Spritz: Italy's Most Iconic Aperitivo Cocktail, with Recipes [Hardcover]

A narrative-driven book on the surprising history and current revival of spritz cocktails (a wine-based drink served as an aperitif), with 50 recipes, including both historical classics and modern updates.

From Milan to Los Angeles, Venice to New York, the spritz—Italy’s bitter and bubbly aperitivo cocktail—has become synonymous with a leisurely, convivial golden hour. But the spritz is more than just an early evening cocktail—it’s a style of drinking. In Spritz, Talia Baiocchi and Leslie Pariseau trace the drink’s origins to ancient Rome, uncover its unlikely history and culture, explore the evolution of aperitivo throughout Northern Italy, and document the spritz’s revival around the world. From regional classics to modern variations, Spritzincludes dozens of recipes from some of America’s most lauded bartenders, a guide to building a spritz bar, and a collection of food recipes for classic Italian snacks to pair alongside.vi • drinks 
1 • introduction
7 • A Spritz is Born
23 • The Spritz Life
37 • Spritz Cocktails
54 • Classic
64 • Modern
96 • Cousins
129 • the Aperitivo table
158 • acknowledgments
159 • where to spritz
162 • index2017 JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION BOOK AWARD NOMINEE: BEVERAGE

“Some of the most pleasant hours I’ve ever spent have involved sipping spritzes, nibbling from little bowls of olives or potato chips or whatnot, and watching the life of whatever Italian town I’m in go by as the waiter lazily circles around to see if I’d like another.Spritzis the perfect introduction to that unique culture.”
 —David Wondrich, author ofImbibe!andPunch 

“These brilliantly illustrated pages deliver a supremely approachable account of the sprl*