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Cocktail Italiano

The Definitive Guide to Aperitivo: Drinks, Nibbles, and Tales of the Italian Riviera

By Annette Joseph

***From Annette Joseph, named one of The Salonniere's “100 Best Party Hosts.”
Included in Eater's "Every Spring 2018 Cookbook That Matters."

Summery, beachy, vibrant, refreshing.

“Aperitivo” or “Apero” is an integral part of Italian lifestyle—it is the daily ritual of meeting late afternoon or early evening for a cocktail and a few nibbles. As a renowned expert on food styling and entertaining, and currently restoring a castle in Tuscany, Annette Joseph is an experienced, authentic guide to la dolce vita of Italy.

With chapters on twelve major cities along the Italian Riviera (including San Remo, Genova, Portofino, and Santa Margarita), each will feature unique cocktail recipes as well as regional appetizers traditionally served with cocktails, often as a beachside ritual. You’ll also find sidebars offering detailed info about local distilleries, celebrity barmen, cultural idiosyncrasies of bar life, famous hotels, and much more.

Recipes include:

  • Limoncello Margarita
  • Ice Cubes with Blood Orange Juice
  • Aperol Spritz Shakerato
  • Savory Mascarpone Ice Cream with Balsamic Roasted Grapes
  • Orange Fennel Marinated with Pecorino Shavings
  • Martini Balsamico
  • Manhattan
  • Sbagliato Shakerato
  • James Bond “Vesper” Martini Cocktail
  • Campari Soda
  • L’apertivo Cocktail
  • Milano Torino
  • Un Americano a Torino
  • And much more!

Like a summer visit to the Amalfi coast, Cocktail Italiano will excite readers who are drawn to the beauty and style of Italy, travel aficionados, cocktail lovers, photographers, and will offer the perfect inspiration to enjoy a bit of Italy at home (or, toss it in your bag and head to Milano!).
Annette Joseph

Annette Joseph is a nationally known expert on entertaining, cooking, food & photo styling, and interior design stylist for numerous lifestyle magazines. She studied at the Culinary Institute of America in both upstate New York and Napa Valley. With a solid background in everything from DIY projects to cooking, Annette has worked on countless freelance projects with cookbook authors and top-notch magazines, such as Better Homes & Gardens, Country Homes, Redbook, and People, and is a regular lifestyle contributor and entertaining expert on The Today Show, Better Mornings, and Martha Steward Sirius Radio. Her recipes and party ideas have been featured in Better Homes & Gardens, DesignSponge, MSN, the Huffington Post, Southern Living, and Woman's World, among others. Annette splits her time between Atlanta, Georgia, and Tuscany, Italy, where she and her husband are restoring a medieval fortress.

"Sipping spritzes with Annette Joseph is the most fun—and this beautifully photographed love letter to the easy-breeze Italian cocktail culture lets you do just that. Cocktail Italiano will have you shaking, stirring, and booking a ticket to Italy in no time!" —Katie Parla, food writer and Italian food authority; author of Tasting Rome: Fresh Flavors and Forgotten Recipes from an Ancient City

"Aperitivo is more than Italy’s early evening pause for drinks and snacks. It’s a state of mind, and Annette Joseph perfectly captures the ritual of the moment with her guidebook insights, sun-soaked images, and spot-on recipes. The book also reveals the marvel that is the author herself: a tireless hostess, a cultural ambassador, and an adventurer ever-thrilled to share her treasured finds."—Bill Addison, national critic for Eater

"Annette has always known that the strip of land from the borders of France to those of Tuscany was a special place, with its coastline an endless, stunning beauty. From the Riviera di Ponente to the Cinque Terre, from San Remo and Alassio, down to Albenga, Savona, Genoa, Camogli, Portofino, Rapallo, and beyond. Liguria is a land that is hospitable with the perfect climate to enjoy cocktails by the sea. Annette’s book reflects this perfectly." —Mauro Lotti, Iconic Italian Barman

Praise for Picture Perfect Parties:

“Simple, quick, always easy, and done with enthusiasm and effortless style—this is what Annette’s parties are all about. Like everything she does, Annette makes at-home entertaining accessible with delicious recipes and tips for truly memorable occasions.” —Gwyneth Paltrow

"Sipping spritzes with Annette Joseph is the most fun—and this beautifully photographed love letter to the easy-breeze Italian cocktail culture lets you do just that. Cocktail Italiano will have you shaking, stirring, and booking a ticket to Italy in no time!" —Katie Parla, food writer and Italian food authority; author of Tasting Rome: Fresh Flavors and Forgotten Recipes from an Ancient City

"Aperitivo is more than Italy’s early evening pause for drinks and snacks. It’s a state of mind, and Annette Joseph perfectly captures the ritual of the moment with her guidebook insights, sun-soaked images, and spot-on recipes. The book also reveals the marvel that is the author herself: a tireless hostess, a cultural ambassador, and an adventurer ever-thrilled to share her treasured finds."—Bill Addison, national critic for Eater

"Annette has always known that the strip of land from the borders of France to those of Tuscany was a special place, with its coastline an endless, stunning beauty. From the Riviera di Ponente to the Cinque Terre, from San Remo and Alassio, down to Albenga, Savona, Genoa, Camogli, Portofino, Rapallo, and beyond. Liguria is a land that is hospitable with the perfect climate to enjoy cocktails by the sea. Annette’s book reflects this perfectly." —Mauro Lotti, Iconic Italian Barman

Praise for Picture Perfect Parties:

“Simple, quick, always easy, and done with enthusiasm and effortless style—this is what Annette’s parties are all about. Like everything she does, Annette makes at-home entertaining accessible with delicious recipes and tips for truly memorable occasions.” —Gwyneth Paltrow

Cocktail Italiano

The Definitive Guide to Aperitivo: Drinks, Nibbles, and Tales of the Italian Riviera

By Annette Joseph