06 October 2010

corner view

corner view :: orange
the marriage of Italy & NOLA & Kentucky

There's this undeniably orange drink that we've taken a liking to here in northern Italy -- the spritz.

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"Venice, Padua and Trieste all claim paternity rights to the spritz, but its origins probably lie in the Austrian Empire, which took over Veneto in the early 19th century. Hapsburg soldiers, local legend has it, would water down the strong local wine with a squirt (spritzen) of sparkling water." -- read more of this article in the NY Times.

Its primary ingredients are Aperol, Prosecco (or even white wine), and sparkling water with a garnish of olive or orange.  Every place mixes the spritz a bit differently, and a Campari spritz is also common.  The spritz is to be sipped casually, preferably an hour or two before mealtime, to help stimulate the appetite.  There is quite a spritz culture among the youth of Vicenza.

I perfer my spritz with Aperol and usually have a bottle of the bitter apertif on hand.

One creative day, I crafted this new orange, spritz-inspired cocktail, which, in fact, is very, very similar in taste to the famous NOLA Sazerac cocktail (and not very spritzy).

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1 Part Maker's Mark Whisky + 1 Part Aperol (over ice) = Pure Orange Joy :)
Try it.  You won't be disappointed.

{NOLA = New Orleans, Louisiana}

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11 comments:

  1. Dear Dana, the last photo is fantastic, it looks like taken from one of those glossy luxurious food magazines! Thank you for sharing and the recipe will be tried soon... :)

    Un abbraccio e buona giornata,
    Kasia

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  2. I had some of that orange drink while in Italy without the alcohol and it must be an aquired taste. It is so bitter. It was all I could do to finish it. However, my Italian friends love it.

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  3. BooHoo, we have no Aperol in North Carolina! I have the bourbon in the kitchen...I'll just have to wait for a road trip to somewhere more sophisticated than Fayetteville.
    Now what in the world is in the green glasses?

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  4. Mmm... love the spritz! Aperol costs a whole heck of a lot more in the States though!

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  5. Thanks Kasia. . . you are very sweet. Some days I'm "on," but most days I'm not.

    I agree Kelleyen. The drink is not nearly as bitter as the what you had.

    Wish I could send you some, Michelle. The green glass is filled with "Acqua e menta" -- which is essentially mint-flavored syrup and still or sparkling water. It's a popular summer refresher.

    I've not been able to find it in the States, Karen. (Never really looked too hard, though.) Judging from the price of a bottle of San Pellegrino, though, I can imagine the cost of Aperol. too bad. check out the recipe for the Sazerac as you may be able to closely replicate Aperol using those bitters.

    Whew.

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  6. I like your family's spritz moment, is it a daily tradition?

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  7. Oh no! Not every day but a long shot . . . though I could be tempted to do so.

    (That bottle of whisky pictured? We received it as a gift nearly 3 years ago!)

    D

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  8. Suddenly I want one ... looks so good and so refreshing.

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  9. Wow, where did you get that overdipped bottle of MM ... i though that was a rare item ... but maybe that is how they do them now :)

    thanks for the comment on my blog ... great to hear from other expats stranded with little kids in Northern Italy ...

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  10. Can't tell you how happy this post makes me. Brings back the trip a friend and I had last fall to Rome, Florence and Pisa. It was just wonderful and full of Spritz :) I'm so glad I finally know what is in a spritz. Thank you!

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