It's my birthday today, and to celebrate, I'm sharing with you my favorite recipe. A spritz is a singularly beautiful thing. They are my go-to at the Soda Shop, on vacation, and when I water my garden. They're quite literally made for happy hour, my favorite time to imbibe, decidedly more decadent than a glass of wine, you are free to garnish heavily with herbs (a permission I require in my life) and they remind me of the times (all two of them!) I have been to Europe. They are much easier to come by than plane tickets, and they will help you enjoy that laid back life in minimal steps with no shaking. This is key for me, because like many bartenders, I get tired of shaking at work. I want to dump things into cups and be wowed by the results. A spritz is like my secret cocktail weapon, and I have been meaning to share it with you.
It's not a precise recipe so much as it is a very flexible format to make your own and use again and again in life when the time strikes. Like a "recipe" for the perfect pasta sauce, or an outfit focused around a great fitting sweater, this one should become a stand by for you, and it should be beloved, accessorized, and adapted over the years to how you're feeling and what you have on hand at the moment. I consider learning to make a good spritz a key part of your personal development. A little much, probably, but I am a Leo, and I stand by it. The spritz is a light cocktail with a low alcohol content and meant to be served as an aperitif, a dry and light drink meant to prepare you for a meal. While I would already consider myself conditioned and ready for any meal, any time, they are light, dry, and so refreshing that I love them. Further, as a woman without a high tolerance for alcohol, I love that they allow me to have a few, and still be on my feet. As Joni Mitchell would say, "I could drink a case of you…."
Anyway, forgive me, but my birthday calls for spritzes and spontaneous karaoke.
You can use any aperitif spirit, though I have Aperol shown here because it is very pretty to look at. I am also a huge fan of Lillet blanc, a floral and dry French wine based aperitif, Suze, another more bitter option from France made with Gneetian root, and Amaro Montenegro, a more bitter liquor with an earthiness (I prefer it to Campari, the bright red Italian amaro more popular for many.) One major benefit to buying a variety of these bottles is that they are gorgeous, and display well on a bar cart. However, if you're using a wine based spirit like Lillet or vermouth for your spritzes, please remember that these should be stored in the fridge. You can play around with these spirits, finding one that fits your palette best, then combine it with sparkling wine, club soda, and orange. My secret? Half an ounce of lemon herb syrup brightens the drink considerably, and makes it easily go from happy hour to any hour.
SIMPLE GOODNESS SPRITZ
MAKES 1 COCKTAIL
- 2 OUNCES APEROL, LILLET, OR YOUR CHOICE OF SPIRIT
- 3 OUNCES SPARKLING WINE (I LIKE A DRY OPTION, ESPECIALLY WHEN PAIRING IT WITH A TOUCH OF SYRUP)
- 1-2 OUNCES OF CLUB SODA
- 1/2 OUNCE LEMON HERB SYRUP
- ORANGE SLICE
- FRESH THYME GARNISH
HOW TO MAKE IT:
Chill all ingredients ahead of time. Add ice to a juice glass or stemmed wine glass. (This is not a fussy drink as far as glasware goes but a pretty bowl will help show off the colors and garnishes.) Pour ingredients in, stir lightly so as not to flatten the wine bubles, garnish, and enjoy.
For 8 pervings for a party:
- 16 OUNCES APEROL, LILLET, OR YOUR CHOICE OF SPIRIT
- 1 BOTTLE SPARKLING WINE (I LIKE A DRY OPTION, ESPECIALLY WHEN PAIRING IT WITH A TOUCH OF SYRUP)
- 16 OUNCES OF CLUB SODA
- 4 OUNCE LEMON HERB SYRUP
- 8 ORANGE SLICES
- 8 SMALL BUNCHES OF FRESH THYME GARNISH
