They say that old habits die hard, and while the saying tends to bring to mind all those bad and negative things that we can’t seem to avoid, I prefer to think of it as paying homage to all those great experiences and enjoyable rituals that despite all odds, stand up against the pressures of modern evolution. That morning espresso that revs up our morning, long after lunch conversations and of course Turin’s l’ora del vermouth, a local Piedmont institution that is much more than a designated hour for enjoying vermouth.
Over the years, this century-old tradition has transformed into Italy’s aperitivo hour, the change in name likely driven by the fact that outside Turin, vermouth is usually mixed with Campari to increase the level of bitterness, and with gin or soda water to either increase or dilute its alcohol strength depending on the mood. It is precisely thanks to this aperitivo culture that great Italian classic cocktails, like the Negroni, the Americano or the Sbagliato have come to life.
The word “aperitivo” originating from the Latin “aperire” is taken to refer to the opening of the stomach, as the bitterness of the botanicals in the vermouth stimulates the appetite and ensures that an enjoyable meal will follow.
I prefer to believe, however, that the Aperitivo is meant to signal the opening of our inner spirit. A vermouth hour that from its beginnings on Turin’s Piazza Castello, has always meant much more than a time and a place, but rather an opportunity to unwind with friends, let our guard down, lighten our mood and open our hearts.
In the early 1900s, the Vermouth hour enters Spanish culture and starts to become known as “La hora del vermut”. Vermouth had already been produced in Catalonia for close to 50 years, but it is Flaminio Mezzalama who, after securing the distribution of Martini & Rossi in Spain, promotes the tradition from his hometown of Turin at his newly opened Gran Café Torino. Located in Barcelona’s opulent Passeig de Gràcia, and with an interior designed by Gaudi himself, the venue quickly became the place to see and be seen.
Catalans were quick to adopt the Italian tradition, and vermouth gained its space in the weekly agenda. A moment for all the family, dressed in its best clothes, to celebrate Sundays and enjoy the relaxing hours that needed to be filled between attending Mass and gathering around the table for a meal. The tradition remained strong well into the 50s and 60s and in the decades that followed when vermouth consumption fell out of fashion, the phrase “let’s go and do a vermouth” remained in the language, even if the drink itself had very much disappeared from the menus and the tables.
The last ten years have seen a resurgence of vermouth culture, and visitors to Barcelona can once again join in the ritual which involves a short glass full of ice, a good measure of vermouth with a slice of orange or an olive and the obligatory “tapa”. The experience is now no longer limited to Sundays and has instead become and afternoon affair more in line with its Italian origins.
Few drinks have their own hour, and we could be forgiven for mistakenly thinking that this is a limitation rather than the perfect invitation to open our evening and enjoy the here and now with a vermouth on the rocks. Salute!