Sgroppino…I had almost forgotten about that Venetian potion, a cross between a digestivo and dessert until a few weeks ago when we spent an afternoon with the Cheschin family of Il Colle Prosecco.
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Aperol Spritz – Lo Spritz
The Aperol Spritz or Lo Spritz as it is called in Italy, is an essential part of the pre-dinner ritual while sitting in the piazza as the sun sets after a long summer’s day. The streets become lively as locals arrive to “prendiamo un aperitif” or have an aperitif and socialize. The florsecent orange colored Aperol Spritz gently eases one into the evening, as the alcohol content is lower than your standard cocktail. I silently chuckle each time a cherished Italian friend firmly refuses a cocktail deferring to Lo Spritz instead; his way of thinking renders a Spritz as virtually nonalcoholic, thereby perfectly respectable. Relaxing in the shade with an Aperol Spritz, a few little snacks and some friends typifies what many have come consider emblematic of La Dolce Vita, the sweet life.
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Vinitaly
Late March I dragged Mio Marito (well, for those of you who know him dragged may be a bit of an exaggeration) to Vinitaly. Vinitaly is the world’s largest wine and spirits exhibition held annually in Verona Italy at the Veronafiere convention center. Italian producers from all twenty regions of Italia participate in the event to feature their wines to importers, wine professionals, restaurateurs, wine enthusiasts, and journalists. The different regions are showcased throughout the halls at Veronafiere; many elaborately designed to entice attendees while featuring the brand varietals. Along with the more renowned cellars, one is able to experience the many smaller family wineries often producing a limited quantity of high quality wines….
Liquore al Limone – Lemon Liquor
Lemon Liquor
There is a centuries old Italian tradition passed down through the generations of producing flavored liquors fatto a casa, or made at home. Family artisans relied on the local spices, herbs, fruits, flowers, nuts, seeds, and barks of the countryside as the flavoring essence for their liquor. One friend living in Florence prides himself on his annual Nocino liquor production made with unripened green walnuts, always being certain to share a bottle with us to take to back to the states to be opened at Christmas time. Further south along the coastal Campagna region, the picturesque destination of writers, celebrities, and later film stars since the 19th century, one finds both family and commercial production of the iconic lemon liquor know as Lemoncello….
