Tag: aperol

cocktails, NaBloPoMo

Your New Go-To Cocktail

littleshoeprincess

If you don’t like Aperol, you might want to skip this blog post. Because today’s post is an ode to the orangey bitter yumminess of Aperol. Oh Aperol, I love you in a spritz in the summer, and I love you in this deliciously amazing cocktail that goes down like water (like WATER, people! Don’t say I didn’t warn you!)

Intro to Aperol Cocktail

Serves 1

Served up in my vintage coupe glass I found at a flea market this summer!

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 ounces Aperol
  • 1 ounce gin
  • 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 ounce simple syrup (see NOTE)
  • 1 dash Angostura bitters
  • Twist of orange peel, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add the Aperol, gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and bitters. Shake well, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass (I prefer a coupe glass). Twist the orange peel over the drink to release its oils, then drop it into the glass. (Full disclosure, I never garnish with an orange peel).

Cheers!

cocktails, NaBloPoMo, Pandemic

Who Wants Cocktails?

littleshoeprincess

It’s not surprising that liquor stores are up like 35% in sales during the pandemic. This has been a crazy year.

There have been many beers shared in the KK household over the last 8 months after a stressful day.

My drink of choice is usually seasonal – is there anything better than a cold, hoppy beer on a hot summer afternoon? Or a glass of red wine on a chilly winter night by the fire? But I have a problem that I’ve shared before: I don’t have a go-to cocktail.

And while I don’t have a cocktail, I believe I have found my spirit (animal): Aperol. First, I single-handedly kept Aperol afloat with all of the Spritzes I consumed this summer. Then, during the summer storm that took down half the trees in our yard, right after the power went out, we tried a new Aperol drink: Intro to Aperol. GUYS, this drink is amazing!

Intro to Aperol

Let’s start with how gorgeous the color of this drink is. A vibrant not-quite-red but more of an orangey-pink.

Intro to Aperol is on the right – look at that color!

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces Aperol
  • 1 ounce London Dry gin (we used Tanqueray)
  • 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
  • 1/4 ounce simple syrup
  • 1 dash Angostura bitters
  • Garnish: orange twist

Directions:


Fill a cocktail shaker 2/3 full with ice. Add Aperol, gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and bitters. Shake until well chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with orange twist.

Then start making another round because these beauties go down SMOOTHLY and you’ll need another in no time. (I mean, these craft cocktails are so small, am I right?)