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Italian Strawberry Spritz
We had a delicious, refreshing strawberry spritz at Marina Grande in Sorrento, Italy and I did my best to recreate it. It’s perfect for a summer cocktail party!
Sorrento Italy Two key components of this cocktail are the strawberry infused white vermouth and Italicus.
White Vermouth – this is not the dry vermouth you use in your martini. Look for white vermouth (vermouth blanca or bianco) which has crisp floral and citrus notes. If you have trouble finding white vermouth, Cocchi Americano Bianco is a great substitute in this cocktail.
Italicus – This is an Italian liquor made from herbs. It’s expensive, but there’s really nothing else with a similar profile. (I use Italicus in another delicious cocktail, the Italicus Spritz, if you’re looking for ways to use up the bottle.)
A day or two before you want to make this cocktail, infuse the white vermouth (or Cocchi Americano Bianco) with fresh strawberries. Wash the strawberries, remove the green stems and slice up the strawberries into quarters. Place the strawberries in a large Mason jar and pour the white vermouth over the strawberries. Seal and let sit on the counter for at least 24 hours. Shake every 4 – 6 hours to redistribute the strawberries and help the infusion process. Once the strawberries have lost most of their color and are looking a little mushy, pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, capturing the infused vermouth. (The longer you infuse the strawberries in the vermouth or Cocchi, the pinker your spritz will be.) Pour the strawberry infused vermouth back into the Vermouth bottle or a Mason jar and chill. Discard the strawberries.
Recipe:
1 1/2 parts strawberry infused white vermouth or Cocchi Americano Bianco
1 part Italicus
3 parts processo
1 part club soda
Combine in a wine glass over ice, stir gently, garnish with strawberry slices.
Italian Strawberry Spritz Salud!
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Valentine’s Day Cocktails
For Valentine’s Day, I’m thinking either champagne or red cocktails… or red champagne cocktails. 🙂 Here’s a round-up of some of my favorites. (Click on the blue words below for more information or to purchase.)
Sorbet Champagne Float Sorbet Champagne Float
Raspberries
Place a ball of sorbet in a chilled coupe, top with champagne and berries. Serve with a spoon. You could even serve this for dessert, just use a chilled dessert dish and increase the size of the sorbet scoop.
Cherry Champagne Cocktail Cherry Champagne Cocktail
Luxardo cherries (do not refrigerate or the syrup will crystalize – speaking from experience)
1 oz Cherry liqueur (I used Heering)
Fresh lemon juice
Drop a Luxardo cherry in the bottom of a chilled champagne coupe or flute. Use a spoon to drizzle a tablespoon of Luxardo syrup in the glass. Top with 1 oz cherry liqueur and a few drops of fresh squeezed lemon juice (this will enhance the cherry), then top with Champagne or Prosecco. Garnish with a lemon peel.
Below are two Hibiscus Cocktails. Make the hibiscus concentrate in advance so it has time to chill.
Hibiscus concentrate. If you can find hibiscus flowers that’s great, (available on Amazon) but if not, just pick up a container of natural hibiscus tea at the grocery store. The Republic of Tea is a good brand.
Boil 1 1/2 cups of water, remove from heat
Add 1/4 cup of hibiscus flowers or several tea bags
Let steep for at least 10 minutes until the concentrate is a dark red.
Strain out the flowers and discard. Refrigerate the concentrated tea in a sealed container for up to one week. (I like to store my concentrate in Mason jars.)
Hibiscus Gin Spritz Hibiscus Gin Spritz
1 oz Aviation gin or your favorite brand
1 oz Hibiscus Concentrate
4 oz LaMarca Prosecco
2 oz Q club soda
Add all ingredients to a large wine goblet filled with ice. Stir gently. If you’d like, garnish with a lime wheel.
Hibiscus Margarita To make your Hibiscus Margarita extra special, make a hibiscus rimmer for your glass. Grind equal parts sugar and dried hibiscus flowers together with a mortar and pestle until you have a fine pink powder. (The sugar helps break down the hibiscus petals.) Then add salt to taste.
Pour a little Cointreau in a plate to wet the rim of your glass and then dip the glass in your hibiscus rimmer. Fill your glass with ice and set aside.
Hibiscus Margarita, combine in a cocktail shaker filled with ice:
1 1/2 oz Patron Silver tequila, or your favorite brand of tequila
1 oz Cointreau
2 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
1 oz hibiscus concentrate
Shake well and strain into your glass with the hibiscus rimmer and ice.
For a non-alcoholic hibiscus cocktail, I love the hibiscus concentrate with lemonade and a splash of club soda.
Cheers!
What are you drinking on Valentine’s Day?
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Click on the three lines to the left of the word “lifestyle” at the top of this page and enter your email address to receive notifications by email when I post something new on this blog. Also, follow me on Instagram at cocktailsandgratitude for photos of cocktails, flowers, my pets and, eventually, more travel.
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Rosemary Hibiscus Gin Spritz
I had leftover Hibiscus Rosemary Concentrate from my New Year’s Eve Hibiscus champagne cocktail, so I created this new Spritz. Remember, there are three basic ingredients for a spritz: liquor / liqueur, bubbles and soda. You can always add additional ingredients to create more complex flavors, as I’ve done below. (Click blue words for more recipes or additional information.)
Add to a cocktail shaker:
2 oz of your favorite herbal gin (I used The Botanist)
1 oz Rosemary Hibiscus Concentrate (recipe below photo) If you’re not a fan of hibiscus or just don’t want to make the concentrate, try the cocktail without the concentrate. I bet it’s delicious!
1 1/2 oz St Germain Elderflower Liqueur (this liqueur compliments gin nicely, add a splash to your gin and tonic or gin and soda)
Fill shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a large wine or water goblet with fresh ice cubes, then top with:
4 oz Prosecco (I used LaMarca)
2 oz club soda
Stir gently. Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary. (Rub the rosemary between your fingers before adding to release the oils.)
Cheers!
Hibiscus Gin Spritz Hibiscus Rosemary Concentrate. If you can find hibiscus flowers that’s great, (available on Amazon) but if not, just pick up a container of natural hibiscus tea at the grocery store. The Republic of Tea is a good brand.
- Boil 1 1/2 cups of water
- Add 1/4 cup of hibiscus flowers or several tea bags and a couple sprigs of fresh rosemary
Let steep for at least 10 minutes until the concentrate is a dark red.
Strain out the flowers and rosemary, discard. Refrigerate the concentrated tea for up to one week. (If you have any leftover concentrate, try it in the Hibiscus margarita or the Hibiscus Champagne Cocktail.)
For a non-alcoholic drink with the hibiscus concentrate try: 1 oz fresh lemon juice, 1 oz Hibiscus concentrate and 5 ounces of club soda over ice.
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Click on the three lines to the left of the word “lifestyle” at the top of this page and enter your email address to receive notifications by email when I post something new on this blog. Also, follow me on Instagram at cocktailsandgratitude for photos of cocktails, flowers, my pets and, eventually, more travel.
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New Year’s Eve Champagne Cocktails
Below are a few tips to help you prepare the best champagne cocktail.
- Chill your glass in the freezer for 5 – 10 minutes while you gather your ingredients and open your champagne. (Heat is the enemy of carbonation.)
- Since none of these drinks are served over ice, chill all ingredients in the fridge for several hours before making your cocktails.
- Freshly squeeze all citrus and strain to remove any bits of pulp. Chill.
The basic ingredients of a champagne cocktail usually includes:
- a bitter or sweet liqueur
- a flavor accent, if you used a bitter for the first step this step will mostly likely be sweet
- Champagne or Prosecco
Champagne Cocktail Liqueurs and Accents Once you understand the basic components, have fun and create your own cocktail. Below are a few options to get you started.
Classic Champagne Cocktail The Classic Champagne Cocktail
1 sugar cube
Angostura aromatic bitters
5 oz Champagne
Place the sugar cube in the bottom of a chilled champagne flute. Dash bitters onto the sugar cube until soaked. Top with champagne. This is a classic party drink because it’s quick to make and the sugar makes the champagne fizz.
Kir Royale Kir Royale
1/2 ounce black currant liqueur (Creme de Cassis)
5 oz Champagne
Luxardo cherry (do not chill or the syrup will crystalize)
Pour the chilled liqueur into the chilled champagne glass. Top with champagne. Garnish with a Luxardo cherry.
Cocchi Champagne Cocktail Cocchi Champagne Cocktail
1 oz Cocchi Americano
1/2 oz Orange simple syrup (see below)
5 oz Champagne or Prosecco
Combine in a chilled champagne flute. Garnish with an orange slice or a fresh orange peel.
Orange Simple Syrup
Simmer in a saucepan for 5 – 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup of sugar
- The peel from 1 orange and 1 lemon (try to include as little white part (pith) as possible since that will give your syrup a bitter taste)
- Juice from the orange you just zested
Strain out the peels, discard. Refrigerate the citrus simple syrup for up to one week.
Hibiscus Champagne Cocktail Hibiscus Champagne Cocktail
1 oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
1/2 oz Hibiscus rosemary concentrate (see below)
5 oz Champagne or Prosecco
Combine in chilled champagne flute. Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.
Hibiscus Rosemary Concentrate. If you can find hibiscus flowers that’s great, (available on Amazon) but if not, just pick up a container of natural hibiscus tea at the grocery store. The Republic of Tea is a good brand.
- Boil 1 1/2 cups of water
- Add 1/4 cup of hibiscus flowers or several tea bags and a couple sprigs of fresh rosemary
Let steep for at least 10 minutes until the concentrate is a dark red.
Strain out the flowers and discard. Refrigerate the concentrated tea for up to one week. (If you have any leftover concentrate, try it in the Hibiscus margarita.)
Cherry Champagne Cocktail Cherry Champagne Cocktail
Luxardo cherries (do not chill or the syrup will crystalize)
1 oz Cherry liqueur (I used Heering 200)
Fresh lemon juice
5 oz Champagne or Prosecco
Drop a Luxardo cherry in the bottom of a chilled champagne coupe or flute. Use a spoon to drizzle a tablespoon of Luxardo syrup in the glass. Top with 1 oz cherry liqueur and a few drops of fresh squeezed lemon juice, then top with Champagne or Prosecco. Garnish with a lemon wheel or lemon peel.
Sorbet Champagne Float Sorbet Champagne Float
Sorbet
Raspberries or blackberries
Champagne
Place a ball of sorbet in a chilled coupe, top with champagne and berries. Serve with a spoon. You could even serve this for dessert, just use a chilled dessert dish and increase the size of the sorbet scoop.
Aperol Spritz I can’t forget the classic, Aperol Spritz.
For the person who just wants a glass of champagne, consider adding a few pomegranate seeds and watch them dance on the bubbles.
Cheers and Happy New Year!
Comment below with your favorite bubbly cocktail. I’m always looking for new ideas.
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Italicus Spritz
This is one of my favorite cocktails at RPM Italian in Chicago. The special ingredient is the Italian liqueur Italicus. Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto is a blend of bergamot peel, Cedro lemons, chamomile, lavender, gentian, yellow roses and Melissa balm. An aromatic and lightly spicy liqueur which balances honeyed sweetness with rooty bitterness. It can be difficult to find (and it’s a little expensive) but if you want to duplicate this drink, it’s an essential ingredient.
Add to a cocktail shaker filled with ice:
1 oz fresh lime juice
2 oz Monkey 47 Gin
1 1/2 oz Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto
A small pinch of sea salt
Italicus Spritz: Prosecco, Monkey 47 gin, Italicus Shake well and strain into a large goblet with ice cubes and top with:
4 oz of LaMarca Prosecco or your favorite brand
2 oz of club soda
Stir gently.
RPM garnishes their Spritz with a lime peel but I saw several Italicus recipes that suggested garnishing with green olives. So, if you like green olives, give that a try.
Italicus Spritz Cheers!
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Hibiscus Rhubarb Spritz
I love Spritz Cocktails in the summer. The basic ingredients of a Spritz are Prosecco, club soda and one or two additional ingredients for flavor. Since rhubarb season is here, I created this Spritz using rhubarb. Try the recipe below, my Aperol Spritz recipe or just grab a bottle of Prosecco and club soda and create your own Spritz flavors with other liquors or bitters you might have on hand. I’ll be posting more Spritz cocktail recipes throughout the summer.
Hibiscus Rhubarb Concentrate
4 c Rhubarb
1/2 c dried Hibiscus flowers
3 1/2 c Water
2 T Truvia or 1/3 cup sugar
1 lime, use a potato peeler or zester to peel the skin off the lime, try to get as little pith (the white part) as possible (juice the lime and save the juice for a different cocktail)
Before simmering Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to boil. Turn the heat down to simmer. Put on the lid and simmer for 30 minutes until the rhubarb is mushy and the water is dark red.
After simmering Turn off the heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Pour / ladle into a fine mesh strainer to remove the sediment. Store the concentrate in a small covered pitcher or jar. The concentrate is good for two weeks in the fridge.
Note: I don’t really like sweet cocktails, so I tried making my concentrate without sugar and the rhubarb was way too tart. Taste the concentrate before taking it off the heat to see if you need to add more sugar.
Hibiscus Rhubarb Spritz
1 oz Aviation gin or your favorite brand
1 oz Hibiscus Rhubarb Concentrate
4 oz LaMarca Prosecco
2 oz Q club soda
Add all ingredients to a large wine goblet filled with ice. Mix well. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Hibiscus Rhubarb Spritz Non-alcoholic Hibiscus Rhubarb Lemonade
1 oz Hibiscus Rhubarb Concentrate
4 oz lemonade
2 oz club soda
Add all ingredients to a large wine goblet filled with ice. Mix well. Garnish with a lemon wheel.
Cheers!
If you have a favorite Spritz cocktail, leave your recipe in the comments below.
Click on the three lines to the left of the word “lifestyle” at the top of this page and enter your email address to receive notifications by email when I post something new on this blog. Also, follow me on Instagram at cocktailsandgratitude for photos of cocktails, flowers, my pets and, someday soon, more travel.
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Limoncello & Prosecco
This is a simple and refreshing cocktail that you can easily transport for a porch / patio happy hour. When we were invited to a friend’s house for a porch happy hour I packed my cooler with a bag of ice, a bottle of Prosecco and a mason jar of limoncello, along with my favorite “Mama’s Happy” glass, of course.
1 part limoncello (use your favorite brand, I’m fortunate enough to have a son who makes homemade limoncello)
3 parts Prosecco
Serve over ice and top with fresh berries and a lemon slice.
Now that the spring weather started cooperating, we recently started having one or two friends over for patio happy hours. Two weekends ago one friend came completely prepared and has now been awarded the “World’s Best Covid-19 Happy Hour Guest in recognition of Impressive self-reliance with style and flair.” How do you win such an award you ask? Well, you bring everything you may possibly need to prepare your own drinks… with matching glassware. He started with a beautiful crystal cut glass, ice and Blanton’s bourbon. Impressive start. He then reached into his cooler of tricks for a beer with a matching logo glass. To finish the happy hour, he pulled out a different imported beer and, you guessed it, another matching chilled glass. Impressive!
What is your Covid-19 happy hour style?
Limoncello & Prosecco Click on the three lines to the left of the word “lifestyle” at the top of this page and enter your email address to receive notifications by email when I post something new on this blog. Also, follow me on Instagram at cocktailsandgratitude for photos of cocktails, flowers, my pets and, someday soon, more travel.