A Sip Of Italy

This time of years calls for evenings sitting on the deck or in the yard cocktail in hand. What better than an Italian based drink . You can close your eyes and pretend you're on a yacht of the Sardinian coast or a cafe on Rome's Via Veneto.

You can create a taste of Italy with the liqueurs Aperol and Cynar. The New York Times Wednesday's Pour column, writer Jennifer Steinhauer has fun recreating cocktails that are perfect just for sipping by oneself or enjoying with friends.Aperol is a slightly bitter creation but goes down easy aperitif.It was first made in  Padua, Italy in 1919 and is a mix of orange rind, spice and just a hit of rhubarb.It goes well poured over ice but can also be mixed with seltzer for some fizz,There's also a cool and fizzy cocktail made with it, Prosecco, the Northern Italian sparkling wine along with soda water and an orange slice. Think of having this outside, late on a summer evening.

Cynar is another Italian standard, similar to both Aperol and Campari. It has long been a standard here and goes in and out of favor. It is a sweet drink made surprisingly from artichokes.it has the vegetables' sweet taste and , like it makes any food eaten with it sweeter tasting. To be honest it's a harder sell than Aperol, probably because of its' make up.  Who wants to drink liquified and fermented artichokes?Yet  you can create tasty drinks with this classic from the Don Draper era (it was created by Campari in 1952))The simplest is pairing it with seltzer however it can be mixed with bourbon or rum and other bitters such as Angostura or celery.

When it just gets too hot and muggy , settle down with an cooling cocktail. Add Italy's 's best either with Aperol or Cynar. It's a taste of the Mediterranean without all that travel hassle.