If you want to cool down and unwind on a warm summer evening a glass of refreshing Spritz could be a good solution. Yet what are the origins of this very popular Italian drink with a name that does not sound Italian at all?
Well, this name comes from the German verb “spritzen,” “to sprinkle.” Back in the 19th century, when the north-eastern regions of today's Italy were part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, it was common among Hapsburg soldiers to “water down” the (for them too strong) wines produced in that area with sparkling water.
The first popular variations date back to the 1920s, when sparkling water was substituted with some kind of bitter aperitif: Aperol in Padua, Select in Venice. These were the two main versions of the drink; with time, the recipe changed slightly from city to city, preferring sparkling white wine or Prosecco, still white wine or Friulano, etc.
The first “Hapsburg version” of the drink, though, still survives in the north-eastern region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. If you order a Spritz in Trieste, Udine, or the nearby cities, you'll get a glass of white or red wine with sparkling water, occasionally garnished with a slice of lemon. Therefore, if you rather go for an Aperol Spritz, a Campari Spritz, or the more recent version of Hugo Spritz, make sure you specify it! ;)
Cin-cin!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
