Aperitivo…probably my favorite Italian pastime! Aperitivo is a VIBE. In reality, it’s a pre-dinner drink, which typically comes with a few complimentary snacks. But it’s so much more than your average happy hour! When we’re in Italy, aperitivo is a must. After a day of exploring, I love sitting down outside, having un spritz & chips while watching the people walk by. Your complimentary snacks are usually chips and/or nuts, but we’ve had some amazing aperitivos that also included cheese & caper flowers (in Sicily, of course!).

It also doesn’t hurt that one of my absolute favorite cocktails is part of the aperitivo ritual. The Aperol Spritz. Joe and I had our first Aperol Spritz in 2013, the day we got engaged in Venice. We asked for a celebratory prosecco, and our bartender, Gabriele, told us to try a spritz. Spritzes have been around the Veneto region for centuries–originating from Austro-Hungarian soldiers finding Italian wines too strong, and asking to add a spritz of seltzer water. 1919, Aperol entered the scene as a new aperitif, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that the Aperol Spritz was born. Now the cocktail is popularized from the north throughout the south of Italy and recently has become mainstream in the US! From our first sip, we were hooked. The Aperol Spritz was the signature cocktail at our wedding, and one of the drinks we’ve been keeping in our quarantine rotation. 

Speaking of quarantine, Joe and I have been recreating aperitivo of our own. At around 4:30-5:00, we take our spritz & chips outside on our patio and pretend we’re in Italia. Lucky for me (and now you!) he makes the perfect spritz, which I’m sharing the recipe below. Salute!

• Fill your glass with ice
• Combine equal parts Prosecco & Aperol 
• Add a splash of seltzer 
• Garnish with an orange peel

Allora…there you go!