The Spritz
three, two, one
Remember the Venetian formula: three parts prosecco, two parts bitter liqueur, one part sparkling water.
Fill a large wine glass or spritz glass to the rim with ice cubes.
Pour in the prosecco first, then the bitter liqueur - the other way around and it will fizz over, costing you bubbles.
Top up with sparkling water and garnish with half an orange slice. In Venice, it is served with an olive.
Why Italian cocktails are bitter
In Italy, aperitivo is not a drink but a time of day: between six and eight, with something bitter in the glass and something salty alongside it. The bitter liqueurs used for this - Campari, Aperol, Cynar, Select - date back to the nineteenth century, when herbal bitters were still sold as medicine. Bitterness stimulates saliva production and therefore the appetite; it is literally preparation for the meal. That also explains why Italian classics have so few ingredients: the Negroni is three equal parts, the Americano is two plus bubbles. Nothing is hidden; everything has to be right.
The right glass
A spritz belongs in a large wine glass or spritz glass holding 50 to 65 cl - that may seem excessive but it is functional: you need room for plenty of ice, and the wide glass allows the bitter orange aromas to emerge. Any smaller and your cocktail will be lukewarm within ten minutes. Stirred classics such as the Negroni and Boulevardier, on the other hand, go in a low tumbler with one large ice cube. For both, clear glass is essential, because that red-orange color is the hallmark of the Italian bar.
Pasabahce Elysia Gin and Tonic Glass 50 cl (4 pieces)
RCR Melodia Gin and Tonic Glass 65 cl (6 pieces)
Together € 78,90.
The right tools
For an Italian cocktail, in addition to the glass, use a bar spoon for stirring, a jigger for precise measuring, and large ice cubes. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you'll find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 3 bar tools - together € 72,80.
Eight Italian classics
Frequently asked questions
Which glass do you use for a spritz?
A large wine glass or spritz glass of 50 to 65 cl. View our Aperol Spritz glasses.
What is the difference between Aperol and Campari?
Campari is more bitter, deeper red, and contains about twice as much alcohol. Aperol is sweeter and lighter - that's why the Aperol Spritz is the approachable version and the Campari Spritz the more grown-up variant.
What is the correct order for a spritz?
First ice, then prosecco, then the bitter liqueur, then sparkling water. If you pour in the bitter liqueur first, the prosecco fizzes over the rim and you immediately lose half your bubbles.
Should it be an olive or an orange?
Both, depending on where you are. In Venice, you get an olive; in the rest of Italy and elsewhere, half an orange slice. The olive is the original.
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