Cold drinks, summery movies, and handy little things.
Reporting live from an air-conditioned igloo while it's 37C out.
Hello, it’s great to
see you here
Editor – Phoebe Tully
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I don’t quite understand why it’s always hottest in February each year, not January.
In my mind, it makes sense for temperatures to be highest mid-season, not the end of the season. No? Enlighten me in the comments section!
Today is forecast to get to 37C, which fortunately seems the hottest temperature we’re expecting. Still, for a woman who thinks it’s deliciously warm at 24C, I’ve effectively gone into a reverse hibernation today.
So my wish for you is to enjoy this week’s edition with an amaro spritz or a cold brew coffee, remembering, as I’m trying to do, that the taste of summer is always sweetest in winter.
Before and after.
Late last year I visited Before & After, a Brisbane bar that specialises in amari. Amaro (plural: amari) is Italian for “bitter”, which is probably the only unifying factor in this micro-world of liqueurs. Each amaro is different, and there are hundreds to choose from. There are local, artisanal versions, and huge international brands like Fernet Branca. Campari is probably the best-known amaro, thanks to negronis (basically an extra-boozy amaro spritz).
Amari are traditionally made by infusing a neutral spirit or wine with a mix of herbs, flowers, aromatic bark, citrus peel and spices. It's then sweetened with sugar syrup and aged, sometimes for years.
At its best, an amaro is silky like a liqueur, bitter and sweet, aromatic and delicious. And it can be served however you like – neat, on the rocks, in a spritz. A truly versatile friend to have in your home bar. Typically consumed as a digestif after dinner, lighter ABV versions are perfect served on ice or as a spritz before dinner.
Here are some amari I’ve tried and loved recently:
Staibano Capri Amaro ($) is all bittersweet lemons and tangy zest with an unexpected touch of menthol. A great choice if you want to make amaro cocktails, but I love it as an aperitif too.
Amarot ($$) is bitter chinotto orange with vanilla and liquorice, and hints of spices like anise and cardamom. A delicious post-dinner option, especially if you like it neat.
Distilleria Alpina Amaro Alpino ($$) is really balanced, making it perfect for either an aperitif or digestif. Bring a bottle to the table at the end of a dinner party, and you’ll feel like you’re in a Fellini film.
If you’re in Brisbane, I highly recommend heading to Before & After and letting them guide you. They are obsessed and generous with their knowledge; I discovered each of the recommendations above there.
A truly small thing.
From Fellini films to the most boring recommendation I may ever make here, let me introduce you to cord organisers.
I bought a set of five from Amazon ($) and have already saved a good 21 minutes this week not fussing around while putting small appliances away. Unless your kitchen bench space is so enormous you literally don’t need to put anything away (wow!), you need these.
DO | embrace the cold brew as the temperatures start their annual February soar. I gave this ($) to my sister a few years ago, and she swears by it in Brisbane summers (and let’s be real, probs Brisbane winters too).
MAKE | a big batch of passata to preserve throughout the year and make pasta dishes that remind you of what it was like to make passata when it was 30C+ out.
READ | The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
WATCH | A Bigger Splash (2016)
LISTEN |