By popular demand
Good people! Here it is, by popular demand: my new friend Aperol. Your new friend Aperol. Our soon-to-be old friend Aperol, a most cooperative portrait subject.
I first tasted Aperol last November, when Brandon and I spent the weekend after Thanksgiving at a friend’s apartment in Brooklyn. We were wandering around that Saturday, I think, content to have no plans and no restaurant to run, and late in the afternoon, we wound up at Marlow & Sons for some oysters and a plate of soppressata. There was something called an Aperol Spritzer on the cocktail menu, and though I knew that Aperol is bitter and I had yet to meet a bitter drink I liked, I went temporarily insane and ordered it. It came in a Collins glass with a straw, just Aperol and Muscadet and some soda, and I thought, oh well, how bad could it be. It was cold and fizzy, and there was bitterness there, but it was a measured bitterness, very fragrant and pleasantly sweet. I was surprised by how much I liked it. The flavor of the Aperol reminded me of what it’s like to eat an orange peel, the way the bitter flavor doesn’t feel like an off-note or an accident, the way it’s inseparable from the flavor of the thing itself. I wished there were more of it, and I was sorry when it was over.
So I came home and started ordering every drink I saw that contained the word Aperol. I also started feeling like I need a vacation in Palm Springs, because this is how dark it was in my kitchen at noon today. NOON.
Don’t worry: I made that drink only to photograph it. I wouldn’t drink a cocktail at noon. Or maybe I would. Maybe I did! Ooh la.
I have to say this before we go on: I am not a spirits writer. If you want to delve into the topic of booze, the person to see is Mr. Jason Wilson, spirits columnist for the Washington Post. But in the past couple of months, I’ve read up a little on Aperol, and I’ve learned that what I drank in Brooklyn was essentially a classic Aperol Spritz. Like Campari and Cynar, Aperol belongs to the family of Italian bitters, or amari, commonly consumed before a meal and said to stimulate the appetite. Nearly every region of Italy has its own bitter spirit, and Aperol comes from Padua, in the Veneto. It’s a vivid shade of reddish orange and very low in alcohol - 11 percent, less than most wines - and it gets its flavor from some thirty herbs and spices and fruits, the most prominent among them being orange, rhubarb, and gentian root, whatever that is. It smells a little, just a little, like medicine - though less so than Campari, if you’re familiar with that. It’s also less bitter than Campari, sweeter and more floral, and if you have it on hand, you’re never far from a good drink.
That drink up there, in the second photograph, is the one I mentioned in my post last week, made from Aperol, white wine, and grapefruit juice. It’s a pretty color, isn’t it? I think the proper word for that color is salmon, and there was a time, a time happily long ago, when my mother had a lipstick just like it. The name of this drink is the Pamplemousse (French for grapefruit), and I had it at the Walrus and the Carpenter, one of my favorite restaurants in town. (I should note that one of its owners, Renee Erickson, is a friend and mentor of ours, but I would love the place even if I didn’t know her from a fence post.) I did a little investigative work and got the recipe, and with permission, I pass it along to you. It’s very light and immensely refreshing, and the Aperol works quietly, underlining the bitterness of the grapefruit at the same time that it sweetens it. It’s going to make your February go a lot faster.
Pamplemousse
Adapted from the Walrus and the Carpenter
At home, I serve this drink in a Champagne coupe, but at the Walrus and the Carpenter, they put it in a martini glass. Frankly, I like it so much that I could probably be convinced to drink it out of a rusty bucket, so serve it in whatever you like.
Also, consider the amount of Aperol below a starting point. I like to use a little more. And if you have sparkling wine on hand, try substituting it for the white wine - a great variation.
½ oz. Aperol
2 oz. freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, pulp strained out and discarded
2 oz. dry white wine
Fill a tall glass about halfway with ice cubes. Add the Aperol, juice, and wine, and stir to blend. Strain into glass.
Yield: 1 drink
I first tasted Aperol last November, when Brandon and I spent the weekend after Thanksgiving at a friend’s apartment in Brooklyn. We were wandering around that Saturday, I think, content to have no plans and no restaurant to run, and late in the afternoon, we wound up at Marlow & Sons for some oysters and a plate of soppressata. There was something called an Aperol Spritzer on the cocktail menu, and though I knew that Aperol is bitter and I had yet to meet a bitter drink I liked, I went temporarily insane and ordered it. It came in a Collins glass with a straw, just Aperol and Muscadet and some soda, and I thought, oh well, how bad could it be. It was cold and fizzy, and there was bitterness there, but it was a measured bitterness, very fragrant and pleasantly sweet. I was surprised by how much I liked it. The flavor of the Aperol reminded me of what it’s like to eat an orange peel, the way the bitter flavor doesn’t feel like an off-note or an accident, the way it’s inseparable from the flavor of the thing itself. I wished there were more of it, and I was sorry when it was over.
So I came home and started ordering every drink I saw that contained the word Aperol. I also started feeling like I need a vacation in Palm Springs, because this is how dark it was in my kitchen at noon today. NOON.
Don’t worry: I made that drink only to photograph it. I wouldn’t drink a cocktail at noon. Or maybe I would. Maybe I did! Ooh la.
I have to say this before we go on: I am not a spirits writer. If you want to delve into the topic of booze, the person to see is Mr. Jason Wilson, spirits columnist for the Washington Post. But in the past couple of months, I’ve read up a little on Aperol, and I’ve learned that what I drank in Brooklyn was essentially a classic Aperol Spritz. Like Campari and Cynar, Aperol belongs to the family of Italian bitters, or amari, commonly consumed before a meal and said to stimulate the appetite. Nearly every region of Italy has its own bitter spirit, and Aperol comes from Padua, in the Veneto. It’s a vivid shade of reddish orange and very low in alcohol - 11 percent, less than most wines - and it gets its flavor from some thirty herbs and spices and fruits, the most prominent among them being orange, rhubarb, and gentian root, whatever that is. It smells a little, just a little, like medicine - though less so than Campari, if you’re familiar with that. It’s also less bitter than Campari, sweeter and more floral, and if you have it on hand, you’re never far from a good drink.
That drink up there, in the second photograph, is the one I mentioned in my post last week, made from Aperol, white wine, and grapefruit juice. It’s a pretty color, isn’t it? I think the proper word for that color is salmon, and there was a time, a time happily long ago, when my mother had a lipstick just like it. The name of this drink is the Pamplemousse (French for grapefruit), and I had it at the Walrus and the Carpenter, one of my favorite restaurants in town. (I should note that one of its owners, Renee Erickson, is a friend and mentor of ours, but I would love the place even if I didn’t know her from a fence post.) I did a little investigative work and got the recipe, and with permission, I pass it along to you. It’s very light and immensely refreshing, and the Aperol works quietly, underlining the bitterness of the grapefruit at the same time that it sweetens it. It’s going to make your February go a lot faster.
Pamplemousse
Adapted from the Walrus and the Carpenter
At home, I serve this drink in a Champagne coupe, but at the Walrus and the Carpenter, they put it in a martini glass. Frankly, I like it so much that I could probably be convinced to drink it out of a rusty bucket, so serve it in whatever you like.
Also, consider the amount of Aperol below a starting point. I like to use a little more. And if you have sparkling wine on hand, try substituting it for the white wine - a great variation.
½ oz. Aperol
2 oz. freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, pulp strained out and discarded
2 oz. dry white wine
Fill a tall glass about halfway with ice cubes. Add the Aperol, juice, and wine, and stir to blend. Strain into glass.
Yield: 1 drink
posted by Molly at 11:30 PM
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103 Comments:
Oh, I so love Aperol. In Germany and Austria it seems to be largely a warm-weather drink (and it's true that when the sun is out, an Aperol Spritz with a bit of ice is immensely refreshing) but I think it's an excellent idea to drink it during the cold months. That bright orange certainly lightens up the grayness of February.
While reading this I finished a bowl of your salted caramel ice cream and as a result would consume anything you recommend (although I've long been convinced that you know what you're talking about). Aperol it is then.
I love Aperol but can seldom find it here in England, with the exception of Jamie Olivers restaurant, where they make a grand "Spritz".
I discovered it on hot and sunny afternoons in SudTirol, watching as elegant ladies sipped this bright orange drink in the late afternoon and asked the waiter, Harry-met-Sally style "I'll have what she's having". Meeting with Swiss-Italian friends later, they commented on what an old drink it is to them - that for them, it was their first introduction to grownup drinks as teenagers, because it's low alcohol and easily diluted further. Exactly what makes it the perfect aperitif, for me.
I agree with everything you write about it - delicious!!
Thanks for a post to brighten and speed up the month of February. Will definitely be giving this a try!
Sounds lovely! And I like the colour of it too. :)
I know and love Aperol as well. I LOVE the idea of the "Pamplemousse" and feel it is an appropriate drink for the noon hour ;-) Your description of it having a "measured bitterness" is spot on.
That drink looks like it's levitating. If it can do that on a dreary winter day, maybe I need to try it myself!
Oh!!!... that drink seems wonderfull!!!... your post great as always!...kisses from argentina
Muscadet and aperol? I can't think of a better drink to pair with oysters. As a campari (and grapefruit) fan, I relish the bitterness in this post!
My fear of Campari has made me reluctant to try Aperol, but you've convinced me! The combination with grapefruit and white wine sounds sunny and refreshing, and exactly what I like from a cocktail this time of year. Thanks!
What an intriguing drink. I love anything with grapefruit in it, especially this time of year. And that is a lovely color. I once tried to paint my bedroom this color. Looks much better as a cocktail.
I've never yet made Aperol's acquaintance. Obviously, an oversight.
How great of you to get us this recipe.
I have always paired Campari with grapefruit. I will try this exactly the way you wrote it, and then I will get a couple of blood oranges and try it that way too!
Around the corner - I don't even have to cross a street - there is a wonderful liquor store, Bottle & Soul (where I was eying the Aperol after your last post). The owner, Adam, is really great, and his wine selection and advice, outstanding. Because of him, I now ALWAYS have a bottle of Sancerre, a bottle of Chablis, and a bottle of Muscadet in the refrigerator. So I have my choice of wines to use when I make this drink.
Since Sharon, my friend who only drinks sparkling wine, is coming over Friday, I need something fizzy to pair with the Aperol. You mentioned Champagne - yum. What do you think about Prosecco?
Love love LOVE Aperol and aaaaall the amari; they've become my favorite class of liqueur at this point, rivaled only with Benedictine (same principle really). Mmmm.
Where did you find your champagne coupes? I have been trying to find just the right glasses for what seems like forever, and yours are great!
The Aperol spritzer is a life saver of a drink. I first thought it was slightly girlish- the effervescence of the bubbles, the salmon hue- that's until I saw truck drivers drinking them in Venice- and I tried to keep up (in vain). Since then I've found some days are poisonous enough that only a medicinal twang will do. Hoping the book proposal is going well. Can't wait to read the next one.
Being a fan of "prosecco sporco", or "dirty prosecco", a drink I learned to love thanks to Nigella Lawson's recent Kitchen cookbook, I'll have to try this. A splash of Campari topped off with chilled prosecco, or "prozaco" as Nigella calls it, and I'm instantly relaxed. Something about the sweetly bitter edge of Campari tempered by the fizzy bite of the prosecco is appealing to me. I'm not usually a fan of bitter flavors but this one definitely works for me.
In Venice we drink an aperitif made with aperol, prosecco, and seltzer water called spriz, and we drink it at noon! Delicious! I love the bitterness of Aperol, I will have to try this drink with grapefruit. Thanks!
There's tonnes of great recipes with Aperol http://www.aperolusa.com/aperol-recipes. My favourite still is straight with a splash of grapefruit juice.
If it will make February go faster, I will indeed do this. I will even brave the arctic hair to go outside and make a few purchases. A salmon colored drink does invite - especially when all is clouds and snow.
I'm so excited to see Aperol get props! I love Aperol and Campari (and the non-alcoholic San Bitters soda).
I know it is basic, but have you tried it just with club soda, a piece of ice and an orange slice. Trust me, it's heavenly!
Gentian root is in Moxie! I'm seriously intrigued. Not much of a cocktail maker at home but I might have to try this!
A drink as delicious as this deserves very much to be had at 12 in the afternoon!
this might be just the thing for my february blahs. absolutely love that second photo!
I just moved back to Canada from Italy. In Parma, our regular drink for aperitivo on a Friday was an aperol spritz (they drop the -er there). Really, the only thing better than an aperol spritz is one served with free snacks! We often mused whether or not aperitivo culture would be successful in North America.....here's hoping.
Thanks for the recipe!
The Walrus and the Carpenter is a great place; I love the lentil and smoked trout salad I had there some months ago, and have since made my own adaptation of it. Their cocktails all look so lovely, too, and have great names.
Thanks for the introduction to Aperol. I love bitters and amari--Cynar is a favorite--so this cocktail sounds wonderful.
Yes! One day we went to the liquor store for something and somehow came home with this, too. I am unsure why, but it has become a delicious addition to our at home bar. I cannot wait to try that recipe!
I am so pleased with your post. I recently discovered Aperol here in Europe and brought 2 bottles for my family back home in Vancouver for Christmas. It was a HUGE success! I like my Aperol the traditional way with lots of ice, proscecco, a splash of sparkling water and a splash of Orange (either fresh squeezed juice or a serious wedge). But, i had an aperol "royal" in Amsterdam that was this PLUS a splash of Grand Marnier and this was divine... Did you see the NY times recipe with lemon and icing sugar? Something I am looking forward to trying... :) but I must admit that for me this is a bit more of a summer drink. I am glad the weather is warming up! Thanks for the great post!
If no one's mentioned it yet, which I highly doubt, Gentian is a plant with bright blue flowers that grows in colder regions. Some species, I know, grow in the Adirondack mountains of New York state. There's bottle gentian and fringed gentian and pale gentian. They're beautiful. Gentian extract is also an ingredient in Moxie soda.
Oh man. Your post comes on the heels of a trip to Montreal to visit friends from Italy. Experience now tells me that Aperol cannot be acquired in a) the State of North Carolina, b) at Duty-Free at O'Hare, or c) the Province of Quebec. Oh, spritz, I long for thee.
Oh, thank you! I have a bottle of Aperol in the pantry from some long-forgotten cocktail recipe and now I know what to do with it!
Oh, delicious! I love aperol with white wine, or with champagne, or even with kombucha!
i love aperol, especially mixed with some champagne of course. and definitely accompanied by the most fun friends you can find.
i am happy to have a new friend…one with great character & color!
thank you for this lovely post & timely for me…as i am having a small gathering in several weeks…what a great way to start the evening off!
Oh, yes yes yes. Have not tried Aperol yet, but as you and I seem to have very similar taste in drinks (hello, Pimms Cup), I feel quite certain I will enjoy it immensely. I was out in Seattle 2 weeks ago for job interviews and had dinner at the Walrus and the Carpenter (schedule did not work for Delancey-booo), and think it will fast become one of my favorites. Totally gorged myself-included in the meal were the fried brussels and a kale gratin (and oysters! lots!). I actually mentioned to the lovely bartender (a tall, willowy woman with curly-ish hair) that I came because of reading about the place on your blog, and she had nothing but wonderful things to say about you. So glad I am moving to Seattle this weekend so I can go back soon (well, uh, starting to move. We'll see how long the drive takes!). Anyway, that was long and ramblely.Cheers!
Sounds interesting. Bet it would be nice with ice cream or as a gelato flavor.
I am in love with all things grapefruit and perhaps more in love with the word *pamplemousse* since my first year of French. I was tickled pink--err, salmon?--to see it in your post. Can't wait to try this. Is this something that can be readily found in a liqour store?
My boyfriend and I discovered the Spritz when we were in Italy for my best friend's wedding. Whenever we need an instant vacation we just break out the aperol!
my most recent cocktail love was the pimm's cup. now the aperol spritz... you really should consider more cocktail posts.
I LOVE grapefruit cocktails. I've never had Aperol but it looks like it would be perfect as a pre-dinner cocktail... so making this asap.
oh, i love an aperetivo - campari, for example. and this sounds lovely. can't wait to try it.
DAMN it! Just when I was getting on track, a lovely cocktail to take the sting of a workout.
I think I'll need to do as Tori did, and try to keep up with Venician truck drivers. And thanks, Molly, for saying it is okay to add just a *touch* more Aperol.
A February pick me up and then tulips up here in March...still have to make it to Walrus & Carpenter. Looks so damn cute!
NOOOO now I must have Aperol - and it seems like it's nowhere to be found where I live. Sigh.
I have never tried Aperol but I think a have to change that. It sound dealicious. Beautiful pics!
Sad : ( No Aperol in B.C. liquor stores alas. Maybe I'll try Campari?
for sure I need to try this drink as soon as it`s possible! Thanks for sharing :)
have a great time,
Paula
Ok, this post put me over the limit, as I've been seeing mentions of Aperol *everywhere*, and as I adore grapefruit etc had to try. Just got home from the liquor store, and have just mixed my first of these - OH MY. I am in love. This could be a dangerous obsession...but probably better than the grapefruit martini. ;)
Chin Chin, Having lived in the Veneto for a long time, I just made a couple of Spritz-Aperols the classic way. Ma lungooooo! Its definitely an all year round, sat outside of the bar drink. Just wished I was back in Verona for the third! Somehow I've stumbled across your blog in an aperol haze looking for eighties music, strange but true- Barbieri rocks, Saluti.
I love aperol, and love campari, too. I've started mixing it with a little soda water for an evening cocktail. This was one of my favorite posts of yours! Always love reading.
Lindsay
I love the way your description of this drink made my mouth water. I love the word "pamplemousse." And most of all, I love the way your glowing drink has quietly defied gravity in the second photo. Very nicely done!
like your recipe variation, i always thought pampelmousse was made with Champagne.
Hi, all!
Victoria, any (dry-ish) sparkling wine should be great here. Hope you and your friend enjoy!
Dana, re: the Champagne coupes, Brandon found them at Goodwill. Pretty much everything we own is thrifted!
DC Sarah, I hope the drive is quick and painless. Welcome to Seattle... or soon, anyway!
giuggiulen, it should be fairly easy to find in liquor stores. I had no trouble finding mine, and the stores around here aren't even that great.
Michaela, I was looking around online, and it seems that there are a number of drinks that go by the name "Pamplemousse." This one is just the Walrus's version.
Yes! I am with you on this. Spritzes are my favorite. I had a life-changing spritz at Diner last summer. :)
Finally! I have always wondered what Aperol was but was put off by the lurid colour, thinking it would be very sweet! I will have to try that asap! Good luck with the book proposal. Hope that it is as beautiful a place as the picture that you posted ;)
Luisa xxx
I loved your pictures, are sublime....
Greetings from Chile
that sounds wonderful! i'm always looking for new cocktails to try - thanks for the recommendation!
my new fave is st. germain (elderflower liqueur). it has a light floral, pear sort of flavor...and it's divine!
loving your blog! i'm your newest follower : )
til next time,
cailen
www.cailenascher.blogspot.com
aperol, i have never tried, but i'll try anything that will make my february go faster. thanks for the tutorial. i really love oysters at marlow & sons oysters btw. such good fun.
This sounds wonderful, very refreshing. Anything with grapefruit is good with me! You remind me, I've been on the hunt for a particular amari for a while. I was served a wonderful dark green aperitif in Venice outdoors @ cafe @ night on my 35th birthday and I have been on a search to figure out what it was ever since! Anyone have any ideas?
Great post.
So Italians know their bitter drinks well then! I will venture into the little ABC store here to see what they have!
I tried Limoncello in Rome this past summer...it hit me really hard and I seriously thought my facial features changed in a second! I got used to it by the end of the last drop. Do you know if it is a mixed drink or pure liquor?
Oh! How exciting that you just introduced everyone to Aperol! We had them when we were in Venice this past September and we are now in love. And so are all our friends that we introduce the Venetian Spritz to. The classic way they serve it in Venice is 1/3 Aperol, 1/3 Prosecco, 1/3 soda water and a wedge of orange and a green olive (which is essential, in my books). We use the castelvetrano olives because they're not so briny.
Thanks for the great post!
Hi there...I have never heard about Aperol, but your post made me remember my own tiny episode.
When I was young one day I had an occation to be with my boss lady after work. At the bar she ordered white wine and asked the bartender to drop a bit of "Picon" in it. It was a bitter liquor made from orange, and it added some richness to the wine, also gave me an impression of elegant growing-ups world... I tasted this Piconed white wine, and I liked it very much.
Now, I will try to find Aperol in Tokyo, here. Thank you.
I so agree, Aperol does seem to be a most cooperative portrait subject. Lovely portraits.
Spent a lot of time in Italy and Spain and both countries have a summer drink with Aperol. Never tried it as a winter drink but will have to try it now.
Also just made the "Far from disaster" Cake but I put cream cheese frosting on it. That cake is amazingly good. Thanks,
I find it very hard to believe that there is a type of alcoholic beverage that I have not imbibed at some point, but I do believe I've never had Aperol...
sigh..off to the liquor store!
HI Molly, well! What is it about aperol? The Venetians kept it as their little secrete for ages and then it became impossible to hide. Everyone who has tried it for the first time seems really amazed!
I'm with Janice above- orange peel and a green olive with white wine and san pellegrino or prosecco. It needs nothing more!
Molly, as usual your writing is fresh, and bright and creative (not, dare I say it, unlike an Aperol cocktail?) Tavolàta has a nice Aperol cocktail, too. But mainly I wanted to thank you for introducing me to Jason Wilson. I have been tucking into his work on a daily basis now, and have yet to ever feel full.
Oh! How exciting that you just introduced everyone to Aperol! We had them when we were in Venice this past September and we are now in love. And so are all our friends that we introduce the Venetian Spritz to. The classic way they serve it in Venice is 1/3 Aperol, 1/3 Prosecco, 1/3 soda water and a wedge of orange and a green olive (which is essential, in my books). We use the castelvetrano olives because they're not so briny.
Thanks for the great post!
I love your blog! Marlow and Sons is a destination I have yet to get to since moving to Brooklyn, but I absolutely love THE DINER (it is owned by the same people).
I am a rather new bloggist ....it is an adventure trying to find my voice. Feel free to check it out if you get a moment
cheers,
Mollie
Aperol is my favorite of all the aperitifs, I like St. Germain too. And yes, please do come down to Palm Springs - so we can meet up! :)
Love Aperol! It's great with gin and grapefruit juice, too.
I can't wait to try this. I became quite hooked on Campari last year but gave it up due to the scary red dye. Does anyone know if there's artificial dye in Aperol? Thanks.
Thanks for the little history about Aperol. I love all the Italian bitters - I wish we could get more here in the States.
Hello Molly!
I have been reading your blog for a while now, and just want to let you know what an inspiration you have been for me.
I just graduated with an English degree and knew only, as you did, that I wanted to pursue writing and food. While I figure out how to actually do that, I mindlessly work to pay the bills, and just started my very own blog! It feels great to have a creative outlet and practice my crafts.
I would love it if you would check it out, as I feel you could be such an amazing mentor. Your photographs are beautiful and your writing is enthralling, witty, and enlightening.
Thank you for inspiring me.
I hope to hear from you soon!
All the best,
Eloise
It sounds cliche but I fell in love with Aperol while sitting in a piazza in Venice about 20 years ago. Who wouldn't? I loved it so much I bought a bottle from a bar and brought it home in my hand luggage. Oh, for the days when you could "carry on" liquids! We can't yet purchase Aperol here in B.C. but I heard it is coming so hope that's true. Now whenever I am stateside I buy a bottle. I didn't realize until last year that one of it's base flavours is rhubarb which explains why I love it so much. I am a sucker for anything rhubarb so I'm so excited that Spring is coming and that means rhubarb is only a few more months away. Hurray! Then I can make all these cool cocktails with Aperol and rhubarb reductions! (I still have a 1/2 bottle in my fridge from my last trip to Portland). So glad to see someone else shares my love of Aperol. Salute Molly! - CK
I love the word pamplemousse...so much more fun to see and say than grapefruit, so I'm sure I would love this drink as well. Thanks for the education on Aperol. And the mention of the Walrus and the Carpenter. I love eating at Delancey when I go to Seattle, and I will add this place to my destinations as well!
Yes! Aperol is great, eeeespecially when in the Spritz form! When I lived in Italy, this was perhaps my favorite drink and I find that not much beats it for a hot sticky day.
Also, if you want to give italian bitters another chance, I recommend the Negroni Sbagliato (the wrong Negroni): Campari, sweet vermouth (Martini if you want to keep it italian) and prosecco. Garnished with an orange peel. Deeelicious. I promise.
My favorite line (besides the idea of your mom's lipstick color) is - if you have it on hand, you're not far from a good drink. It sounds like a wonderful line out of Madmen at its best. Stopping by here feels like a quick Spritz with a girlfriend. Thx, see ya again soon :D
Oh, I can't! spritz means Campari to me, no way around it.
Scrolling through I did not see anyone mention Lillet. I recommend this French wine with herbal bitters (or something). It is great with sparkling blood orange juice (Trader Joes and the like). Major hit last summer!! Sounds like something you would like.
Oooh! That sounds delicious! Don't worry, we never judge those who choose to imbibe at noon ;)
I could seriously become a day-drinker with the Pamplemousse!
I have not tried the Aperol cocktail yet but I am so intrigued, I will have to try it. And maybe I will even drink it at noon! Thanks.
Molly, if your ever in Chicago, you must do Henri on Michigan Avenue for dinner. Right now they have, not one, not two, but FOUR Aperol cocktails on the menu. The Aperol even gets it's own little heading and subsection on the cocktail menu :)
Sounds delicious... if only I weren't pregnant. I'll save for next year. Thanks!
Like the previous commenter, I too love lillet. I have tried to like Campari (how sad is that) but with little success. I can obsess about a cocktail, recently it was replicating an elderflower martini I had in Boston. I am glad I'm not the only one. Love the blog.
I'll be interested to see if I can hunt down Aperol at my local liquor store. As they say, cocktail time!
While drinking your Pamplemouse I recommend listening to - Pomplamoose - "If You Think You Need Some Lovin" on YouTube. I just puts me in that perfect mood, at 9am.
Last fall I was in jimgermanbar in Waitsburg, Washington (just east of Walla Walla), where I had something called a Farfalle Redux. To the best of my recollection the ingredients were gin, Aperol, St. Germain, Lillet, and lemon juice. As you would expect, it was simultaneously floral, bitter, herby, and citrusy. I have tried to reproduce this at home, but I cannot get the proportions right. Or Mr. German did not tell all on the bar menu.
If you are ever in the Walla Walla area and you have had enough wine, jimgermanbar is an essential stop for you.
love love love aperol - my favorite drink, either as a "spritz" as we call in Europe or as a Aperol sour! Perfect for a warm summer night!
Viele Gruesse, Kristina
I am enjoying my premiere pamplemousse at this moment, and am happy to have declared the Beverage of Summer 2011 months early! In fact, I chilled the bottles in a snowbank.
This drink GLOWS!
Make it with Prosecco or other bubbly. I guess that would make it a Pamplemousse Royale. :)
HMMMM I've had aperol on hand for a while (I like it with rum & spiced simple syrup) but now I wonder if I could combine it with some fresh lemon juice and simple syrup.... sounds tasty!
Hi Molly,
I was just surfing on the net, reading about food when I found your blog and stopped by.
First I read the about me (I am pretty curious to know who's behind a site when I decide to read it) and after I was even more curious, because your decision of leaving your PHD studies to dedicate yourself to a passion is something I admire.
Then I read about Aperol and, living in Italy, I am quite ashamed to admit that I met it only a couple of years ago (I used to drink other kind of aperitives) and I do love it now too.
You explained extremely well its taste and I would suggest you trying it with an orange slice inside. here in Italy we have small bottles named Aperol soda, already ready to drink; but it is close to Frizz taste.
Best,
Ana
I highly believe if one is in the position to imbibe in the occasional cocktail at noon, then by all means, one should take liberty! Thanks for sharing. Will have to try it out.
-Chef Jeff
@eaterie
I have seen Aperol on every cocktail menu in NYC, and wondered why so popular all of a sudden?
I tried it, I liked it.
Last year it was St. Germain, this year Aperol.
I love fun cocktails!
I read this post when you first posted it, looked for Aperol once in the liquor store near my apartment in France, then gave up. But, I am traveling in Italy, and one of the first things I saw in Milan was Aperol on the menus! I've had two so far--one there, in a giant tumbler glass with far too many finger foods for one girl, for 8 euros. And another teeny one in a plastic cup in Venice on the last day of Carnival, as I walked back to my hostel from the celebrations. What an easy thing to love. Thank you for alerting my attention to it! The memory of your post has traveled far and wide!
The Aperol Spritzer was a pleasant surprise for me as well. I absolutely love Marlow and Sons! I don't think I've ever had a bad dish there, or at Diner--the place next door that they initially started to handle the customer overflow.
Also, Marlow and Daughters, which is their traditional butcher shop right around the block, is one of the only two places i depend on for great meat. With the other being, the Meat Hook.
I've just started my own fledgling blog about my obsession with food. And I'd love some constructive criticism: http://forkinaround.wordpress.com/
Is this like "Pichon", a common beer additive in southwest France? I have many friends who like this.
Just saw this post for a cocktail with Aperol and gin. Thought you might enjoy the recipe. It's from the The Franklin Mortgage and Investment Company, a fantastic cocktail spot in Philly.
This drink is outstanding! Thank you for introducing me to Aperol!
I tried 1 part Aperol, 2 parts dry rosé, 2 parts fresh squeezed ruby grapefruit juice. I shook mine in ice and strained into a glass. Its so awesome. Thanks for turning me on to this. Never heard of it until your post.
The bottle design and graphics appealed to me initially.
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