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Absinth

Hey, did you hear that Absinth is back, legally being sold in the United States for the first time in 90 years? How did this evil concoction of wormwood that drove writers and painters crazy in the 1800's ever get through the FDA in 2007?
Absinth, that notorious liquor of the 19th Century with reportedly potent and addictive psychoactive properties. Absinthe, very limited until just recently and, although banned in France after Van Gogh cut his ear off and several underground writers gained legitimate literary acclaim, it has been made continuously in Europe and it was available on the internet.

Vermouth

Did you mention vermouth?.
Yes, vermouth is an infused aromatic liquor based on grape wine that, in America has been relegated to small drops in several of the most popular cocktails, the Martini and the Manhattan. In Europe Vermouth it is another option for aperitif. It is fundamentally wine infused with herbs and spices. French Vermouths tend to be drier and Italian versions a bit more sweet but the common white vermouth is universally dry compared to its dark partner. Both white and red vermouths, created in the 19th Century, were sweet and dry vermouths came along in the first years of the 20th Century. The chief flavoring components are wormwood, nutmeg, coriander, citrus peel, clove, marjoram and cinnamon and the word vermouth derives from the German word for wormwood, “wermutkraut”.
Cinzano Bianco is a sweet white vermouth and Martini and Rossi Bianco is vanilla infused. If you order a martini in Europe you are most likely to be served a glass of white vermouth. “Vya” is made in California by the Quady winery to offer a premium quality domestic version of white and red vermouth suitable for drinking on its own on the rocks.

Bitters and other aperitifs

The French prefer a wine-based aperitif like Lillet or Dubonnet (or champagne) while the Italians seem to prefer a “bitters”, an alcoholic concoction that includes fruits and herbs. Bitter flavors have always been associated with medicinal cures and 7000 years ago anise seed infusions were recorded as a cure for cholera and other diseases. These bitter infusions also aided in digestion. Most aperitifs can be alternately referred to as “digestives” and they find their way today into cocktail recipes that are suggested either to precede a meal or follow it, to either set up the appetite or aid in digestion.
The American idea of beginning a meal with distilled spirits is precisely that, an “American” idea. No Frenchman would voluntarily anesthitize their taste buds before a meal with an iced scotch or vodka. The Italians may break their working day with a quick bitters at luncheon. The European aperitif has, as one of its hallmarks a relatively low alcoholic content.