You’ve survived one of the hottest summers on record and managed to get the kids back to school! Now it’s time for a little relaxation. Our August cocktail of the month, Aperol Enzoni, is the perfect refreshing answer to a long, hot summer.
This cocktail is a personal favorite of our Chief Sales Officer, Kaleb Crafts . As a co-owner of Bacchus and of Utah’s premier catering service, Culinary Crafts, Kaleb has been part of the high-end catering world ever since he was old enough to scrub a pot or dry a glass. He has a passion for great food and drinks, and he loves sharing that passion with others. He’s always looking for a reason to throw a party, and this Aperol Enzoni is reason enough all by itself!
“Anytime I have fresh grapes lying around—especially if they’ve grown a little mushy and they’re not ideal for eating—I use them to make an Enzoni,” Kaleb says. “But I like to add my own little twist.”
The Enzoni
Invented in 2003 by a NYC bartender, the Enzoni has been described as “a cross between a Negroni and a Gin Sour.” A pleasant mix of bitter and sweet, the Enzoni is ideal for someone who enjoys fruity drinks but would like to start sampling the world of bitter cocktails. Crushed grapes add a delightful zing to the drink, and by changing the number of grapes, you can easily adjust the balance of sweet, fruity, and bitter to suit your taste.
“I love that there’s a lot going on in an Enzoni,” Kaleb says. “Plus, it’s just a beautiful drink to look at.”
Aperol versus Campari
The original Enzoni calls for Campari, which is a popular bitter orange apéritif from Italy. Kaleb substitutes a different orange apéritif, Aperol. Although both liqueurs are made by the same company , they are quite different. Aperol tastes sweeter and contains only about half as much alcohol.
“Since Aperol is sweeter, you may want to reduce the amount of simple syrup that you use,” Kaleb explains. “Some recipes call specifically for white or green grapes, but I use whatever grapes happen to be around the house. Red grapes taste great in this drink too, and they give it a wonderful deep color.”
Kaleb’s Aperol Enzoni
INGREDIENTS (SERVES 1)
· 5-7 seedless grapes
· 1 oz gin (We love local Utah gins Hammer Spring or Madame Paterini.)
· 1 oz Aperol
· 0.75 oz lemon juice (about half a small lemon)
· 0.5 oz simple syrup
DIRECTIONS
1. Muddle your grapes in a cocktail shaker.
2. Add gin, Aperol, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
3. Add a scoop of ice, cover, and shake.
4. Add fresh ice to a double old fashioned glass.
5. Strain contents of shaker into glass.
6. Garnish with skewered grapes, a lemon slice, or a lemon peel.
Alla Salute!