Sweet, light and refreshing, but tinged with a pleasant bitterness, the Aperol Spritz has taken over cocktail menus in recent years. There’s no mystery why. It’s delicious, and with its tangerine hue, it looks beautiful in a glass. Pour one at your next party and your guests will feel like they just stepped from the deck of a yacht onto the rocky coast of Ischia. 

Ingredients

Aperol (an Italian liqueur available at most liquor stores)

Prosecco (should be a good brand, but doesn’t have to be pricey)

Soda water

Orange or lemon slices

Directions

Fill a wine glass with ice. Pour in equal parts Prosecco and Aperol until the glass is almost full. Add a dash of soda water. Garnish with either an orange slice or a lemon slice.

Note: For a Venetian twist, substitute Campari for Aperol, which lends the drink a sharper profile, and add a salty green olive to the glass. Serve with a bowl of potato chips.