meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters

The Spirit of Aperitivo

The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters

American Public Media

Food, Arts

4.33K Ratings

🗓️ 10 July 2018

⏱️ 10 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the United States, many people choose ‘happy hour’ as a way to unwind after a hectic day at work. A routine that involves heading to a lively bar with pals, and ordering cheap drinks and food within a small window of time.  However, in Italy this end of day ritual is called aperitivo, and no offense to all of the happy hour frolickers, but it tends to be a bit more civilized. Our contributor Shauna Sever spoke with Marisa Huff, the author of Aperitivo: The Cocktail Culture of Italy, to understand the spirit of aperitivo.


Our presenting sponsor is Bob's Red Mill, provider of Organic Farro. It's got a great, chewy texture and nutty flavor, and it's perfect in salads, as the base for a dish, or in stews. Find more recipes at the Bob's Red Mill website.


Broadcast dates for this episode:


  • July 10, 2018

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Our common nature is a musical journey with Yo-Yo Ma and me, Ana Gonzalez, through this

0:07.0

complicated country.

0:08.7

We go into caves, onto boats, and up mountain trails to meet people, hear their stories,

0:14.4

their poetry, and of course, play some music, all to reconnect to nature and get closer to the things we're missing.

0:24.5

Listen to Our Common Nature from WNYC, wherever you get podcasts.

0:42.2

Hey, it's Francis Lamb, and welcome to Splendid Table Select, where we share the interviews that taught us something new, inspired us, or just made us better cooks and eaters.

0:47.1

Our presenting sponsor is Bob's Red Mill.

0:49.3

They're an employee-owned company that's offered organic, gluten-free, stone ground products for decades, and they're

0:54.9

experts of making healthy taste amazing.

0:57.8

I'll tell you more about Bob's Red Mill later.

1:00.1

But first, let's get to the show.

1:07.2

Have you ever stopped to think about the phrase happy hour?

1:12.6

I mean, it's a little weird, right? I mean, I get it, it's after work, the drinks are cheap, so that's good, but is that really the

1:16.6

stuff happiness is made of?

1:18.6

Not to mention that most happy hours are honestly kind of like a mad dash to get an extra round

1:22.6

before it ends or some half-off orders of pre-fried wings.

1:26.6

In Italy, though, they call their version of Happy Hour Apperativo,

1:30.7

and it is very chill and very delicious.

1:34.1

Our friend Shauna Seaver talked with Marissa Huff,

1:36.5

who wrote a book called Apperativo, the cocktail culture of Italy,

1:40.2

to understand the spirit of aperitivo.

1:43.2

Have a listen.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from American Public Media, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of American Public Media and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.