spritz (cocktail)

Spritz was created during the period of the Habsburg domination in Veneto in the 1800s, under the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia. The soldiers, but also the various merchants, diplomats, and employees of the Habsburg Empire in Veneto became quickly accustomed to drinking local wine in the taverns, but they were not familiar with the wide variety of wines from the Veneto, and the alcohol content was higher than they were accustomed to.{{cite web|url=https://thefoodellers.com/en/aperol-spritz-the-original-recipe-from-italy|title=Aperol Spritz recipe and origins|website=The Foodellers}} The newcomers started to ask the local hosts to spray (German: {{lang|de|spritzen}}) a drop of water into the wine to make the wines lighter; the real original spritz was composed of sparkling white wine or red wine diluted with fresh water.{{cite web|title=Racconti nel calice|language=it|url=http://cantinalacosta.com/2012/05/07/racconti-nel-calice-conoscete-la-storia-dello-spritz/|website=cantinalacosta.com|access-date=10 February 2014|archive-date=25 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225213622/http://cantinalacosta.com/2012/05/07/racconti-nel-calice-conoscete-la-storia-dello-spritz/|url-status=usurped}}

Between the 1920s and 1930s, in Venice or in Padua, spritz was combined with local bitters (typically drunk with soda and ice). Aperol was born in Padua in 1919 and Select in Venice in 1920. The original recipe has supposedly remained unchanged over time, but it was not until the 1970s that the modern spritz recipe was set, with Prosecco instead of still wine.{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahturner/2020/06/26/the-best-aperitivo-bars-in-venice-an-interview-with-rudi-carraro-brand-ambassador-of-select/?sh=a39ba00f0e52|title = The Best Aperitivo Bars in Venice: An Interview with Rudi Carraro, Brand Ambassador of Select|website = Forbes}} Over the years the drink has "grown up" with a variety of possible additions, such as a sort of liquor or a bitter as the China Martini or Cynar with a lemon peel inside.{{cite web| url = https://inews.co.uk/ibuys/food-and-drink-ibuys/best-spritz-cocktails-aperitivo-aperol-campari-recipes-318220| title = 8 best spritz cocktails to enjoy during the heatwave, from Aperol to Campari| date = 25 July 2019}}

File:Spritz01.jpg

File:Aperol Spritz at Eataly - March 2022 - Sarah Stierch.jpg in Las Vegas]]

Generally, the drink is prepared with Prosecco wine, bitter liqueur such as Aperol, Campari, Cynar or, especially in Venice, Aperitivo Select,{{cite web|url=https://drinksdigest.com/2020/12/20/have-you-tried-select-venetian-spritz/|title = Have you tried a Venetian Spritz?|date = 20 December 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.cntraveller.com/article/how-to-make-venetian-spritz|title=Learn how to make the ultimate Venetian Spritz with Select Aperitivo|newspaper=Cn Traveller |date=24 July 2020}} then the glass is topped off with a dash of sparkling mineral water (more commonly club soda). It is usually served with ice in a wine or rocks glass and garnished with a slice of orange, or sometimes an olive, depending on the liqueur.{{cite web |url=http://veneziaeventi.com/inviati/86-societa-e-costume-/3851-la-storia-dello-spritz |title=Venezia Eventi - la Storia dello Spritz |language=it|website=veneziaeventi.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304173422/http://veneziaeventi.com/inviati/86-societa-e-costume-/3851-la-storia-dello-spritz |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=http://next.liberation.fr/food/2014/08/08/la-dolce-vita-du-spritz-a-venise_1077709 |title=La dolce vita du spritz à Venise|language=fr|work=Next Libération|date=2014-08-08 |access-date=2022-08-30 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303192750/http://next.liberation.fr/food/2014/08/08/la-dolce-vita-du-spritz-a-venise_1077709 |url-status=dead }}

Original venetian spritz includes:{{cite web|url=https://www.selectaperitivo.it/en/#spritz|title = Select Aperitivo, a strong venetian character since 1920}}

• 7.5 cL Prosecco;
• 5 cL Select;
• 2.5 cL soda water;
• one green olive.

Spritz includes:{{cite web |url=http://www.gioiedivenezia.com/2012/06/23/venezia-ricetta-spritz/ |title=Venezia, la ricetta dello Spritz - Gioie di Venezia |website=www.gioiedivenezia.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326200907/http://www.gioiedivenezia.com/2012/06/23/venezia-ricetta-spritz/ |archive-date=26 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://www.venessia.com/miticulinari.htm |title=Miti culinari|language=it|type=Archived copy |website=www.venessia.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130911155402/http://www.venessia.com/miticulinari.htm |archive-date=11 September 2013 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://livingveniceblog.com/2009/09/venetian-spritz-recipe-or-once-ombra/|title = Venetian Spritz Recipe (Or, once an ombra…) | livingVENICE}}{{cite web|url=https://thefoodellers.com/en/aperol-spritz-the-original-recipe-from-italy|title = Classic Italian Aperol Spritz Recipe for Summer 2022}}

• 1/3 sparkling white wine (usually Prosecco)
• 1/3 bitters (Select, Aperol or Campari);
• 1/3 sparkling or soda water.

IBA's official recipe includes:

• 9 cL Prosecco;
• 6 cL Aperol (there are other versions of the spritz that use Campari, Cynar or Select);
• Splash of soda water.

There is no single composition for a spritz, and it is prepared with different ingredients in different towns and cities, meaning that the alcohol content is highly variable. A common denominator is the presence of sparkling white wine and water, with the remaining being made up from a great variety of alcoholic drinks, sometimes mixed, but with an unwritten rule to preserve the red/orange color of the cocktail. Finally, a slice of lemon, orange or an olive and a few ice cubes are added.{{cite web|url=http://www.spritz.it/spritz/default.asp|title=COS'E' LO SPRITZ ???|language=it|website=www.spritz.it}}

• Spritz bianco ({{literally|white spritz}}) – made by white still wine and sparkling water, as the ancient spritzer; it is mostly used in Friuli-Venezia Giulia.{{cite web|url=http://www.goodmorningtrieste.it/unita-5-aperitivo-spritz-e-rebechin/|title=Aperitivo a Trieste|language=it|date=20 May 2014}}
• Istrian Aperol spritz – uses teranino (a liqueur made from Teran wine from Istria, Croatia{{cite web|url=https://delikro.at/en/webshop-detail/teranino|title=Teranino|website=delikro.at|language=en|access-date=2020-04-21}}) instead of Prosecco.
• Italicus spritz – uses Italicus, a Bergamot orange-based liqueur.{{cite web | url=https://www.saveur.com/italicus-spritz-recipe/ | title=Italicus Spritz | date=14 June 2019 }}

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• {{cite news |last1=Sawa |first1=Dale Berning |title=‘It’s the meaning of happiness’: How the Aperol spritz took over the summer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/food/article/2024/aug/30/its-the-meaning-of-happiness-how-the-aperol-spritz-took-over-the-summer |access-date=13 November 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=30 August 2024}}

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Category:Cuisine of Veneto

Category:Cocktails with Prosecco

Category:Cocktails with bitters

Category:Italian alcoholic drinks

Category:Cocktails with Aperol

Category:Three-ingredient cocktails