The history of Turin is inextricably linked to that of the origin of the aperitivo, a true ritual that can be traced back to 1786 when Antonio Benedetto Carpano, mixing herbs and spices with Muscat wine, invented Vermouth in his store across from the Royal Palace. Confident of the excellence of the new product, he sent a basket of it to King Victor Amadeus III.
Caffè Platti: A Historic Location of Turin
Since 1875, Platti‘s Art Nouveau salons have been a destination for Turinese and tourists alike who stop on Corso Vittorio to have an aperitif in one of Italy’s most atmospheric historic establishments.
Aperitivo at Caffè Platti 1875
As a tribute to the Savoy aperitivo and the city’s history, Platti’s barman Ivan Alizzo has created two new cocktails, Conte Verde (in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions) and Conte Rosso.
Both cocktails are created to enhance the flavors and ingredients that are part of Piedmont’s food and wine history: mint from Pancalieri, Vermouth, and marron glacé.
The House of Savoy in a Glass
Conte Verde – like the color of mint – is a tribute to the extraordinary medicinal herb that was first brought to Italy in Turin, Pancalieri, in the first half of the 19th century and from whose leaves Ivan Alizzo makes a special Pancalieri mint syrup by adding basil and lemon essential oils.
The non-alcoholic version of Conte Verde is a refreshing, thirst-quenching drink typical of Piedmont. In its alcoholic version, it is a drink made with Italian Vodka, produced in Castelnuovo Don Bosco, mixed with mint syrup from Pancalieri, Rosolio Italicus, whose hint of bergamot blends well with the syrup’s essential oils, and tonic water.
Conte Verde is dedicated to Amedeo VI of Savoy, nicknamed Count Verde (Chambéry 1334 – Santo Stefano di Campobasso, 1383), a valiant commander and able statesman. Dedicated to the count is the statue located in the center of Piazza Palazzo di Città, in front of the current City Hall of Turin, solemnly inaugurated in 1853 that depicts him during the victorious battle against the Turks.
Conte Rosso is a cocktail made with old-formula Italian red vermouth-known for its deep red color-Gin Villa Ascenti, Bitter Riserva Premium and marron glacé velvet. It is dedicated to Amedeo VI’s eldest son, Amedeo VII of Savoy (Avigliana Castle 1360 – Ripaglia Castle 1391), known as the Conte Rosso because of his hair color or, as other historians think, because in 1383, while he was engaged in Flanders in a military campaign in defense of the Duke of Burgundy, upon hearing the news of the birth of his own eldest son he abandoned his mourning for the death of his father in favor of red clothes to celebrate.