WHAT TO DRINK AFTER DINNER

Don't break up the party! Linger around the table with one of these post-supper sips.

- JENNA HELWIG

YOU KNOW THOSE DINNERS when the plates have been cleared, dessert is mostly done, everyone is full and happy, and no one is quite ready to leave the table? At my house, this happens after especially convivial dinner parties, including Thanksgiving. Sure, we could open another bottle of wine to prolong the festivities, but usually my husband pulls out the set of cordial glasses I bought at a yard sale, and we offer after-dinner drinks. It makes the evening (and my guests) feel even more special.

After-dinner drinks have long been served to aid digestion-that's why they're called digestivi in Italian and digestifs in French. While there's scant evidence that sipping a little treat after a big meal actually gives the stomach an assist, who am I to quibble with centuries of tradition? Speaking from experience, dawdling at the table with my friends and family, enjoying a small glass of something strong, does feel good in my belly...and my heart. If that's a placebo effect, I'll take it. You too? Read on for suggestions on what to serve; look for the bottles online or at your local liquor store.

Brandy

What do cognac, calvados, pisco, applejack, and Armagnac have in common? They're all brandies! In the simplest terms, brandy is a spirit distilled from the juice of fermented grapes (i.e., wine) or other fruit, then aged. The category includes a seemingly endless number of options, and Michael Lay, beverage director for Bourbon Steak New York and the Mina Group, says the flavors vary. "An aged brandy would have a darker, spicier profile, with notes of dried fruit, vanilla, and baking spice. A younger one might have a lighter fruit aroma." Serve brandy at cool room temperature in a cordial glass or even a white wine glass, Lay suggests. "I like being able to swirl the spirit, which helps bring out the aroma."

BEGINNER BOTTLE