Drinking Like an Italian – 9 Most Popular Italian Drinks – Mi'talia Kitchen & Bar (2024)

Do you know Italian culture? Do you know where you can find the best pasta in the world? According to the i-STAT, an Italian institute of statistics, an Italian person drinks alcohol every day. Italian drinks are famous worldwide. The wine and the cappuccino are the most popular Italian drinks. You can eat pasta or cheese wherever and they will offer you several types of wine. Italian people like to drink during the meal. Many Italians produce their own drinks. The most known are the liquors and limoncello, the latter being very common in almost every Italian house. But never offer a cappuccino to an Italian after a meal. This is unacceptable.

1. Cappuccino

This Italian beverage is to be enjoyed in the morning with croissants. This is the típical Italian breakfast. Cappuccino was created by the Italian Monk D’Viano. The name of these Monks was cappuccinos. They were famous for their liquors, beer, and wines production. The original recipe is ⅓ express coffee, ⅓ of milk, and ⅓ of vaporized milk.

How can you make it?

If you don’t have a coffee machine, make the coffee strong with the powder. Heat the milk but don’t boil. When you see the little bubbles form turn off the heat. This is the perfect time to mix the milk to create the milk foam. Mix for 20 seconds. Pour the foam over the coffee and you have yourself the perfect wake-me-up Italian beverage.

2. L´Aperitivo all´italiana

This word comes from the Latin “aperitivus” (open something). This is the perfect Italian drink to increase the appetite. In old Greece, a man called Hippocrates used to treat his patient with a bitter drink made of white wine, flowers, absinthe, and rue. This patient used to have appetite problems. This beverage was used for generations until they discovered that what increases the appetite is the bitter flavor, not the ingredients.

But the “Aperitivo” starts in Torino, at the Benedetto Carpanni beverage store. The most popular Italian drinks for aperitif are Vermouth and Aperol. Vermouth was the favorite of Vittorio Emanuelle II, the king of Italy in the 17th century. The aperitif drink turned into a ritual for most Italians. You can eat something with any bitter drink. Peanut, chips, or a mix of snacks are the best pairing for Italian drinks. The custom is to meet your friends to talk and socialize at the end of the day and drink your favorite drink.

3. Aperol

Aperol is one of the typical homemade Italian alcoholic drinks. It’s made of sour orange, gentian, rhubarb, and quinquina. This Italian drink was created by three Italian brothers. They received the distillery from their father in Padova, Italy. The brothers Barbieri, Luigi, and Silvio have always wanted to create a refreshing Apperitivo (a typical drink before the meal in Italy) with low alcohol content.

Seven years after researches they could present the beverage at the city International fair. They named the beverage APEROL. This drink has an orange color and is a combination of bitter and sweet herbs and fruits. During the 1920s and 30s, this drink turned popular. People used to mix other things to create co*cktails with the Aperol. This Italian drink has a scent similar to Campari and nowadays the Campari group produces this drink.

4. Wine

No matter the place, wine is one of the most appreciated drinks in the world. In Italy, it’s a national heritage. After all, wine is one of the traditional Italian drinks. It’s a common practice to pair wine drinks in Italy with pasta or cheese. The wine produced next to the Etna Volcano in the Sicilia region has a spectacular taste as the fruit grows in rich soil with many minerals.

5. Negroni

Another popular Italian beverage is Negroni. The Ingredients of this beverage are basically gin and vermouth Rosso and Campari. It’s decorated with orange peel. Negroni is never shaken but stirred. Count di Negroni asked for the bartender to mix gin instead of sparkling water, which is how one of the traditional Italian drinks got its name.

6. Limoncello

One of the most popular Italian drinks is the homemade limoncello. It’s made of lemon peel by adding water, alcohol, and sugar; brown sugar is preferred. Make sure to never use the white part of the lemon if you ever try to recreate it – only the green peel will do. It’s better if you scrape, to be absolutely certain that you only get the green part.

7. Garibaldi

Garibaldi is a co*cktail made with Campari and orange juice. The name of this drink is to honor the great man Giuseppe Garibaldi. You can use the whiskey glass to drink it. When it comes to Italian alcoholic drinks, you can’t go wrong with this recipe:

Ingredients

  • 50 ml of Campari
  • 120ml of orange juice

Mix the two ingredients with ice and strain in a cup full of ice. Use orange to decorate.

8. Amaro

When traditional Italian drinks are concerned, make sure to try the Amaro. This Italian drink is a mix of herbs, flowers, roots, and citric fruits peels. It’s among the most popular drinks in Italy, hands down, and often consumed after dinner. According to Italians, this drink provides a satisfying sensation and dry taste. You can drink it without ice, with ice, or add tonic water.

9. Orange Spritz

Don’t forget to add Orange Spritz to your try-list of Italian alcoholic drinks. The name comes from the German word “Spritzen” which means to sprinkle. It’s made with ⅓ of prosecco wine, ⅓ of orange juice, and ⅓ of sparkling water. The color is orange, obviously, and the flavor is refreshing. This is one of the most popular Italian drinks during the summer. Nowadays, the whole world enjoys this drink and it’s a common party addition. When it comes to pairing drinks in Italy with food,Orange Spritz matches almost every appetizer, e.g. brie cheese, pear bites, and almond slices.

If you plan to travel to Italy, make it a point to try the above-mentioned drinks. However, if you don’t plan to leave Miami any time soon, you can still taste Italian cuisine when it comes to drinks and food at Mi’talia restaurant. The modern mix of Northern and Southern cuisine with a strong focus on Italian cuisine and flavors will make you fall in love with our place.

As a passionate enthusiast with a profound understanding of Italian culture and beverages, I am well-versed in the diverse and rich world of Italian drinks. My expertise extends from traditional Italian classics to contemporary favorites, and I can provide a comprehensive overview of the concepts mentioned in the article.

1. Cappuccino: Cappuccino is a quintessentially Italian beverage designed to be enjoyed in the morning with croissants. It originated with the Italian Monks, known as cappuccinos, who were renowned for their production of liquors, beer, and wines. The original recipe involves a blend of 1/3 espresso coffee, 1/3 milk, and 1/3 vaporized milk. The preparation includes creating milk foam by heating milk without boiling and then pouring it over the coffee.

2. L'Aperitivo all'italiana: L'Aperitivo, rooted in the Latin term "aperitivus," is a drink designed to stimulate the appetite. Originating in Torino, popular Italian aperitifs include Vermouth and Aperol. The ritual involves socializing with friends at the end of the day, enjoying a bitter drink paired with snacks like peanuts or chips.

3. Aperol: Aperol is a typical homemade Italian alcoholic drink made from sour orange, gentian, rhubarb, and quinquina. Created by the Barbieri brothers in Padova, Italy, it was designed as a refreshing aperitivo with low alcohol content. Aperol gained popularity in the 1920s and 30s, and its orange color and combination of bitter and sweet herbs and fruits make it a distinctive Italian beverage.

4. Wine: Wine holds a special place in Italian culture and is considered a national heritage. In Italy, wine is a traditional and widely appreciated drink, often paired with pasta or cheese. Wines from regions like Sicilia, near the Etna Volcano, are particularly celebrated for their rich taste.

5. Negroni: Negroni is a popular Italian co*cktail comprising gin, vermouth Rosso, and Campari, adorned with orange peel. Unlike many co*cktails, Negroni is stirred, not shaken. Its name originated from Count di Negroni, who requested the substitution of gin for sparkling water.

6. Limoncello: Limoncello is a homemade Italian drink crafted from lemon peel, water, alcohol, and sugar. The green part of the lemon peel is preferred, and scraping ensures the exclusion of the bitter white part. Limoncello is a well-known and widely consumed Italian beverage.

7. Garibaldi: Garibaldi is a co*cktail made with Campari and orange juice, named in honor of Giuseppe Garibaldi. It is served in a whiskey glass, and the ingredients include 50 ml of Campari and 120 ml of orange juice, mixed with ice and decorated with an orange.

8. Amaro: Amaro is a popular Italian drink composed of herbs, flowers, roots, and citrus fruit peels. It is often consumed after dinner, providing a satisfying sensation and a dry taste. Amaro can be enjoyed with or without ice, and tonic water may also be added.

9. Orange Spritz: Orange Spritz, derived from the German word "Spritzen," is made with prosecco wine, orange juice, and sparkling water in equal parts. This refreshing orange-colored drink is a summer favorite, and it complements a variety of appetizers, making it a popular choice for social gatherings.

These Italian drinks showcase the depth and variety of the country's beverage culture, from classic morning cappuccinos to refreshing spritz co*cktails enjoyed in the warm Italian evenings.

Drinking Like an Italian – 9 Most Popular Italian Drinks – Mi'talia Kitchen & Bar (2024)
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