A Cool Italian Summer Refresher – The Aperol Spritz

Earlier this summer, I discovered that touring the narrow streets and endless number of historical sites in central Florence by foot on a hot day builds a mighty thirst. I also found a great place to take a mid-day break for cool refreshment, the Odeon Bistro a few short blocks southwest of the Duomo. After taking a seat in the shade of the covered outdoor dining area, ask for the mightiest thirst quencher they serve. The waiter will likely recommend the standard summertime cocktail of Italy, an ice cold Aperol Spritz.

What is an Aperol Spritz? A Spritz (aka Venetian Spritz or simply Spritz) is a summer cocktail served throughout Italy. The central ingredient is Aperol, an herb and root-based liqueur made of bitter orange, gentian, rhubarb, cinchona and other ingredients. Alcohol content is a mellow 11 percent, so it is often served from mid-morning to sunset.

Aperol was first developed in 1919, though its popularity sharply increased with introduction of the Aperol Spritz® in the 1950’s. In 2003, Guppo Campari bought Barbero 1891, owner of the Aperol brand, and a revitalized marketing campaign boosted popularity of Aperol and the Aperol Spritz® throughout Italy and the world.

If you’re looking for a tasty splash of icy summer refreshment, this drink is for you.

A proper Spritz made with the Aperol Spritz® original recipe should be mixed as follows:

1. Fill a standard Burgundy (or similar) wine glass or tumbler ¾ full with ice
2. Drop ½ slice of orange on top of the ice
3. Pour 3 parts top quality Prosecco over the ice (Italian sparkling wine)
4. Add 2 parts Aperol by pouring it around the inner wall of the glass (circling twice)
5. Add 1 part club soda or sparkling water

View Aperol’s Spritz mixing video online for a demonstration, which I did before creating the finished product pictured above in my kitchen.

Today, variations of the original Spritz recipe are concocted and served throughout the world. Not surprisingly, the 3/2/1 proportions of Prosecco, Aperol and soda water are usually not changed much, if at all. Here are a few common tweeks you can experiment with to find the perfect Spritz that fits your unique taste:

• Twist the orange slice to release more juice
• Substitute a green olive for the orange slice
• Substitute a twist of lemon for the orange slice
• Substitute tonic water for soda water
• Increase sweetness by increasing the proportion of Aperol
• Reduce total alcohol content by increasing the proportion of soda water to Aperol and Prosecco (note: Aperol and Prosecco are both about 11% alcohol)

For a greater departure from the original recipe, try chef Mario Batali’s uniquely American Michigan Spritz pictured above (disclosure: Mario spends summers at his home in northern Michigan).

1. Fill a standard Burgundy (or similar) wine glass or tumbler ¾ full with ice
2. Pour 2 ounces Aperol over the ice
3. Add 2 ounces fresh grapefruit juice
4. Add 6 ounces sparkling white wine (American, but produced in Michigan is preferred)
5. Add more ice until the glass is almost full
6. Garnish with 1 green olive on a cocktail skewer
7. Garnish with 3 Amarena cherries on a second skewer (canned Italian cherries)
8. Garnish with ½ orange slice

Do you have a favorite Spritz recipe? Please share it in the comments below.

When in Florence, try a Spritz at the Odeon Bistro, Piazza degli Strozzi 8/r, Florence, Italy Tel +39 055 215654

Share this post: