Welcome to our cocktail series, The Happy Hour. It's Friday afternoon. Make yourself a drink.
...and it's not just because Aunt Sue has that very un-subtle way of reminding you that you'll be too old to have children soon, so "you better step on it!" (Finger wags in air fervently.)
It's also because it's a digestif, which means it soothes a holiday roast-stuffed tummy.
The drink is meant as a point of entry for those wary of bitter flavors. Created by Audrey Saunders of New York City's Pegu Club, it showcases Aperol, the lower-alcohol cousin of Campari, and highlights its orange essence. Today, the drink is a standard at better cocktail bars.
So use it to ease the various kinds of pain that come with the holiday season. And, just for practice, make it tonight, too.