Aperitivo: from the Latin aperire, to open, as in open the door to friends, open conversation around the table, and open the appetite. Aperitivo is about coming together over drinks and snacks before dinner. It's a quintessentially Italian concept, and one that's worth emulating. Originating in the bars and cafes of northern cities such as Venice, Milan, and Turin, the custom has spread all over the country. Aperitivo takes the reader on a spirited ride through this cocktail culture, stopping at all the chicest and most classic bars and restaurants that have elevated this ritual to an art form.
Many of the drinks are structured around vermouths and citrus- and botanical infused liqueurs, which offer a new world of complex flavours. They yield enticingly simple cocktails that refresh-without stunning the palate (thanks to a lighter alcohol content). But Aperitivo is just as much about the food because in Italy, you can't drink without eating. Recipes feature peppers stuffed with tuna, the legendary croquettes from Harry's Bar, and polenta squares with baccala, as well as endless variations of crostini and focaccia. Whether planning a party or just having a friend over, Aperitivo brings a whole new spirit of conviviality and lets you host in true Italian style.
About the Author
Marisa Huff is a James Beard-nominated writer whose work has appeared in La Cucina Italiana, Wine and Spirits, and The Art of Eating. She lives in Padua, where she is the communications director for the Alajmo restaurant group. Joe Bastianich is an American restaurateur, TV personality, and author of Restaurant Man. He is the coowner of the Batali and Bastianich Hospitality Group as well as Eataly throughout the Americas.
Industry Reviews
“Marisa Huff’s delightful book captures the simple joy of delicious Italian aperitivi and the snacks that are paired with them. An easy-to-use guide to living la dolce vita.”
—Mario Batali, chef, restaurateur, entrepreneur
“Marisa Huff explores the eccentricities that differentiate the culture, history, and ingredients of Italy's regional aperitivi in concise, expertly written recipes that showcase her mastery of a subject that lacked a credible American perspective until now. In addition to being the most useful cookbook in my bar, Aperitivo is the most valuable collection of canonical Italian cocktails in print today.”
—Jim Meehan, author of The PDT Cocktail Book
“Part insider travel guide, part party planner, part intrepid recipe resource, Marisa Huff's Aperitivo is the ultimate handbook to inspired Italian entertaining. It's stylish and sophisticated, and, just like the cocktails that fill its pages, it whets your appetite for more!”
—Gail Simmons, food expert, TV host, and author of Talking with My Mouth Full
“Marisa Huff has brilliantly curated and adapted drinks—as well as savory small bites—from many of the best aperitivo spots in Italy. An inspiring combination of recipes and superb instruction, this book expertly conveys why the Italian aperitivo as an experience is so much greater than the sum of its parts.”
—Joe Bastianich, restaurateur, TV host, and author of Restaurant Man
"You've heard of armchair traveler guidebooks. Well, this inspiring, la-dolce-vita volume is more of a bar-chair travel guidebook. Think a travelogue of Italy's Happy Hour. . . [Aperitivo] allures readers page by glossy page through a spirited tour of Italy's top regional and urban drinking destinations - from Turin to Venice, from Milan to Rome, and plenty 'farther afield' establishments in between."
-AMBASSADOR MAGAZINE
"Part cookbook and part cocktail book, Aperitivo is a beautifully photographed, city-by-city look at that all-important sliver of time between work and dinnertime and the culture of drinking that has proliferated within it."
-PUNCH MAGAZINE
"This book is a delight. This book is important. And, if you love Italian food, this is the book you have to own, read, use, and tote on that next trip to Italy. Getting through life gracefully involves just a few things — money and love aside. You need exactly three things: some good food, delightful beverages, and a guiding principal. Happily those three are here in the pages of Aperitivo."
-THE HUFFINGTON POST
