There is something wonderfully purposeful about deciding that at a certain point in the day, work stops and “other life” begins, or at least should. Somewhere in our increasingly scheduled lives, we've become very good at planning takeout or finishing meal prep that was otherwise completed well in advance, or at least over the previous weekend. This is certainly a means of survival, yet we are less practiced at arriving at dinner having fully transitioned from the buzz of the day. We race home from work. Children head to the next activity. Someone needs help with homework, or the laundry needs to be rotated. Dinner is finished and cleared before we've even caught our breath, only to move on to whatever comes next. 

Even when dining out, we can fall into the same rhythm: sit down, order drinks, order dinner and keep the evening moving. We teach these steps of service in our introductory customer service course, but perhaps cocktail hour deserves another look, or at least a little makeover. This is not because we need another occasion to drink, but because we might benefit from another reason to pause. The point is to pause, and, as a culture here in the U.S., we're less practiced at creating space for transition. Travel experiences have taught me something about hospitality that I don't think I fully appreciated at the time but long for now: sometimes the best parts of the day happened in those moments in between. 

Some of my favorite meals in Italy began long before we ever sat down for dinner. Late in the afternoon, tables would begin filling with people ordering an Aperol Spritz, a glass of wine or something pleasantly bitter alongside olives, nuts, cheese and other small bites. Nobody seemed particularly concerned about getting to dinner. They were already exactly where they wanted to be, and it even had a name. Aperitivo is the transition between the workday and the evening. 

Years earlier, when I lived in Spain, I experienced another version of the same lesson — a deeply rooted culture of gathering over drinks and snacks. Tapas were more than tiny plates meant to replace dinner. A drink and a bite created a reason to stop, talk and perhaps move on to the next place. Dinner would eventually happen, or it wouldn't; but there simply wasn't the urgency to get from Point A to Point B every single day. 

Here in the U.S., we certainly haven't abandoned the idea altogether, but we often use the phrase "happy hour," which somewhere along the way became more promotion than pause. Happy hour asks, "What's on special?" Aperitivo asks, "What will make us hungry?" Tapas might say, "Let's check in." 

The Blue Zones movement, popularized by Dan Buettner through his work with National Geographic, has long identified social connection and a sense of belonging among the lifestyle patterns observed in communities associated with longevity. One of its well-known principles, "Wine at 5," describes slowing down at the end of the day with friends or family, traditionally over a glass of wine. 

The real benefit of these traditions has less to do with what's in the glass. The ritual works just as well with a nonalcoholic aperitif, sparkling water or whatever you genuinely enjoy drinking. The food shouldn't require much effort. Olives, nuts, cheese, potato chips, marinated vegetables or a little bread are enough. The point isn't to create another course someone has to prepare. That rather defeats the purpose. 

While evolving research gives us plenty of reasons not to prescribe alcohol as a path to better health, I think there is still something worth borrowing from that idea: the 5 o'clock part, not necessarily the wine part. 

But perhaps the more important question behind all three is: Who do we want to spend this little pocket of time with? 

Pour a glass of wine. Make a spritz. Open a sparkling water. Put lemonade or sweet tea in the good glasses. Grab a snack, and then sit down. What matters is establishing a habit of camaraderie: This is when we reconnect. The name doesn't particularly matter, and neither does what's in the glass. What matters is that somewhere between the obligations of the day and whatever comes next, we make a little room for one another. Dinner can wait. 

Here are a few beverage options that take me back to those rich moments in between. All are prepared roughly the same way. Fill a rocks glass or large red wine glass with ice. Add the first ingredient. Top with the fizzy element, gently stir and garnish. 

Campari spritz 

A classic Italian aperitivo, the Americano is lower in alcohol than many traditional cocktails and brings the pleasantly bitter flavors associated with the pre-dinner ritual. 

Ingredients 

• 1 1/2 ounces Campari 
• 1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth 
• Prosecco (or club soda for less alcohol) 
• Orange slice or twist 

The Finnegan 

For a nonalcoholic version, I chose The Finnegan because it was such a “food moment” for me while pregnant with my son and traveling in Italy! 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces San Pelligrino SanBitter 
• 1 ounce Fever Tree Cucumber Tonic 
• 1 ounce club soda 
• Orange slice 
• Sprig of mint (clap the mint together in your hands to really bring out the aromatics!) 

Kalimotxo (Cali-moe-cho) 

Recently featured on social media as “something new,” yet long in years as a low alcohol option in Spain. 

Ingredients

• Equal parts Spanish red wine (like Rioja, Tempranillo or Garnacha) and cola (typically 3 to 4 ounces of each) 
• Plenty of ice cubes 
• Lemon slice for garnish or a quick squeeze

About

Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Baking/Pastry, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.

Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.