Wood meets sea, a long drink for the aperitivo hour. This Pentire Adrift alcohol-free forest spritz is simple to make and garnished with Scots pine, providing an unusual flavour and a spectacular fragrance. We take a look at what Aperitivo hour is all about, why we love the forest spritz, food pairings for this delightful cocktail and of course, how to make it.
What is this Aperitivo hour that the Forest Spritz was design for?
As you may have guessed, Aperitivo hour originated in Italy. An Aperitivo is a drink that is traditionally consumed before a meal. The aperitif is thought to have been invented by a distiller called Antonio Carpano in 1786. He claimed that the drink stimulated the appetite.
Over the years, the aperitif has developed. Nowadays, we have a whole Aperitivo hour - which, confusingly, is in fact two hours. Usually between 7 and 9 pm. Visit an Italian town at this time of the evening and you'll find people sitting outside Aperitivo bars enjoying a drink and some nibbles or finger foods. Joining them is a lovely way to experience the local culture while you people-watch and wait for dinner.
The Italians eat late, around 9pm. Hence the Aperitivo being served with lite bites that stave off hunger until dinner time. Aperitivo cocktails tend to be low in alcohol, so the Pentire Adrift alcohol-free forest spritz is a natural alternative. You can expect to be served light bites throughout Aperitivo hour. Whilst these are traditionally for nibbling, younger Italians and visitors have started to use this instead of dinner, treating it as a buffet and filling their plates multiple times.
Why we love Pentire Adrift alcohol-free Forest Spritz
Whilst the Pentire Adrift alcohol-free forest spritz doesn't try to be an aperitif (see APRTF or Wilfred's for that), it is a delicious long drink that is ideal for Aperitivo hour. Sweetness is added using syrup, whilst fizz simply comes from soda. This allows the clean, fresh flavour of Adrift to be the prominent taste. Take a long sip and savour the crisp sensation.
In contrast to the usual Aperitivo hour beverages that are light on alcohol, this one contains absolutely none. Instead, the hero of the cocktail is Pentire Adrift, the original formula from the iconic alcohol-free spirt brand. Its key botanical is rock samphire which is rich in vitamins C, E and K as well as carotenoids, flavonoids and iodine. The drink also contains omega 3, fatty acids and antioxidants. Far from making you feel groggy, this one is actively good for you.
Pentire's distilled spirits are vegan, plant based and gluten free with no added sugar.
Food pairings for Pentire Adrift alcohol-free forest spritz
Whilst we usually dig into the starter, main and dessert to serve with a cocktail, we're staying true to the theme of Aperitivo hour with this one. So, here are a few nibbles and snacks you might want to serve with this refreshing drink.
- Whole baked camembert
- Raw vegetable slices
- Bread sticks
- Cheese board
- Pizza cut into small slices
- Cured meats
- Quiche
- Sharing plates of pasta
- Salted nuts
- Salted fresh edamame
- Crispy kale
- Popcorn
- Pretzels
- Olives
- Pickles
- Slices of fresh bread with butter
- Potato salad
- Feta salad
- Potato chips
- Mac and cheese balls
- Stuffed mushrooms
How to make Pentire Adrift alcohol-free forest spritz
Ingredients:
- 50ml Pentire Adrift
- 25ml Green syrup of your choice
- Soda to top
To Garnish:
- Scots Pine
Method:
- Combine the Pentire and syrup in a wine glass and stir
- Add plenty of ice before topping with soda
- Garnish with the fresh Scots pine.
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