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Agosto Sgroppino

The Sgroppino hails from the Veneto and is traditionally made with lemon sorbet, prosecco, and grappa or vodka; some recipes call for limoncello. In looking at this template, I saw the potential to impart deeper flavors of red fruit, while still creating something that’s absolutely perfect for summer.

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Bitter Bellini

The Bellini was invented in the years just after World War II at Harry’s Bar in Venice. The simple mixture of peach puree and prosecco is typically served in short glasses bearing the bar’s logo. Our version is a little more complex because of our Campari- and peach liqueur-spiked puree and the use of Cocchi Americano and soda in place of prosecco–a move I took from another classic Italian drink, the Bicicletta.

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Garibaldi Tropicale

The Garibaldi–a simple but sublime mixture of fluffy orange juice and Campari–has skyrocketed to fame in recent years as part of the aperitivo craze. I was inspired to use pineapple juice by my friend Ned King’s Charles de Gaulle, which combines it with Suze, Amaro Alta Verde, and a little salt. Here, I fortified the mixture of the carciofo Cynar and pineapple with overproof bourbon for a very easy-drinking take on the template.

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Alfa Ro-Mi-To

This is an ode to my usual digestivo: a mixture of fortified wine (almost always Italian!), amaro, and aperitivo liqueur, served in a single rocks glass with a lemon or orange twist. I named this one after two of my favorite Italian exports–Alfa Romeo sports cars and the original Campari cocktail, the Milano-Torino.

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Bitter Peach Puree

This is the key ingredient in the Bitter Bellini, which is an ode to the peach-and-prosecco drink invented at Harry’s Bar in Venice.

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