Back to Italy: HOW to MAKE an APEROL SPRITZ

The APEROL SPRITZ

Italy's Hottest Cocktail

aka

APERTIVO

The Aperol Spritz is Super Hot! No, not hot, as in temperature wise, but

hot as in popular. It's the drink of the moment. A drink I've known of since my

first exploratory trip to Venice, to do research on Venetian Wine Bars (Bacaro) of

which I was planning on and did open in New York's Greenwich Village.

It was at a Bacaro (Venetian Wine Bar) in Venice that I had my first Spritz.

Venice is where these refreshing Italian drinks were invented and it was

in Venice that I had my first some 20 years ago, a good 15 years before most

Americans ever heard of them. Same thing with me and the Negroni, which

I discovered and have been drinking since 1985, my first of many wonderful

trips to my ancestral Motherland, Italy.

Anyway, fast forward to 2105. I just came back from Capri & The Amalfi Coast

in Italy. I had a wonderful time; swimming in the waters surround Capri everyday

before going back to my hotel to take a shower and little nap before going out for the evening.

Going out at night? I'd go out to a wonderful meal each night, but before going

to my favorite restaurant I'd stop off at Bar Tiberius or Caffe da Alberto at the

Piazza Umberto for a little apertivo before dinner. Such fun sitting at a outdoor table

at Bar Tiberius as I did way back in 1988 and having a nice refreshing drink in the lively

Piazza Umberto before moving on to dinner. Back in 88 I had a daily ritual of getting up, having a lovely Italian breakfast of Cappuccino, Cornetto, fresh Blood Orange Juice, and Yoghurt before heading for one of Capri's gorgeous beaches and a day of swimming and relaxing on the lovely Mediterranean Sea. What's better than that?

PIAZZA UMBERTO

CAPRI

By NIGHT

I'd swim for a couple hours in the morning, then go to a nearby restaurant or caffe for a little lunch, then back to the beach to late afternoon, before hopping on the little local bus up to the Piazza Umberto, Capri's most popular piazza of all.

I'd then meet up with some friends for a drink or two before heading back to my hotel

(La Toasca) for a little nap, and then back to Bar Tiberius for another operative before dinner, and after dinner it was on to the bar at the Palma Hotel for drinks and good times with friends.

Oh what a life?

That's the story of; Me, Capri, and My Campari, Granita, or a nice refreshing

Aperol Spritz ... Basta!

HOW to MAKE ONE

INGREDIENTS :

3 ounces PROSECCO

2 ounces APEROL

1 ounce CLUB SODA

1 Slice of ORNAGE

ICE

1. Fill a nice clear GLASS 3/4 full with ICE

2. Add a slice of ORNGE