2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Most people have heard the word aperitif and they know that it is alcohol that is served before dinner. Its purpose is to stimulate the appetite. As a rule, this drink is never served at the table again until the end of the meal.
The word is French and literally means open.
The idea of aperitif first appeared in the distant 1786 with a drink made in Turin, called vermouth.
Aperitif serving is a whole culture that began its development towards the end of the 19th century. Before that, however, in the United States, it was common for lunch or dinner to begin daily with an aperitif.
However, there is another term that is less known - digestive. This is a special word that denotes the drink that ends the feast. The aperitif and the digestif are the two sides that frame every fine meal, its beginning and end.
The word digestive is also French and literally means what makes it easier to digest food. This is the drink that ends a extravagant lunch or dinner.
How is the distinction made between an aperitif and a digestive?
Photo: Zoritsa
The boundary between aperitif and digestive is very thin. Often the same drink can perform both tasks. Grapata in Italy, which is a marc brandy, is drunk as a digestive, while in our country it is firmly an aperitif.
However, a Bloody Mary cocktail can always appear as an aperitif, but it will never be a suitable chord for dinner because of the tomato juice and spicy Worcester sauce that accompany it.
There is another way to do it distinction between aperitif and digestive. The digestif drink usually has a long history, neatly described on the back of the bottle. It says that it supports digestion and metabolism, which reminds for which moment of the feast is appropriate to serve.
Aperitif ideas
As a rule, dry, strong alcoholic drinks are served as an aperitif. Most often, however, liqueurs are offered as an aperitif. And sherry is most often served.
What to expect if you know that there will be an aperitif before the official meal?
Most likely you will be served dry wine, dry or semi-dry sherry, gin and tonic, and the aperitif may be champagne or one of the sparkling wines. It is accompanied by small hors d'oeuvres with cold fish or olives.
In Greece, ouzo is traditionally served as an aperitif, in France another drink with anise - pastis, in the Czech Republic becherovka is popular, and in our country brandy is drunk as an aperitif, but it is also used as a digestive. Gluwein is called the most popular aperitif in Germany and is a wine with spices. In the UK, a gin and lemonade drink with pieces of fruit is served as an aperitif.
Portuguese liqueur is port suitable for an aperitifalthough it cannot displace the sherry cup before eating.
Digestive or drink ideas after dinner
Sweet alcoholic beverages are usually offered as a digestive, although this is a conditional division. Herbal liqueurs and distillates are available as an after-dinner drink. Also sweet dessert wines such as Madeira, Malaga and Sherry. However, dried sherry also works as an aperitif. They should have a good alcohol content to facilitate digestion. In the past, absinthe was often served as a digestive.
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