The Perfect Transition Cocktail for Summer to Fall
In these months leading to Autumn, when my Instagram feed begins to trickle in pumpkin sightings and Fall decor, I have a hard time taking the plunge — not that I’m not into Fall, don’t get me wrong, I’m as basic as they come — but friends, my weather app says that it’s going to be a high of 109 this weekend. ONE OH NINE. So ya, I’m not pulling out my sweaters anytime soon.
One thing I can get behind, is transitioning my food & beverages into more seasonal ingredients and flavors (without having to turn the oven on too much!).
I’m a huge fan of Aperol Spritz’s during the summer. The most refreshing drink in my opinion, that gets me in a great mood after those short summer hours at work (RIP, miss you, love you). So when I came across this twist on a spritz, I fell in love. G & I have been getting into mezcal this summer, so who would have thought the match made in heaven was combining aperol and mezcal? It’s perfect. You can add a dash of Prosecco too if you’d like, but I prefer without the bubbles.
The smokiness of the mezcal, combined with the sweet flavor of aperol makes for the perfect transition cocktail from fun in the sun to cozy up by the fire. Want even more smoke flavors? I HIGHLY recommend lighting an herb sprig on fire, blowing it out, then trapping the smoke in your glass. It’s delish, and like a campfire in your glass. Perfection.
I hope you enjoy this drink as much as I have been! See below for the recipe.
SMOKY MEZCAL SPRITZ:
1oz Mezcal1oz Aperol.5oz Sweet Vermouth1-2 sprigs of an herb (thyme or rosemary would be yummy)Prosecco (optional)Grapefruit or Orange peel (optional)
Bring out your glass (I use a brandy snifter, as I’ve found it traps the smoke best, but use whatever you have). Pick up your herb and light an end on fire. Blow it out and, moving quickly, place under your upside down glass so the smoke is trapped.Add ice to your glass. then combine all ingredients.Stir, add singed sprig, and enjoy!
