Is The Spritz a great summertime drink?
The bright orange cocktail (a simple combination of bubbly Prosecco, Aperol apéritif and sparkling mineral water), first pieced together in Italy’s Veneto region, ticks all the boxes to be a perfect summer (or anytime) sipper.
Low in alcohol, but big on bright and bitter flavour, The Spritz has been a pre-dinner ritual for Italians since it was invented way back in the 1800s.
If you want to dip into its history, mixology mavens Talia Baiocchi and Leslie Pariseau’s new book Spritz: Italy’s Most Iconic Aperitivo Cocktail, with Recipes (Random House) treats the refreshing libation with the reverence typically reserved for kings, queens and the Martini.