Girasole goes to aperitivo

Among the services offered in the hotel let yourself be inspired by our “secret garden”, perfect for small and big occasions. “The Garden” is in fact a place open to the public for exclusive aperitifs: you can taste excellent cocktails, wines chosen from small producers or selected beers, all accompanied by delicious delicacies. You can’t help but appreciate our irreverent “vaffanculo” sparkling wine, born from an extraordinary relationship with an Abruzzo wine cellar, perfect for any occasion!

THE APERITIF IN MILAN: HISTORY AND TRADITION

Since Hippocrates, in the fifth century BC, began to prescribe vinum hippocraticum (a drink he invented based on wine and herbs) to his patients suffering from loss of appetite, years have passed, but the principle of the aperitif has never changed. The word aperitif comes from the Latin aperitivus and means “that opens”, understood as a drink capable of “opening” and therefore stimulating the appetite and the feeling of hunger. Hence the tradition of Roman banquets of serving guests, before dinner, an alcoholic drink with a bitter taste, in order to stimulate hunger.

Modern tradition traces the birth of the aperitif to Turin in 1786, thanks to Antonio Benedetto Carpano. Owner of a small shop in Piazza Castello, he began to produce a wine flavored with spices, herbs and flowers to which he added alcohol and sugar to give consistency and roundness, creating an alcoholic drink that soon became famous: vermouth!

In the Lombard capital, in the wake of Signor Carpano, Ausano Ramazzotti invented his liqueur based on 33 herbs and in the Novara countryside, Gaspare Campari created an alcoholic infusion, now famous all over the world, whose recipe has never been revealed!

Between local inventions and overseas contaminations, the tradition of the aperitif in Milan became increasingly rooted, turning into a real social phenomenon!

Milan is a city that “is reborn every morning, beats like a heart; Milan is positive, optimistic, efficient; Milan is to be experienced, dreamed of and enjoyed”.

Thus recited the advertising slogan of Amaro Ramazzotti in 1985 which ended with the claim “Milan to drink”.

So, let’s have a drink!