This year the summer in Turin officially kicked off in April. However, as customary, we were all skeptical the warm temperatures would become normal, and this is how in May, they dropped again to suddenly reach 95F / 35C within a week.
And when the summer comes, Italians enjoy eating out with their friends, aperitif and apericena take a whole new meaning! This is especially true in Turin and Piedmont where the aperitif rite was born, as well as the most famous Italian cocktails, aperitifs, liqueurs and brands.
 |
| Turin has the tallest and widest arcades in Italy, perfect for an aperitif |
This is because the diverse Piedmont scenery, and the local work-life balance have shaped the local habits and zest for aperitifs and herbal drinks, both with and without alcohol. Also, Italians consider eating a social custom rather than drinking, and because getting drunk is public is very much frowned upon, alcohol drinks have always been served with food. Definitely since 1786, when King Victor Emmanuel III of Savoy, here in Turin, made of Vermouth the official royal aperitif.
As the name of Piedmont - our wider region suggests it, one of the perks of living at the foot of the mountains is the availability of Alpine wild herbs, the subsequent the production of many liqueurs, like Genepy, and later, in the lower mountain valleys and on our vineyard covered hills, the popular trend of macerating herbs, spices and roots in spare wine.
As this country habit conquered the Savoy royal court, Vermouth has been the Piedmont aperitif since the 1700s; and because the royal court was located in Turin, its recipe was officially registered as Vermouth di Torino, as well as world famous vermouth brands like Martini and Cinzano where funded and registered here!
Since 1965 though, Aperitif in Piedmont has also been synonym of a very popular drink: CRODINO; have you ever had it?
If Rosolio was Vermouth’s nonno, Crodino is Vermouth’s nipote - nephew or grandchild, same word in Italian.
Unfortunately, on May 23 2026, we lost Mr Maurizio Gozzelino aka the Italian wizard of natural essences, the ‘alchemist’ who created the Crodino's soul made of a herb and spice cocktail, in 1964.
Crodino is one of the top expressions of the Piedmont entrepreneurship and creative genius togeher, like you can rarely see anywhere else in the world.
.png) |
| Italian ad courtesy of CedCaribbean |
First of all, the drink's name originated in Crodo, a picturesque Alpine hamlet in Val D'Ossola, North Piedmont at the border with Switzerland, famous for its 3 mountain springs whose waters are rich in curative minerals, giving them antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, thus very healing for the wohle GI tract.
In fact, legend has it that, on their way back from the Holy land, hopelessly sick Crusaders who stopped in Crodo, recovered just but drinking these Alpine mineral spring waters.
Over the time, a famous spa complex was built, and in the early 1900s, also a bottling plant was opened to industrially sell the Crodo mineral spring waters.
This hamlet is also very popular among climbers, and all winter sport fans love it too, as it is located at the junction of the main ski tracks.
 |
| Apericena in Turin is so much more than Happy Hour |
Following the WWII bombing in Milan, the Crodo spa owner, relocated to Crodo his mineral water bottling plant; and right after WWII, this is also where he started the production of sodas with tamarid, popular Italian Chinotto - a bitter alcohol-free drink, similar to a non-sugary cola, and the Crodo Cola.
To boost its business, he had the idea of creating a revolutionary alcohol-free aperitif drink and to do so, he invited over to Crodo, his long-time friend, oenologist Mr Gozzelino, a native of Saluzzo.
To fully grasp understand how passions and products are born, you always need to know a little bit about the locality where people, flavors and objects originated. In this case, Saluzzo is a former principality in the Cuneo area, and Cuneo is one of Piedmont main cities.
Its 'county-like' area or provincia in Italian - is one of the top 2 Italian wine producing areas, where roughly 30% of all the Piedmont wine districts are located. This is the administrative province most wine districts of Langhe, Alta Langa and Roero refer to; half of the world's white truffle hub is located, as well as where the Nutella company and its family are based!
Besides cuneesi al rhum, the traditional Cuneo's rum filled dark chocolates, Cuneo is also famous because in nearby Bra (town, as opposed to the Bra cheese), the Slow Food movement, and The Slow Food University were founded, by Bra's most renowned native: Carlo Petrini. Unfortunately, Mr Petrini also passed on May 26 2026, just 3 days after the Crodino's father.
 |
| Turin has many piazzas to enjoy the aperitif |
Vineyards, orchards, hazelnut groves, cheese, wine, vermouth, chocolate and nougats are the expanding core business of this area, together with the many Michelin starred-restaurants, and Medieval hamlets, each one or almost, with their own little castles.
In this gigantic living Disney World for epicureans all food productions, cultivations, farming and construction systems are still majorly carried out according to the local traditional and sustainable ways, in the effort to preserve as much as their original flavors and scents. In short, all the principles institutionalized by Mr Petrini and his Slow Food philosophy.
After moving to Crodo, and testing infusions of a mix of spices, herbs and roots from all over the world, in 1964, Mr Gozzelino came up with the perfect - and partially still secret - formula for this super popular alcohol-free blonde or golden drink, made with the curative Crodo's spring mineral water.
Crodino finally got its name after a couple of rebranding attempts, to emphasize its connection to the Crodo thermal baths and their health benefits.
Crodino quickly gained in popularity, especially among women who loved its zesty bitter twist, light and elegant taste. And in the 1970s, the Brigitte bardot's promotional campaign made it the the most popular alcohol-free aperitif in Italy.
Crodino is made by macerating the 'secret' blend of herbs, spices and roots in the Crodo mineral water for 6 months, in oak barrels. The blend contains vanilla, ginger, orange zest, cloves, cardamom, coriander, absinthe, nutmeg and the 6 month maceration makes it naturally bitter; to smooth its flavor, a small amount of sugar is also added as well as tangy citrus note. To refine its texture, Crodino used to be bottled with Crodo sparkling mineral water, and to make it even more alluring, it is colored in yellow gold, hence its biondo or blonde nickname in Italian.
Mr Gozzolino said his formula was the consumers' preferred choice, and this is how it has survived all these years. In 2015, for the Crodino's 50th anniversary though, he created 2 new "Twisted" versions with red and citrus fruits.
Over the years, both production and trademarks were sold and bought, but Crodino is still a Piedmont product, since 2024 it is made made in the Alessandria area, homeland to the Monferrato Unesco wine district, together with Langhe and Roero; another white truffle, chocolate, wine, cheese and orchard amazing area, full of castles, hamlets and glorious restaurants. This is also the original province of the famous Borsalino hats, Bianchi bicycles, as well as the Valenza Jewelry Week where world's famous jewelry companies source their precious stones, gold pieces, and where the thousands of international goldsmith have been training for generations.
These are also the small towns where the Piedmont Jewish communities have been welcomed since before 1200, when they were chased by the other Italian kingdoms, and where you can still visit the oldest Synagogue in the region.
 |
| everybody loves the aperitif time in Turin, especially in the summer |
Since its first production batch in July 28 1965, Crodino has pierced the hearts of generations of Italians and it is now being marketed in the US and other countries, as the 'alcohol-free Spritz'. Unimpacted by Donald's tariffs, it is quickly gaining the American taste.
Chic, traditional, yet innovative, Crodino is one of the many Piedmont symbols and by extension, it perfectly sums up our Turin's lifestyle!
Mark July 28 down as the official Crodino Day and if you are curious to taste the Crodo Lisiel spring waters, look up LemonSoda and OranSoda, two sodas by the same company still made with those curative Alpine mineral waters!
Needless to add, you should definitely add a visit to Crodo during your next trip to Turin and Piedmont!
No comments:
Post a Comment