Welcome To Wonkette Happy Hour, With This Week's Cocktail, The Summer Spritz!

It's finally summer. Time to enjoy the season.

Greetings, Wonketeers! I’m Hooper, your bartender. Summer is officially here. After last week’s fiddly rework of the Tequila Sunrise, we’re due for something light, refreshing, and simple. Here’s my low-proof take on the Aperol Spritz. Let’s enjoy the fruits of the season and make a Summer Spritz. Here’s the recipe:

Summer Spritz

1 oz Western Reserve Organic Vodka

1-2 sliced strawberries (or your favorite fruit)

1-2 fresh basil leaves

1-2 fresh mint leaves

1 ½ oz soda water

Chilled Prosecco

Muddle vodka, fruit, and herbs in a tumbler. Shake well and double strain into a Chardonnay glass. Add soda water, then Prosecco to fill the glass. Garnish with more fruit and herbs.

Low ABV cocktails like this are common in continental Europe, where drinking to excess is not the norm. In America, many drinks seem to be alcohol delivery systems rather than enjoyable beverages. I was recently treated to an ad from a local bar that sold “spiked ice” for their cocktails. A way to up the proof of their vodka and Red Bull, no doubt. Around the Mediterranean, you’re more likely to find drinks like this one, where a little alcohol goes a long way.

My primary inspiration for this drink is a recipe from an old Martha Stewart magazine. My wife saves her old MS magazines like dragon treasure, since Martha and company essentially taught her how to negotiate the kitchen. Not every cocktail Martha offers is great, but this one is worth the effort. The drink didn’t even merit a proper name due to its simplicity. It’s just called a “carafe,” something light and refreshing offered up in a Tuscan restaurant to food editor Lucinda Scala Quinn.

This recipe is built in the same manner as the classic Aperol Spritz, but with vodka-muddled herbs and fruits instead of Aperol. I do like Aperol, make no mistake; the classic bittersweet orange liqueur is a standby at the bar. But I have a hard time recommending a $25 bottle for your home bar when it’s only going to be used for one drink. If you love this cocktail and want to drink it year-round, Aperol would be your go-to. Used properly, it can make a cocktail poured in January taste like a breath of summer air. But when summer’s in full swing right outside the patio door, it’s better to use the real thing. If there’s one thing Martha taught me and my wife about cooking, it’s that fresh ingredients are best. The same rule applies to the home bar.

Let’s talk ingredients:

Ingredient shot. That vodka is just as cold as it looks. Matthew Hooper 

Western Reserve Organic Vodka: I love this locally produced vodka for summer drinks. You can tell that this is an organic product just from the taste; there’s a very subtle honey note that must come from the organic sugars they’re feeding the yeast. I’m also a big fan of supporting local distillers. If there’s anyone near you who’s selling locally made booze, odds are high they’re making vodka. It’s the first step any distiller makes before moving on to more complicated things. If you can’t find Western Reserve near you, please look around for a local source and buy something from the little guys. The corporations pumping out vodka by the tanker truck load don’t need your money. Unaged rum or gin would also work great here in a pinch.

Fruits and herbs: Strawberries look great right now and we have colossal mint and basil plants on the back porch, so I’m using those fruits and herbs. Use your favorites, in whatever quantities you desire. Peaches, raspberries, and blueberries would taste great in this glass. Dill and cucumber would be amazing here, especially with something like borscht. Swap the vodka for blanco tequila and use cilantro instead of mint to accompany backyard tacos. Be creative; there are no rules to break here. Add half an ounce of simple syrup if you like a sweet after dinner drink, but I like a dry cocktail.

Let me take a moment to review proper cocktail muddling; I’ve glossed over the technique in my last few recipes. You can spend $5 for a muddler at your liquor store, but it’s not strictly necessary; a wooden spoon works just fine. The object of muddling is to break up solid ingredients like fruits and herbs just enough for them to release their flavors. To muddle, press on the ingredients and twist to combine and crush. Continue until you can smell the fruit or herbs. A gentle touch is recommended; you’re not making a paste.

I double strain all my muddled drinks, to keep bits of leaves and fruit pulp out of the glass. The first strain comes from my regulation Hawthorne strainer, the tool I use to keep shaker ice in the tumbler. I pour the drink from my shaker through a small chinoise, or conical strainer, into the glass. If you know what to look for , it’s a cheap tool to acquire, and it makes the finished drink look professional.

Soda water: The seltzer’s here to provide extra fizzy power to the sparkling wine. You can omit it if needed, but it doubles the head on your cocktail and makes the spritz “spritzy.” The cocktail looks prettier because of it.

Prosecco: I prefer to use champagne splits — little bottles — for cocktail making. It keeps me from wasting an entire bottle for one drink. Brut is a bit too dry for my favorite drinks; Prosecco is my go-to, and it’s easy to find in the small bottles. Cheap bubbly is fine for a cocktail.

In summary and conclusion, drink well, drink often, and tip your bartender — donate to Wonkette at the link below! Seriously, my boss is awesome, if you like reading my recipes please chip in! And if you'd like to buy some bar gear or books from Amazon, please click here! 

OPEN THREAD!