Aperitivo Cocchi Americano – Imported by Vinosita’

Do you recall the ridiculously good weather we had two Sundays ago in Melbourne? If so, then it would make complete sense why I chose to prepare an aperitivo for my family that evening with the setting sun winking down at us. Suffice to say that I was clearly the favourite child of the family for that one day.

I used Aperitivo Cocchi Americano. This is a wine-based aperitif and vino aromatizzato (flavored wine). It was produced in 1891 by Giulio Cocchi of Asti in Piemonte by flavouring white wine with different herbs, spices, sugar and alcohol. Sitting at 16.5% alcohol, it is considered to be the original L’Americano recipe. It is produced in small lots and matures for a year before being put on sale.

Try the Classico recipe or Estivo to start with, unless you’re a sweet tooth and prefer the fruit juice in the A.C.E.

Having it on its own though reveals thirst-quenching citrus flavours and delicate herbal tones. Delicious.

RECIPES

CLASSICO
Fill a highball glass with 1/2 of Cocchi Americano, add three cubes of ice, the remainder with seltzer or soda, squeeze a little fresh orange and garnish with an orange peel on the edge of the glass.

ESTIVO
Fill a highball glass with finely crushed ice, garnish with a slice of orange or lemon and fill entirely with Cocchi Americano. I also put a sprig of mint in mine too.

A.C.E
Fill a tumbler glass with 1/3 American Cocchi and ice and 2/3 of juice (I used those small jars of apricot juice that you find at classic Italian delis). Garnish with half a slice of orange.

ROYAL
Add 1/3 of chilled Cocchi Americano to a sparkling wine glass and fill the remainder with a sparkling wine such as Prosecco, or one produced in the traditional method.

Salute!

Video from ‘It Started In Naples’

Tags: Aperitif, Aperitivo, Beverage, Drink, Recipe, Recipes, Sophia Loren, Wine