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Cool Cocktails in ItalyParte

A WINK FROM...Italy

Article pubblished Febb/March 2017

http://tradesecretsmag.com/2017/03/february-march-2017/

Cool Cocktails

in Italy By Cinzia Antonelli

A mong the rituals and traditions of Italy, the cocktail (aperitif) is a phenomenon that, for many years has become indis-pensable for us Italians; after work, be-tween 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm, we like to have a nice relaxing break with our friends! Tradition goes back to the famous Italian distiller, Antonio Benedetto Carpano, inventing, in 1786 of the fa-mous Vermouth, a white wine with an infusion of 30 herbs and spices, which became the symbol of the aperitif.

Eventually, new drinks rapidly spread, made from so-da and seltzer, and around the '900 arose the famous Campari. Today, however, the classic drink is en-riched with a wide range of wines and cocktails, such as the American, the Bitter, the Rossini, Spritz, but also White and Rosé sparkling wine.

Normally to indicate the aperitif, we use the words "Happy Hour" and "Aperitivo", but I believe we must make a small difference to better understand our tra-ditions.

Everything was born in northern Italy, especially in Milan, when the Happy Hour mania is a real fashion in the various clubs, which offer gastronomic promo-tions at the end of the day.

After 6:00 pm, we can go to a restaurant-wine-bar or trendy bars, ordering an alcoholic drink or any other drink at a fixed rate, and enjoy a rich buffet of sand-wiches, meats, pasta, rice, pizza, sushi and sashimi.

Naturally, Happy Hour (also called apericena) is a real substitute for dinner, completely different from the simple aperitif, that is only a stimulus and prepa-ration.

For our ritual aperitif, we go to a bar or restaurant, to have our favorite drink, before sitting down at the ta-ble to taste and enjoy our dinner.

As with all other traditions, here in Italy we have to make some territorial distinction even for the ritual of the Cocktail or Aperitivo. There is no difference, whether we are in the North, Center or South of our country.

In the far north of Italy, for example in the Val D'Aosta and Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italians prefer to go out for Happy Hour where, after an extensive buffet and soft drinks, can go to the disco or to the movies.

In Milan, in the most chic clubs like the famous Not-tingham Forest Cocktail Bar and Pacino Cafe Cock-tail Bar, the traditional aperitif is offered with taste and creativity in a soothing and relaxing environment. (http://www.nottingham-forest.com/photo-gallery/)

Of course, the Happy Hour that I could define is a modern evolution of the common and traditional aperitif, which is more suitable for those who want to socialize and have fun for the remainder of the even-ing, until late at night.

If we are in the center of Italy, the Happy Hour craze is more widespread than elsewhere. Along the Adriat-ic coast in summer, on the Riviera of Romagna at sunset, in the many lounge bars, you can enjoy deli-cious buffet with drinks Jamaica, Caipirinhas, Cola-

das and Margaritas.

If we find ourselves in Rome, in the famous, local "Escopazzo Cocktail Bar & Music Area", we will have fun a lot, with the typical traditional cocktails, good food and fun parties. (http://www.escopazzo.it/)

In the south of Italy, we would prefer to consume the classic aperitif, because the frugal meals are not part of the traditional cuisine; so we prefer to taste a cock-tail that stimulates the stomach and begins to prepare us for the next dinner.