APERITIFS & DIGESTIFS

	Both began life as herbal medicinal concoctions to aid digestion.

Have you ever wondered where the cocktail hour came from, or the nightcap? They’re variations on the European tradition of aperitif (meaning “opener”) and digestif (meaning…well, you get the picture). Both began life as herbal medicinal concoctions to aid digestion. Many, like Chartreuse or vermouth, remain, though the definition has expanded considerably. At your next dinner party, give a classic aperitif or digestif a try, or translate them into a more modern incarnation, the cocktail.

APERITIFS

An ideal aperitif is slightly dry or bitter (to sharpen the palate), tempered with a bit of sweetness. A syrupy or sweet drink will tend not to stimulate hunger. Most aperitifs should be served chilled, though without ice.

• Wine-based: A dry white wine or brut Champagne on its own makes a nice opener, or add a dollop of liqueur, like crème de cassis for a kir.
• Fortified wines like Pineau des Charentes, Muscat, and Madeira are common aperitifs. White port and Fino or Manzanilla sherries are also good bets. Lillet, Punt e Mes and vermouth are actually fortified wine infused with botanicals. Red vermouth tends to be sweet, white, dry, so for an ideal mix, combine the two and top with a dash of orange bitters. More on Fortified wines »
• Anise-based: These licorice-flavoured liqueurs are often called pastis or anisette. Serve with water on the side to control the flavour. Pernod and Ricard are known brands, but Greek ouzo and the infamous absinthe belong here too.
• Bitter spirits: Spirits infused with herbs and botanicals, like the Italian Campari. This pomegranate-red brew does well mixed with soda, orange juice, or just a splash of white wine.

Cocktails as Aperitifs

Yes, a cocktail can be an apertif. Just follow the same principle - not too sweet, slightly dry or bitter and little or no ice. North Americans have a great attachement to ice. Ice typically causes a cloudy effect on many fine aperitifs and contributes nothing to the overall flavor. Simply cool the ingredients (shaker) and glass beforehand. Below are some classic cocktail aperitifs.

• Dry Martini » A classic, that needs no explanation.
• Manhattan: The ideal permutation is a Perfect Manhattan, with the sweet bourbon offset by the dry vermouth and bitters.
• Negroni: An Italian invention that’s essentially an Americano fortified with gin.
• Picon Fizz: Amer Picon, a bitter orange spirit is hard to come by, though Torani Amer is a good substitute.

Food with Aperitifs

Savoury snacks like nuts, olives and cheese pair well with aperitifs. Try orange-flavoured olives with your Campari and soda or chunks of Parmesan with a dry vermouth. Prosciutto-wrapped figs are salty and sweet and go well with sherry or sweet vermouth.

DIGESTIFS

Post-prandial tipples are generally sweeter and higher in alcohol than the average aperitif. Most are served at room temperature.

• Cognac, Brandy and Armangnac are well-known digestifs. Calvados, the famous apple brandy, is generally considered to be the ultimate palate cleanser.

• Eau-de-vie and grappa: Eaux-de-vie are colourless, dry brandies made of fruits like pear, cherry and raspberry. Grappa, the classic Italian digestif made of grape pomace (skins and seeds) is a variation. Both are dry. They are best served slightly chilled and neat, though grappa is sometimes added to espresso.
• Whisky: Choose well-aged single-malt Scotch or bourbon. As a digestif, drink neat, rather than on the rocks.
  
  

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• Fortified wine: Bottle-aged vintage port and barrel-aged tawny are excellent after-dinner choices, as is an off-dry sherry like Amontillado.
• Liqueurs: Some liqueurs, like the herbal Jagermeister or the Scotch-based Glayva are classic digestifs. Others, like Sambuca, do nicely in coffee.

Cocktails as Digestifs

• Blueberry Tea » Not your average cuppa, this tea is served in a snifter.
• Brandy Port » A variation on Port & Brandy, a creatively named after-dinner concoction from Britain.
• Old Fashioned » The classic is m ade with bourbon, though there are variations with Canadian whisky and brandy.

Food

A digestif is often served after dessert, but keep in mind classic pairings like Cognac and crème brulée or port and chocolate. Aged Scotch with an apple nose will go down nicely after apple pie.