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After Two Attempts, I Don’t Understand Aperol Spritz
This Italian Cocktail is not for me, but maybe you’ll like it
When I visited Venice, several people had been talking about the local cocktail, the Aperol Spritz. It has been described as a refreshing summer cocktail that one must try when they are in Italy. However, I had also heard from others that they were not very good.
When it comes to food and drink, I tend to be in the don’t dog it ’til you try it. There are certain foods I won’t eat, but I know it is because I don’t like them, not due to another person’s preference. Which I think is an excellent way of life in general.
So, what is an Aperol Spritz? Aperol is an Italian bitter aperitif with infusions of orange, gentian, chinchona, and other herbs and spices. The alcohol itself has quite a bitter taste, and I would not recommend drinking it on its own. Prosecco(a sweet white wine) and soda water are added to the Aperol. It is then garnished with an orange wedge.
Spritzes date back to the Habsburg rule of Veneto in the 1800s. The Austrians found that the local wines were much stronger than they were used to, so they would add water to lighten the drink. In the 1920s, Venetians began adding local bitters to the wine/water, and the familiar cocktails were born. Around the 1970s…
