Aperol Spritz

Ever been to Italy? Repubblica Italiana? If you’ve been there, you might have passed by Italians sipping on an orange-y wine-based cocktail. And if that happened with you at a thirsty hour during your travel itinerary, oh boy.

That orange-y, craving-inducing, thirst-agitating cocktail that you looked at is particularly common in Northeast Italy. It is generally known as Aperol Spritz or Spritz Veneziano, and commonly known as just Spritz.

It’s said that Aperol Spritz has been a summery favorite cocktail in Italy for more than half a century! The Aperol came around in 1920 to be precise. However, the idea of Spritz has been there for much longer.

In the early 20^th century, two brothers Silvio Barbieri and Luigi Barbieri inherited their father’s liquor company and after seven years of experimentation came up with the Aperol, inspired by the French term aperitif.

Hence, combining the Aperol that packs rhubarb and both sweet and bitter oranges, a Spritz that basically comprises of a complementing Prosecco, and Soda to top up, the Aperol Spritz became a hit in the native Italy as an aperitif.

Here’s The Recipe

We prefer using a fresh, fruity, and fizzy Cinzano Prosecco for this recipe. If you don’t have access to Cinzano, go with any available bottle of prosecco, a fruitier one preferably.

Ingredients

80ml Chilled Cinzano Prosecco
50ml Aperol
Club soda
An orange wedge
A few ice-cubes

The Equipment You Will Need

1 x Standard glass
1 x Teaspoon

How to make an Aperol Spritz

Here’s how you can enjoy the Aperol Spritz without actually going to Italy:

Put a few ice cubes into the nice glass and let it chill for 1-2 minutes.
Pour the 50ml Aperol into the glass first – keep it steady.
Pour the Cinzano Prosecco in the glass and stir a bit of it with the teaspoon.
Top up with the soda but don’t serve yet.
Place that orange wedge in the drink or on the glass side for garnish.
Serve now. Before it loses the chills.

Which Snacks Go Best with an Aperol Spritz?

Well, it depends on the mood tbh. If you’re having a sweet tooth, then a bite of lemon tart before sipping would do wonders for your dopamine receptors. You could also try a few multi-flavored ‘creampies’. No pun intended. None.

And if you’re in the mood for something salty, go for a nice pack of crunchy chips.