I don't know if my love affair with Stappi is because of the bitter edge to the sweet soda or because of its vibrant vermillion color and the super-cute little bottles. Flavor is important in Italian culture, yes, but so is design. Stappi brings together both beautifully.

We're talking about Stappi Red Bitter, one flavor in a line of Italian-made sodas that also includes rabarbaro (rhubarb), chinotto (another bitter flavor), gassosa (lemon), coffee, cedrata (citron), lemon, cola, tonic and orange. I discovered it a few years back at an Italian market, a six-pack sitting unassumingly in the refrigerator case, next to the apricot and pear nectars and sparkling waters. A sucker for Italian products, I carted a six home.