fruit preserves are available all year round, it is now possible for your favorite summer cocktail to taste exactly the same in the winter as well! 
Fruit preserves add both the sweet and flavor elements to a cocktail, so it becomes a matter of evolving the recipe to find the perfect consistency and taste.
Marmalade Manhattan
The Marmalade Manhattan, a bourbon-based drink, is oneof the more popular drinks on the cocktail menus of BLT Steak, BLT Prime, and BLT Fish. Starting with a good orange marmalade--muddled nicely to loosen--a bourbon of choice is added, along with a squeeze of lemon juice and a dash of orange bitters.
Pear Brandy Fizz
The Pear Brandy Fizz, the featured spring/summer cocktail at BLT Market, is made with homemade Bartlett pear preserves. A good jam--the more natural, the better--will create a luxurious texture and phenomenal taste. The preserves are muddled to loosen and mixed with Cardinal Mendoza Brandy, a Spanish brandy originally produced in 1887 and still made today according to the same family recipe. Ginger beer injects flavor and fizz, and a slice of Bartlett pear is floated for garnish--the perfect Sunday brunch cocktail!
by T.J. Siegal
The JB Combine, otherwise known as the Greenie Meanie or Basil Bomb, has become an institution. The drink was created by T.J. Siegal, a friend and former bar manager of Alto. The drink is great year-round, but shines brightest when fresh basil is available.
Small handful of fresh basil
3/4 oz lemon juice
3/4 oz simple syrup*
2 oz Hendrick's gin
Chilled martini glass
Place a small handful of basil into a shaker. Add the lemon juice and simple syrup to the shaker and muddle. Add gin and fill the shaker with ice. Shake vigorously to continue muddling. Strain into a chilled
martini glass. As a finishing touch, put a basil leaf in your hand; slap it to release the fresh basil oils, and place it on top of the drink. Salute!
* This is a great way to make simple syrup that works perfectly for the JB Combine: Put half a pound of granulated sugar in a half-liter container. Fill to the top with hot water, and stir till dissolved. Chill.
4 1/2 oz unsweetened iced tea
2 1/4 oz ginger syrup
1 1/2 oz Woodford Reserve bourbon
1 1/2 oz peach schnapps
juice of 1 small lime wedge
1 fresh peach wedge
Directions:
Combine the iced tea, syrup, bourbon, schnapps, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker and shake to mix.
Fill one 14-ounce tumbler 3/4 full with ice. Pour the iced tea mixture over the ice and garnish with the
peach wedge.
Behind the bar at Telepan is the dynamic duo of Sam Clifford and Mark Smith. With a wine background, Mark readily admits he likes getting people paired with the right bottle of wine, while Sam enjoys the creative side of mixing cocktails.
But, ultimately, it is a collaborative effort, made obvious when Mark brainstorms about upcoming recipes: "I'm thinking about a hard basil lemonade, subtle but refreshing for the warm months. We could infuse basil into simple syrup and add a basil garnish to the glass." To this, Sam instinctively finishes the thought: "Make that purple basil; with its fabulous colors, it will look great."
This shared respect and camaraderie spills over infectiously into their liquid concoctions; and just as important, they adhere to the kitchen credo at the restaurant-- use only the best, basic ingredients. They acknowledge a new trend behind the bar that blends harmoniously with Chef Bill Telepan's culinary vision. "I feel cocktails are going back to simple, rustic recipes," says Mark. "Gins, for example, are a lot more popular now." Sam adds: "A lot of cocktails these days tend to be overly sweet, fruity, and one dimensional. I like to use earthierspirits, like cachaça or a tequila; they have subtle qualities that bring out very distinctive essences."
Often bridging the gap between greeting and meal, a cocktail, as Sam aptly puts it, "is a single statement before moving to the table." And in this restaurant, a very appropriate indication of what lies ahead
The Tempest
Ingredients
2 oz Cachaça
1/2 oz Velvet Falernum
4 oz Ginger Beer
Juice of 1 Lime
Method
Shake cachaça, Velvet Falernum, and lime juice with ice, and strain into a martini glass.
Top up with ginger beer.
Chipotle Pineapple Margarita
- 2 oz Milagro Silver
- 1 oz lime juice
- 2 oz pineapple juice
- 1/2 oz agave nectar
- 1 bar spoon chipotle puree
Method
Assemble all ingredients in a Boston shaker, shake well, and serve up or on the rocks; garnish with a lime wheel. Serve in coupette, martini, or rocks glass.
Ginger Smash
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz 10 Cane rum
3/4 oz Luxardo maraschino liqueur
3/4 oz Berentzen apple liqueur
1/2 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice
2 matchbox-sized pieces
of fresh pineapple
2 long, thin slices of
fresh ginger root
1 tsp bar sugar
garnish: pineapple leaf
Directions:
Muddle pineapple, ginger and sugar in the bottom of a mixing glass until they turn into a consistent paste. Add the rest of the ingredients and fill the mixing glass halfway with ice. Shake briefly and pour unstrained into a rocks or old-fashioned glass.
Garnish with a pineapple leaf.
|
