The Hugo Spritz - Recipe
I remember the first time I ever savored a Hugo Spritz. It was on a warm summer afternoon while at a lavender festival in Venzone, Italy. I had run into a friend at a local bar. Saw she was drinking something which clearly involved mint and lime. Mojitos are my absolute favorite cocktail so I had to ask. She replied, "This? This is a Hugo Spritz." Thus my new love was born. I asked the bartender how I could make one at home and he shared the
Hugo Spritz Recipe.
It's simple and delicious and contains a combination of elderflower syrup or liqueur and Prosecco.In Italy the phrase "bar" most often refers to a place you can get an espresso, usually consumed quickly, standing at the bar, or quick meal and a glass of wine, it's not like the bars here in the States. Kids are often seen enjoying gelato or sandwich while their parents enjoy a spritz, as did I on this special day when I sipped my first Hugo Spritz, and then my second. It was pretty hot as I recall. Making this the perfect simple recipe for a refreshing drink you can savor all summer long.
Alas, I am no longer in Italy and though I miss it every single day, there are still ways to bring Italy home to America. One of those ways is the wonderful aperitifs... Like this lovely and very pretty Hugo Spritz.
Authentic Italian Hugo Spritz Recipe
Ingredients:
1 ozSt. Germain or other Elderflower Liqueur (or syrup).
3-4freshMint Leaves
1small slicelime (optional)
2 oz unflavored sparkling water
4-5ouncesprosecco*, chilled
ice
To prepare:
Fill a wine glass with ice. If you want to serve it as it is served in Italy only add two ice cubes, three at the most. If your guests ask you for more give them the side eye and huff, "No!".
Pour one ounce of St. Germain directly over the ice and then add a few mint leaves and a slice of lime.
Top off the glass with 4-5 ounces of chilled prosecco.
Stir briskly for a moment and enjoy pronto!
*For a non-alcoholic version, swap out the wine for ginger ale or lemon/lime soda and use Elderflower syrup.
Bloody Mary - She's So Twisted!
I really enjoy V-8 juice and sometimes I like to enhance this tomatoey beverage and turn it into a kicked up adult beverage.Instead of a celery stick I prefer to garnish my Bloody Mary with a twist lime, left over from 1/2 squeezed into my drink of course. I don’t know why I prefer it this way, perhaps it’s a Cuban thing, or perhaps it’s just that I really like lime-after all a good Mojito can make me weak in the knees. Some may same I’m crazy. Tomato/Toe-mah-toe!I’d like to introduce you to my friend, Bloody Mary, she’s so TWISTED!
Ingredients:
- 6 -8 oz tomato juice (I prefer V-8)
- 2 ounces of vodka
- juice of 1/2 lime or lemon
- 1 pinch, give or take of Crazy Mixed Up Salt
- dash of Celery Salt
- hot sauce to taste I do about 6 drops
- 6-8 drops of Worcestershire sauce
To mix: Combine all of the ingredients in a highball glass containing ice, stir well, garnish with lime.Cheers!