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Apéritifs and Digestifs


MeMc

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I'm gathering some information for a piece on aperitifs and digestifs, Lillet Fernet, Pernod, etc. My questions are:

1) do you often find yourself drinking an aperitif before dinner or a digestif after, and if so, do you go out of your way to order one because it allegedly stimulates taste buds or aids in digestion?

2) what do you drink most often?

3) Just as prosecco and champagne before dinner has become more popular recently, have you observed other aperitifs/digestifs trends? In New York, I noticed Lillet and soda is popular; SF I think it's Fernet as a shot or with ginger ale, or whatever.

Thanks for your help.

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Depends on the situation for me. I actually tend to have aperitif more at home while I'm cooking (Since the next thing I'll be doing is eating, right?), and tend towards Campari or Lillet. When eating out, it depends on the restaurant and what kind of meal I'm in for. Tend again towards the Campari and soda, or something like a Martini. My most common restaurant aperitif is probably beer.

I never really did the digistif thing until the power was Revealed to me by one Jake Parrott following a big meal at Ray's the Steaks. Tequila at Oyamel on the way home worked like magic! I was really surprised that it actually worked. Again, I usually do this more at home, after the fact, if I want/'need' one (Maybe I'm just cheap), and have Sambucca on hand as a specific digstif, and of course tequila (Agavero is good, too) and bourbon.

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1) I tend to drink aperitifs far more frequently than digestifs, usually traditional cocktails. I drink cocktails because I enjoy them, rather than for appetite-whetting or digestive purposes. Although I did specifically order Fernet Branca and soda the afternoon after a night spent killing a bottle of Maker's Mark with a couple of other folks...it was refreshingly settling.

2) I can most frequently be found with either a Martini or a Manhattan in my hand. Gin only for the former, please.

3) I fear that I'm out of the trend loop, although I have noticed that more places are offering aged liquors (i.e., Cruzan Cane Ten) than I recall seeing previously.

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Gin, like most any spirit, deadens the palate, but a Beefeater martini up with a twist is still my aperitif of choice for most occasions simply because I love them. If I know the food will be extremely special and the focus of the evening, I'll order a good dry sherry instead, though even higher-end places often don't know how to store or serve it. My favorite is Lustau Almacenista. I also like a good manzanilla if I'll be having fish with a Mediterranean preparation.

In the summer months I also love pastis as an aperitif, but the anis flavor has the effect of Novocain on the palate, so it really is not food friendly.

For after dinner, I like a good tawny, like a stated age or an LBV. I'm partial to Taylor's; their LBV is one of the best. For the same purpose, Madeira is one of man's greatest inventions, but it's often hard to find a good selection. If a true digestif is required, I'll go for some bitters. That usually means Fernet, if bitters are available at all.

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I never bought the old saw that gin dulls the palate, though perhaps my palate is dull to begin with. Nothing gets the appetite raging like gin. After: Grand Marnier. Hardly a creatrive choice, but I do love the stuff. Greek Muscat is also excellent, and the least expensive dessert sticky (that tastes good) that I've been able to come up with.

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I have to admit, I don't get the Grand Marnier thing. Then again, most folks don't get grappa, so there you go.

I always feel guilty about drinking it -- it seems very dilentantte-ish. Goes down good with a dessert souffle, though.

When I was in Athens for an extended period I took to drinking raki, which is similar to grappa but from Crete, and having my one cigarette of the day after dinner. In Greece, unlike here, the raki is generally unflavored, though I did have some fine honey/spice raki at a fish taverna near Pireus. Raki is also part of a healthy Cretan breakfast, as well.

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I never bought the old saw that gin dulls the palate, though perhaps my palate is dull to begin with. Nothing gets the appetite raging like gin.

The palate and the appetite are two different things. The former involves the ability to distinguish flavor components in food and drink, the latter involves the desire for it. I can see where a spirit like gin could whet the appetite. It certainly seems to have that effect on me. But juniper-flavored alcohol is not a good thing to pass over the sensitive tissues in the mouth if you want to appreciate the nuances of flavor in food and wine. I doubt there are many professional tasters (of wine, coffee, or other commodities) who take a martini before settling down to work. Jake, your thoughts?

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I doubt there are many professional tasters (of wine, coffee, or other commodities) who take a martini before settling down to work. Jake, your thoughts?
Sure, but those are other liquids and even if they weren't, professional evaluation and dining out are two different milieu, and a good cocktail is a lovely start to a recreational evening.
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The palate and the appetite are two different things. The former involves the ability to distinguish flavor components in food and drink, the latter involves the desire for it. I can see where a spirit like gin could whet the appetite. It certainly seems to have that effect on me. But juniper-flavored alcohol is not a good thing to pass over the sensitive tissues in the mouth if you want to appreciate the nuances of flavor in food and wine. I doubt there are many professional tasters (of wine, coffee, or other commodities) who take a martini before settling down to work. Jake, your thoughts?

I'm reasonably clear on the difference between palate and appetite, and appreaciate nuance as much as the next guy. I'm just not convinced that that a couple of ounces of gin has a significant effect on the taste buds.

Be an interesting experiment, though, possibly to be executed in the lab room of Ray's the Classics. :)

(It should be noted that "taste" is, as we are relentlessly reminded, 90% (or whatever) smell. As I have given up snorting gin (unless a companion makes a particularly witty remark while I am in the midst of a martini) that portion of the equation remains unaffected.)

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Ahhh, the digestif. So what if the only thing it actually helps is your mental state (and sense of anaesthesia?)

I kind of like the "when in Rome, do as the Romans do" plan. Except for China: there really isn't much reason to chase a perfectly good meal down with a blazing shot of Gaoliang, unless you no longer need your internal epithelial cells, or you're planning to spit into your car's air intake to get it started for the ride home. So it's grappa, or amaro, or Unicum, or schnapps, or akavit, or Pacharan, or Armagnac...you get the picture.

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I'm gathering some information for a piece on aperitifs and digestifs, Lillet Fernet, Pernod, etc. My questions are:

1) do you often find yourself drinking an aperitif before dinner or a digestif after, and if so, do you go out of your way to order one because it allegedly stimulates taste buds or aids in digestion?

2) what do you drink most often?

3) Just as prosecco and champagne before dinner has become more popular recently, have you observed other aperitifs/digestifs trends? In New York, I noticed Lillet and soda is popular; SF I think it's Fernet as a shot or with ginger ale, or whatever.

Thanks for your help.

I prefer a digestif myself. But will have a cocktail while rooting through menus and wine lists.

When overstuffed, it is Underberg. Nothing cures you faster!

But I like Fernet Branca, Pernod, straight rye (Bulleit is current favorite), limoncello, or even Frangelico.

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I am now addicted to Cardamaro.  So delicious!

Me too!!!  I first had it at Beauchert's, and then I went on a mission to find it for my home bar.  We found it at Schneider's on the Hill.  I like that it has a lower alcohol content than many amari, so it goes down a little smoother (but still has tons of flavor).

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Me too!!!  I first had it at Beauchert's, and then I went on a mission to find it for my home bar.  We found it at Schneider's on the Hill.  I like that it has a lower alcohol content than many amari, so it goes down a little smoother (but still has tons of flavor).

Big fan of Cardamaro!  Quick question - are you keeping the open bottle in your bar, or refrigerated?  I've heard conflicting advince re: storage, due to the lower alcohol content.  Same with Aperol and Campari.  Right now I keep Campari in the bar, and the open Cardamaro/Aperol in the fridge (along with the Carpano).  This may be completely unnecessary, not sure.

Lately, before dinner, I'm a big fan of Cocchi Rosa and soda.  After dinner, Fernet, Branca Menta, or Amaro Nonino on the rocks.  Ace and Schnieder's have been my go-to spots for finding these.

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Big fan of Cardamaro!  Quick question - are you keeping the open bottle in your bar, or refrigerated?  I've heard conflicting advince re: storage, due to the lower alcohol content.  Same with Aperol and Campari.  Right now I keep Campari in the bar, and the open Cardamaro/Aperol in the fridge (along with the Carpano).  This may be completely unnecessary, not sure.

Lately, before dinner, I'm a big fan of Cocchi Rosa and soda.  After dinner, Fernet, Branca Menta, or Amaro Nonino on the rocks.  Ace and Schnieder's have been my go-to spots for finding these.

I store Campari, Aperol, and Cardamaro in the bar - since that is what they do at restaurants/bars, I figured I'd do the same.  There may be bars that refrigerate some of these things, but none that I've seen.

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