One late afternoon as my family and I dined on seafood pasta watching the sunset in Monterosso in Cinque Terre with salt and sunblock still coating our skin, a waiter brought the four people at the table behind us each this strange looking bright, orange-colored drink served over ice in a wine glass.
This was not the first time we had seen this drink during our Italian vacation.
The tan woman in the light blue sundress excitedly proclaimed, “It’s not summer until you have one of these.” All at the tabled nodded their heads in agreement, clinked their glasses together and drank.
My curiosity, love of tasty alcoholic beverages, and the realization that the group of people at this table spoke English – my Italian is ‘rusty’…and…by ‘rusty’ I mean never fully acquired – finally won out and I leaned back just a bit to ask the woman closest to me, “What is it you’re drinking?”
“Oh, it’s an Aperol Spritz! You must get one! It’s amazing!”
Who was I to argue with such a rave review? So, my husband and I ordered one each. It was refreshing…not my favorite drink in the world, but definitely summery.
Here is the official recipe of the Aperol Spritz for the International Bartenders Association.
Aperol Spritz:
- Combine 6cl Prosecco
- Followed by 4cl Aperol
- Build into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice
- Top with a splash of soda water
- Garnish with half orange slices
Enjoy!
Okay. So, what is Aperol?
Aperol was created in Italy in 1919 and according to Aperol.com, “Aperol is the perfect aperitif. It’s unique bittersweet taste and bright orange color derive from a secret and original recipe, that has remained unchanged over time. An infusion of ingredients including oranges, herbs and roots which make a perfectly balanced combination.”
Overall, it’s a light, tasty summer drink to enjoy.