Italians are geniuses; we are not talking Michelangelo, Da Vinci or Galileo (although we hear those guys did great work) but rather the nonnas, the mamas and uncles. You see, Italians have aristology in the blood from generations of flavour and food perfection. From this, comes one of the greatest ideas in food history: the meal between lunch and dinner, also known as ‘aperitivo’.
It is essentially the notion that a few drinks and ample food will gear you up for dinner; it’s pre-gaming for your stomach. Now you can get around this magical 4th mealtime at The Propaganda Club with their new Aperitivo Time celebrations, happening daily. Aperitif style cocktails (think dry, spirtzy and bitter) are on offer alongside complimentary small bites from open (times vary) to 7pm.
Last Friday we were treated to a preview of what can be expected for Aperitivo time and we were not disappointed. First of all, entering The Propaganda Club is like stepping in to a new world, luxurious textures, soft lighting, the shine of brass against black marble. It is a venue that would be at home in Milan or Paris and yet here is it in Adelaide. Instantly we are hit with the pungent fragrance of black truffle and escorted by a prompt staff member to a Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) tasting.
We are able to try two Proseccos from the Veneto region in Italy, both from the same producer but with differing levels of residual sugar. It is a common misconception that Prosecco is sweet; however, it is generally not, as it actually harnesses quite a crisp and refreshing flavour profile.
Whilst sampling the wines, we discovered the source of the truffle aroma: rare roast beef with anchovy and truffle cheese on little crisp breads. After picking a Prosecco to have a full glass we followed the waitress and her tray of heaven around until all little morsals were consumed.
The Propaganda Club will be hosting thematic tastings every Friday during Aperitivo Time to showcase some lesser-known beverages. Coming up is gins, vermouth (highly under-rated beverage, people should get around it!) and other Italian wines, so if you would like to turn your Friday night knock offs to a semi educational experience, this is ideal. What better excuse to drink than in the name of education!