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Whether to celebrate an occasion or simply out of friendship, the “Apèro” (Italian “Aperitivo” or “Apericena“) is a way to bring people together at the end of the day with a smile, to eat and drink together.
In the 1700s, it was believed that the perfect combination of herbs and alcohol opened the stomach and stimulated the appetite. Bitter aperitifs (e.g. Negroni, Ramazzotti) were served for this purpose in cafés and then became a routine pre-dinner drink, accompanied by food. The Italians tend to eat late in the evening, around 8 to 9 p.m., and the aperitivo has always filled the gap between finishing work at 6 p.m. and going home. The aperitif became a means to keep the stomach satisfied until dinner.
While the Aperitivo is more focused on drinks, such as cocktails, beer, or wine, the Apericena is essentially the perfect middle ground between Aperitivo and Cena (which means “dinner” in Italian) or to completely replace dinner with a light meal in the evening.
The origin of Apericena can be traced back in part to northern Italian cities such as Milan and Turin with large student communities. Many students did not have the time to go home between lectures, studying, and evening gatherings for dinner, nor did they have the budget to eat in restaurants. Also begannen Bars, Apericena in Form von Buffets mit hausgemachten warmen und kalten Speisen und Getränken zu günstigen Preisen anzubieten. The costs for an aperitif usually range between a few euros and 20-25 euros for the most sophisticated ones and include a menu at discretion and a drink. The trend has quickly caught on, and today, you can find Apericena in every Italian city.
The Italians have developed a long tradition of Apero, with the dishes varying from region to region. The Mediterranean base of olives and olive oil, tomatoes and some classic cheeses remains the same throughout Italy. Towards the seaside, fish-based starters become more common, while they disappear towards the mountains, where charcuterie predominates to replace them.
One of the most popular aperitifs is served in the Veneto region, where you can find the famous cicchetti. These include sandwiches and a range of traditional dishes, such as the local stockfish, which is presented in a similar way to tapas. The Roman apero (deep-fried pastries filled with mozzarella and tomato sauce), the traditional pizza bianca e mortazza (white, savoury pizza with mortadella) and the modern trapezzino, a triangular pizza filled with Roman toppings, are also well-known. These specialities are enjoyed both as street food and as a tasty aperitif.
A glass of Prosecco, white wines, cocktails such as Apero Spritz and beers are usually drunk with a good aperitif.
Beers are simply great with Apero. The bitterness and aroma of hops are very suitable for opening the stomach. The bubbles provide a refreshing sensation, and basically, any style of beer can be paired with an Apero. In the Fermento brewery, we have proven that beer is a modern alternative to wine when it comes to food pairing.
Wheat beer pairs perfectly with various fish appetizers such as fried shrimp or cocktail crab, and with various soft cheese varieties, including mozzarella.
Blonde beers also go perfectly with soft cheeses (e.g. goat’s cheese) and caprese (mozzarella and tomatoes), which are served as starters. Pilsner is naturally a classic when paired with grilled meat and the popular green olives and dried tomatoes.
Amber ales are also very versatile and are recommended with Swiss hard cheeses such as Gruyere and Bergkäse (the Mountain cheese), or with gourmet salami and ham. These beers also pair exceptionally well with Pizza e Mortazza, which is also served as an appetizer, and with shrimp in tomato sauce.
Stouts also harmonise excellently with grilled and smoked meat or hard cheeses such as Gruyere or Cheddar. The combination of stouts with oysters is a classic of Irish tradition. Stout beer is a highly recommended alternative to traditional champagne.
To fully enjoy the combination of beer and food, we recommend always drinking craft beers where breweries emphasize taste and aroma, rather than settling for a neutral flavor.
The beers from the Fermento brewery are brewed with a strong focus on flavour. We also believe that great beers deserve great food, and we suggest the best combinations of food and beer that go beyond traditional pub offerings. Follow us on our journey: our recommendations for beer and food pairings and our updates on Facebook and Instagram.
