The Mediterranean Aperitivo Project brings a taste of European Quality to U.S. consumers

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Dec 13, 2024, 11:32 ET

With stops in major North American cities, the Mediterranean Aperitivo introduced U.S. food and wine lovers to a beloved European tradition — the Aperitivo.

NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the past three years, the Mediterranean Aperitivo campaign — financed by the European Union — mounted consumer seminars, tastings, and restaurant events in several U.S. cities, including Tulsa, El Paso, Houston, Austin, Miami, and New York.

The word aperitivo comes from the Latin word for open. It is meant to "open" the meal. Popularized in France in the post-war era, the aperitivo was once just a quick glass of aromatized wine or bitters before dinner.

The Mediterranean Aperitivo tour visited several U.S. cities over the last three years.

In Europe today, the Mediterranean Aperitivo has become a youth-driven culture unto itself: Across the continent, from northern Spain to southern Italy, it is now a de rigueur part of the foodie experience. As more American tourists and restaurant professionals travel to Europe, more of them are importing the concept, using high-quality products safeguarded by the European Union thanks to the PGI and PDO quality seals.

The following products were presented at each event:

Vermouth di Torino PGI, the highest tier of vermouth production in Italy today.
Pecorino Toscano PDO, the legendary sheep's-milk cheese from Tuscany, known for its rich salty character.
Costa d'Amalfi lemons PGI, a unique cultivar renowned for its intense flavor, an ideal garnish for aperitivo cocktails.
Greek Aitoloakarnania and Ilia olives, two ancient olive cultivars legendary for their delicate texture and powerful flavor.

At each event, participants learned about origins, characteristics and how to enjoy and appreciate the quality products, with an opportunity to try their hand at mixology. At each stop, the audience could taste the Mediterranean Aperitivo board and a low ABV cocktail like the Americano.

Americano

Ingredients
1 oz. Bitters
1 oz. Vermouth di Torino PGI Red
Splash of soda water

Garnish
Orange slice
Costa d'Amalfi Lemon PGI zest

Glass
Old Fashioned

Preparation
Fill an Old Fashioned glass with ice cubes. Combine ingredients in the glass and add a splash of soda water.

Garnish with an orange slice and the zest of a Costa d'Amalfi Lemon PGI.

To learn more and for more recipes, please visit: MediterraneanAperitivo.com.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.mediterraneanaperitivo.com and https://www.mediterraneanaperitivo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/MAP_brochure_2024_WEBUSA.pdf

For media inquiries, please contact Pauline Rosa at [email protected], tel. +39 331 5785534.

SOURCE Mediterranean Aperitivo