Aperitif Drink - Before Dinner Drinks

Aperitif's are "Before dinner drinks" that are supposed to "open up your appetite" and many have a bitter taste.

There are basically 2 groups of aperitifs:

A) The natural aperitifs

Like for example Vermouth, Sherry, Port wine,  etc. that mostly are served in a small southern European style wine glasses and without any accompaniments or mixing.

B) The processed aperitifs:  divided in 3 groups:

1. The Bitter aperitifs like for example Campari, Nostran, Cinzano, Martinazzi and Rossi etc.

2. The Anis based Aperitifs like Pernod, Ricard, Berger, Weisflog etc.

3. China wine based aperitifs like for example Dubonnet and Amer-Picon etc.

Campari (about 50 grams per order) is served with or without ice, with a zest of lemon (lemon peel) and sometimes soda water or orange juice is added.

The distinctive flavor of Pernod is created through a combination of star anise and several aromatic herbs and plants. In a glass add 50 grams of Pernod, separately water is served. (Sometimes a piece of sugar is served with it on a special bar spoon the water then is poured slowly over the sugar into the glass where the Pernod is)

20 grams Gin
40 grams Dubonnet
1 dash orange bitter

Stir in a shaker with ice, pour into a cocktail glass and add an olive.

Angostura Bitter
Champagne
Lemon Zest
1 piece of sugar

Add one piece of sugar soaked a bit with angostura bitter and one piece of ice into a cocktail glass, fill up with a good champagne, cut a fresh piece of lemon zest (lemon peel) and add press it out over the cocktail to add a sprinkle to rim of the glass.

50 grams Gin
Dash of Angostura Bitter

Chill the glass, then coat the inside with a few dashes of Angostura Bitter (add the dashes and turn the glass slowly). Add the gin very well chilled and serve  immediately.

60 grams gin
1 dash dry vermouth

Traditionally stirred into a chilled glass, garnished, and served up.
Notes: The ratio of gin to vermouth is highly variable in martini recipes.

Juice of 1/2 orange
25 grams Gin
25 grams of Dubonnet

Shake well with some ice cubs and pour in a big well chilled cocktail glass.

Angostura bitters, is a concentrated bitter for food and beverages made of herbs and spices by House of Angostura in the country of Trinidad and Tobago.

Besides that Angostura Bitter is used in many cocktails it also can be added without any alcoholic beverages to make a good  aperitif out of a Soda Water or even Ginger Ale. Just add a couple drops of angostura to soda water or ginger ale and some ice cubs and your done.