The Venice Spritz the Venetian drink

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It would be excellent if in the next James Bond movie, 007 asks in a sullen voice: "My spritz, please"!
Spritz, the original elegant Habsburg aperitif. The Spritz appeared in the region of Venice during the period under Austrian rule. The soldiers' Spritz then consisted of white wine and sparkling water. AT Trieste, we still find Spritz today rosso or bianco composed simply of red or white wine with sparkling water. The Spritz is an alcoholic aperitif widely consumed in the big cities of the regions italian of the Veneto and the Friuli-Venezia Giulia but widespread throughout Italy. The Spritz is the most popular aperitif in Venice; it is also very popular with students at Padua or Bologna. Drunk by the Venetians almost viscerally, to the point of making it an emblem of the city. It is surprising that this drink to which the Venetians are very attached does not appear in any book of trendy cocktails 😉
At most, the references to the spritz that you can probably find are in the lyrics of the Italian reggae group. Pitura Freska, but in this case its name is orientated to spriss, in a lagoon inspiration.
I would like to know if the Italian writer Gabriele D'Annunzio, during his stay in Venice , has never sunk into this fluid and Austro-Venetian drink, nothing is said in his correspondence, even in the most frivolous, nothing is mentioned. Perhaps the poet was too preoccupied with his muses: the Marquise Casati, Luisa Baccara, Eleonora Duse .
Certainly, in the notebooks of Paul Morand, one of the many travelers in love with Venice, we find references to a mythical and mysterious ritual, " punch all'alchermes"  ritual drink constantly mentioned in books now not found. "The Altana, Schizzi veneziani", Of sacred texts for the entire French community settled in Venice at the beginning of the 20th century, speak of "men without much self-confidence, dandies cultivating myths who like to rejoice or sink into despair. Women who suffered, so proud that they ended up breaking the nerves of Murano glass threads of refugees from this city, refuge par excellence. "
In a bar, I was recently asked for a somewhat exaggerated price for a spritz, justified according to the barman by the fact that the spritz is considered a cocktail ... Beyond that I avoid any considerations on the fact that Spritz fans go to this kind of place, remains the amazement to see this scene repeat itself frequently in the rest of Venice, the only goal for these individuals being to make easy money without any qualms.
Nowadays, spritz is an elegant drink which is not only drunk in Venice, but everywhere ”. His recipe has been communicated in recent years and travels all over the world: from Asolo to Bordighera, from Rome to Milan, from Ibiza to Tangier, from London to New York.
Maybe there will be times when you ask for a spritz in a distant place and you are greeted with a questioning glance or a nod of your head. Surprise you will be served a glass containing a strange mixture of indeterminate liquids that will have nothing to do with what you expected.
"A sunset that makes you homesick, longing for Venice in a foreign land, for the Venetians a foreign land is always “everywhere else”. This is how, quite naturally, you will begin to hum " Viva Venezia, viva San Marco, viva le glorie del nostro leon" , at the same time you will feel unequivocally in need of Venice and spritz, which requires its own bar, you can find it everywhere now, that thought will be enough to make you feel better (although your mouth will remain dry).
But there is also the worry ”of the drinker spriss.
The first question that arises is, does this club make a good spritz, even though the bartenders are arrogant and rude, is the quality of the spritz worth revisiting?
The answer of a knowledgeable drinker is an unequivocal "no", based on the assumption that this beverage should be drunk in a positive, friendly atmosphere in pleasant company. The face of the bartender is essential. It is the emblem of charisma, a confessing spirit and a reassuring point of reference. Literature and cinema have always insisted on the role of the bartender's socio-anthropological factors. In Casablanca at 10, the bartender has a constant presence, and his face is full of neutrality.
But how to sip a spritz Once again, the answer is immediate and clear: You have to take a few sips standing up and leaning languidly on the left or right leg as the case may be, with your back towards any disruptor. On some occasions you can rest your elbow on the counter, spread out as much as it is wide. (but be careful never to annoy other drinkers!)
In grief and pain, the question questions: Can we say that the percentages of the spritz mix are the perfect alchemy for a drinker?
Again, after a long period of reflection, a beginning of study and learning, you can come to a magical formula that would make this wonderful drink give the best of itself:
50% from Bitter Campari, Aperol or more rarely Cynar, which gives it respectively a red, orange or black amber color.
20% of white wine (from Prosecco in general) dry and cool.
30% seltzer water .
There is usually an olive and a slice of freshly cut lemon, orange or blood orange (immersed in the glass).
No more than two ice cubes in the glass which should be wide, thick glass and well profiled. In some establishments, there are also Aperol Spritzes prepared with champagne.

During the tasting you can enjoy long and fruitful conversations with other lovers of this beverage. Some might point out that the percentages of the above composition seem to be an explosive recipe for a cocktail, the consumer can only agree with this remark! The Spritz should be like a snake wrapping you in aromatic scents, the alcohol soft, velvety, colorful and at the same time dangerous, which gives its touch to this ritual, a blessing at the end of the day.

(Terence James)

The famous Spritz Aperol served not only in Venice.