The Italian aperitivo. You’ve seen it everywhere from travel magazines to Instagram – and maybe even tried one if you’ve been to Italy before.

But there seems to be a simple magic, a way of doing, that makes an Italian aperitivo so special.

 

 

What is an Italian aperitivo?

Where I’m from, we call it a happy hour. In France, an aperitif. In Italy, aperitivo. It’s the longstanding tradition of drinking something light or bitter and a few small snacks to get your stomach ready for dinner.

My personal favorite happens to be a dry rosé or Campari spritz, especially with a bit of olives and taralli (which, in my opinion, are two of the greatest snacks of all time) – but that’s just me.

 

How to Create an Italian Aperitvo at Home

If you’re ready to raise the bar for your happy hour skills, here’s how to recreate an Italian aperitivo at home.

 

Step one: pick the perfect sip

The key thing to remember when you’re putting together an aperitivo is that you don’t want to go for anything too filling or too strong – for example, anything heavier than a light beer or a light cocktail. Personally, I prefer a dry rosé like Calafuria (this one is from Puglia; you can read more about it here), or a Campari spritz. This last one is kind of like a cousin to the classic Aperol spritz, but a good way to mix up your usual routine.

 

Step two: set out the snacks

There’s a few that might argue that the snacks are more important than what you’re sipping on. And whilst, that’s not necessarily my take – they do have a pretty crucial role. I mean, what’s a happy hour without snacks, right?

A couple of Italian classics (especially in Puglia) are taralli and olives. But you could also go for some hard cheeses like pecorino, or you could go the route of bruschetti. Either way, the thing to remember is to keep it light and not too filling. You’re not eating another meal here – just getting ready to go for the main event.

 

Step three: invite your friends

It wouldn’t be a true Italian-style aperitivo without some of your closest friends. Grab a few, or maybe even twenty – and head to your favorite spot to watch the sun go down.

I mean, you could do this all on your own – but where’s the fun in that?

 

 

If you decide to give an Italian-style aperitivo a try, share how it went (and your favorite sip) in the comments below! Cin cin!