This is another summer favorite featured in Wine Cocktails (following up the Cactus Berry below), a continental number that’ll go down in a lovely manner while you sit outside under the bright bright sun. It’s also a drink that can be enjoyed year round and is a standard (many would say the standard) in the pre-dinner hour, the apertivo hour, the time when Italians gather at the bar for snacks and a little imbibing. It has been known to cause some disagreement (not too heated mind you, but friendly disagreement) due to the garnish. Depending on where you’re at, you might get a green olive, an orange slice or twist, or something else altogether. I go for the orange slice, but am friends with many who go other routes. There’s no need for tempers during the hot months. In the spirit of this friendliness, this recipe is for two.
Serves 2
3 or 4 ice cubes
3 ounces Aperol
6 ounces chilled prosecco
2 orange slices for garnish
1. Add 1 or 2 ice cubes to two flute glasses (skip this if your Prosecco is super chilly). Add the Aperol.
2. Fill the glasses with the prosecco and stir gently. Garnish with the orange slice.
It’s now just about a year since the beginning of wife Nat and I’s last month of Italian pre-tirement (if that makes sense–we came back May of last year). Which is, if not tragic, at least personally sad. Luckily, there’s wine here–even if it does come packing a lot of markup. But it’s here, and brings some of Italy along with it. And luckily there’s Francesco Redi. Who was a physician (to some of those Medici dukes), scientist, and poet. Those days you could be more of everything (and by those days, I mean the 1600s). He was also from Arezzo (where I spent a few fun days when living there) and wrote the poem “The Mamelukes May Love,” all about wine (said poem translated in In Their Cups). The bottom is just the poem’s finale—hey, you can buy the book for the whole thing and help me get back to Italy.
Sweet ladies,
for a moment, do not drink,
but run your fingers like garlands
through my hair. I won’t crave your
sugary egg punch, or golden
sorbets, a thousand fragranced waters,
because these indolent drinks are only
for your sweet lips. Wine, wine
is for those desire euphoria,
to forget their fears. But be not shy about it–
I tip my glasses crazily, happily,
at least six times a year.
Sometimes, I’m almost too sad to write more than one sentence. Or six. This is one of those times, because we recently finished our last bottle of Bindolo, the wine from Donini we drank a fair amount of when we lived in Italy. You can read more about Bindolo and Donini in this past post, and then get on a plane and go pick some up (and tell Diego hello for us). Me, I’m going to look at the picture and tear up (though the sadness is partially offset by the fact that we shared that last bottle with pals Rebecca, who makes the great Deluxe jams and cocktail syrups, and Eric, who owns the best bike shop in Seattle, JRA. At least we had that last bottle with awesome folks).
I just flew back from NYC (and boy are my arms tired. And yeah, I said that) a bit ago, after having the happening-est time teaching a class at the Institute for Culinary Education, and just have to jaw about it for minute (or a post). The focus of the class was Italian Holiday Cocktails, with four fantastico recipes being made by me and a class of fourteen cocktail-loving folks from the City of New York. The lineup of drinks was culled almost completely from Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz (which makes, if I may say so, a wonderful holiday gift) and included Spagliato, La Rana de Oro (or the Golden Frog), Ti Penso Sempre, and the historic Hanky Panky (the first in that list is actually from Champagne Cocktails, which also makes a heckuva gift). I meant to take pics of all of them, but was having too much fun, so I only have images for La Rana de Oro:
And a blurry shot of Ti Penso Sempre:
But wow, what a tasty night! And what a fantastic class, up for shaking, stirring, twisting, and laughing at my jokes and listening to my Italian stories. It was a sweet time, and if any attendees happen to read this post, thanks again for being so awesome to hang out with. Oh, wait, I have a great pic of the class, too–don’t they look fun:
PS: If this is making you want to take a class with me, the fine folks at the Delancey Pantry have added a second iteration of my Italian Winter Cocktails class there (which was mentioned in this post), on Saturday, February 11. You should sign up.
Ba, baa, baaa, ba bum! That’s right cocktail lovers, the moment you’ve dreamed about since the finale of the last season of the Cocktail to Cocktail Hour dripped to a close is here–the new C2C season is now beginning (sorry for the wait. Our cameraman had some problems in a Central American lock up. But all’s well now). And what a beginning it is, friends, one that will be sung about in bars from here to Poughkeepsie. We have a very special lit’rary guest for this first episode, none other than poet and drink-maker and shot-putter extraordinaire, Ed Skoog, making his soon-to-be-renowned cocktail (a cocktail featured in Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz) the Ellipse. I’d say more, but I don’t want to spoil the fun, and the episode is a tad lengthy, so, with no further palaver, let the new season begin.
Whew, that’s a long title. But I wanted to make sure to get it all in there, so you didn’t just skip over this post like the others (I kid, I kid. I hope). The title really says it all: I’m hosting a class at the amazing Delancey Pantry, and the focus/menu/tippliciousness is an Italian Winter Cocktail one. What does that mean? Sign up for the class and find out, cutie. I can tell you a little more. First, the Delancey Pantry is the coziest spot for sitting around a table drinking and making drinks that you can think of, or that I can think of (it’s behind the pizza awesomeness of the Delancey itself, in Ballard, WA). Second, the four drinks we’ll be making are: Sicilian Sling, Negroni, Hanky Panky, and the Cynartown. Third, the Pantry is at: 1417 NW 70th Street, Seattle, WA. Fourth, the class takes place on Friday, February 10th, 2012 at 7 pm. So, c’mon, sign up today and be a part of it all, Italian style.
PS: Even if you don’t sign up, check out the Delancey Pantry website. Isn’t it lovely? It was done by Mr. Sam T. Schick, who should probably redo your website, too.
TheGinger Bliss and the Violet Fizz Rob Roy release party is only 4 days away (it’s happening, if you’ve been in the outback, on 10/8, from 2 to 4), and I’m already twitching with excitement about having one of the wonderful drinks bartender supremo Andrew Bohrer will be whipping up with penultimate panache. He’s doing two from the book, the Bitter Handshake and the Bruja Smash, the latter of which I’m going to tempt you with today. It’s an kind-of-crushed-ice-y affair, using one of my all-time favs, Italian spicy (as in, using spices like saffron) and gold liqueur Strega, alongside tequila and some fruity goodness all mixed up with balance, care, and craft. And muscles. Jeez, if that’s not enough to start mouths a-watering, then I suppose I’ll put the recipe here, right now:
Crushed ice
7 fresh mint leaves
7 fresh raspberries
1-1/2 ounces white tequila
1 ounce Strega
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 mint sprig, for garnish
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with crushed ice. Add the mint leaves, raspberries, tequila, Strega, and lemon juice. Shake really well.
2. Dump the contents of the shaker (no straining here) into a large tulip-style beer glass or other good-sized pretty vessel.
3. Fill the glass with crushed ice, garnish with the mint sprig, and serve with a straw.
PS: In the actually GBVF version of the Bruja Smash, I talk a lot about ol’ greenskin, the Incredible Hulk. How? Why? Well, you’ll have to get a copy, friends, to find out. And you can, this Saturday. See you there.
If you’re a regular reader of the Spiked Punch blog (and if you aren’t, why, may I ask, aren’t you? Cause I like you lots. Lots. So much that I want you here, reading, all the time. As long as that doesn’t sound creepy), you know that I was lucky enough to visit the Branca distillery, cause I distilled the visit in Branca Tour 1 and Branca Tour 2. What I may not have hit on enough in either of those articles is how that visit spurred on my love of Branca Menta (my love of Fernet Branca and the vermouths mentioned in those posts was pretty high already). Especially in these summer months, I actually drink more of the more-recent Branca, the Menta. Why, you might ask? Well, I detail the why, as well as give a recipe for the Menta Highball, and talk more Branca and Milan (where it’s made) in this article for the Good Life Report, called Make It a Milan Menta Summer. So get your-own summer-drink luvin’ self over there and start reading.
This is another summer favorite featured in Wine Cocktails (following up the Cactus Berry below), a continental number that’ll go down in a lovely manner while you sit outside under the bright bright sun. It’s also a drink that can be enjoyed year round and is a standard (many would say the standard) in the pre-dinner hour, the apertivo hour, the time when Italians gather at the bar for snacks and a little imbibing. It has been known to cause some disagreement (not too heated mind you, but friendly disagreement) due to the garnish. Depending on where you’re at, you might get a green olive, an orange slice or twist, or something else altogether. I go for the orange slice, but am friends with many who go other routes. There’s no need for tempers during the hot months. In the spirit of this friendliness, this recipe is for two.
