When we were in Italy this summer this was our new drink of choice, I love it as an aperitif as it’s so light and refreshing. We had friends over for dinner last week so we decided to try it at home, we couldn’t get any Aperol so we used Campari instead which was a perfect substitute. I don’t like Campari on it’s own but it really works in this cocktail but I do think you have to like bitter drinks so all you G&T lovers will probably love it. I haven’t seen it in Ireland before but I read recently that a new restaurant in Dublin called Juniors has it on it’s menu and are using Aperol so times are changing.
what you need:
- 1 part Aperol or Campari
- 2 parts Prosecco or sparkling wine, chilled
- Sparkling mineral water or club soda
- ice
- Lemon or orange slice
Fill a glass dipped in sugar with one part Aperol or Campari, add 2 parts Prosecco and top with soda water. Add some ice and a slice of lemon or orange!
here’s one we had in Rome:
Ours turned out pretty well I think, pity we didn’t have the free nibbles though;)
Salute!!!:)
Hi Lorraine! I posted on your previous site last night about caffè and find myself loving your current site 🙂
The whole aperitivo thing is wonderful. I’ve been to Italy a lot but I’m amazed that I never got into doing aperitivi much! I will on my next trip for sure. Anyway would you believe I’ve been given a better introduction to it here in Dublin. I take Italian classes at Il Istituto Italiano di Cultura so the director gave us the history of the aperitivo and made us an aperitivo imperiale 😀 This was fun. My teacher Viviana from Sicilia is so nice. We get along great with her (almost impossible to not get along with an Italian!). Last night I went to Bar Italia in the IFSC as I saw an advert for a 6 euro aperitivo. You can have a drink of your choice and they bring various snacks. They bring focaccia filled with mozz. and prosciutto, crostini/bruschetta, cold tuna fusilli and a few other things. I love this relaxed, whetting of the appetite; chatting with friends and having something to start off the weekend with sophistication (from an Irish perspective). I went back again this evening but it might get boring, with the same place and snacks all the time. But will definitely go back. They do quality food courses too, including perfect organic filetto di manzo (fillet steak). I wish I could be more succinct! I really hope more bars start to do this sort of thing, it’s a pity we never got a taste of the cafe bar thanks to the damn publicans.
Hi Enda, welcome to the new site, glad you like it. That’s really surprising that you never got into the “aperitivo” in Italy, it’s my favourite thing:) The Bar Italia thing sounds great, we always go there when in Dublin, I have a review on it on the site. We stay in the Morrison just so we can go there for breakfast, I wish we had something like this in Limerick. I was so excited about the cafe bar license but of course it never happened, we had great plans but hopefully it might happen in the future!
Actually I remember back now to Aug. 2007, I was given a Sicilian marsala and orange juice with capers aperitivo. I guess I needed to try the more classic type to be really sold on the idea.
Lors, do you have a website address for your site? Yes hopefully we will evolve as we have been doing and have ‘cafe bars’ some day. I love the Italian style bar. I long for the day when we have long counters in bars at which one can drink an espresso or have a snack!
Hi there,
I love aperol which I use to make spritz with some prosecco and sparking water ands a slice of orange, the question is does anyone know a stockist of aperol in Ireland?
Drank ‘Aperol’ for the first time this summer – by the Mondsee lake, Austria. The lurid orange colour gives an weird first impression. A refreshing summer cocktail: one third each white wine, sparkling water, and aperol. Yes, and a slice of orange. Delicious! Though, sunshine might be an essential part of the pleasure…
I tried in vain at Vienna Duty Free for a bottle. Anyone know where you can purchase it here in Ireland?
I have just returned from Italy where my sister lives in the Venetto region north of venice. The spritz is native to this area and comes in two types – with Aperol and a slice of orange if you like it slightly sweeter, or with Campari and a slice of lemon if you prefer it not so sweet. The latter is also a stronger drink.
Both are traditional in the Venetto, and other parts of Italy do not do it so well, and charge much more for the drink which is quite cheap in the Venetto. Buy, please, don’t suggest using anything other than Proseco if in that region.