And while digestifs can be enjoyed on their own, they also shine in cocktails. During the cooler months, Towler suggests the Toronto cocktail, essentially an old fashioned made with Fernet-Branca. For something sweeter, Marty Birkel, operating partner at BDT & MDC Partners International, LLP, recommends a Port Negroni—a dessert-like twist on the classic gin cocktail. PERFECT PAIRINGS Speaking of dessert, digestifs and sweets often go hand in hand. At Pomeroy in Winnetka, apple brandy is a popular after-dinner drink that pairs well with the restaurant’s apple tart, Euler says. For anything berry-centered, Towler favors Limoncello, served cold. He adds that Grand Marnier is great with raspberries and pound cake. To complement chocolate, Towler reaches for Pedro Ximénez sherry. “It’s an intense, Spanish sherry made from sun-dried grapes. It has a molasses-y taste that is a perfect pairing with chocolate. Sherry isn’t that popular in the U.S., which means you can get a great bottle fairly inexpensively.” Serve it with some trendy Dubai chocolate, filled with pistachio, tahini, and shredded phyllo, and you’ll impress any dinner guest.
WHERE to SHOP As far as where to pick up your next digestif, Birkel says you can’t go wrong with Binny’s Beverage Depot or Schaefer’s Wines, Foods & Spirits in Skokie. Towler adds that Hops & Grapes in Evanston also has a good selection.
THE REAL APPEAL
In the end, the real magic of a digestif isn’t in the glass, but in the connection it creates. “The dinner table is one of the few times you get to connect with people without distractions,” says Towler. “People are relaxed, conversation flows easily, and the stress of the day just melts away. No one looks back on their life and thinks ‘I wish I spent more time on my phone,’ they always look back and think ‘I wish I spent more time with my friends.’”
Abate agrees.
Eating together with loved ones is not only good for your stomach, it’s good for your soul. ” CHEF BRUNO ABATE
ASPIRE ON THE SHORE // 77
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