Hi, Friends of Cocktails. Today we have a very special episode,
where we’ll make 2 spritz cocktails. But as much as I love our Cocktail Time studio
I feel like the setting could be a bit better. So when FIOL reached out and invited us to
Treviso, the home of Prosecco, I gladly accepted. So hold tight, we’re taking Cocktail
Time on the road for this one. I think this can wait here. It’s Cocktail Travel Time. Treviso is nestled in the heart of
the Veneto region in northern Italy. It offers a tantalizing journey through
the authentic tastes of Italian cuisine. With vibrant food markets and a
commitment to locally sourced ingredients, this charming city feels like the right location
for the first ever Cocktail Time excursion. So we’re more than honored to be welcomed
at the breathtaking Villa Tiepolo Passi, a Seventeenth-century Veneto
villa on the outskirts of Treviso, and still the beloved home of its owners,
the noble Conti Passi de Preposulo family. It offers an exquisite starting spot for
our exploration of Treviso, where I’ll be looking for some ingredients for two delicious
Spritz Cocktails, inspired by local cuisine. We’ll first make the Basil Spritz
by Erik Hakkinen, then I’ll make a signature Olive Fiol Spritz.
I couldn’t bring everything on my cart, so let’s go and see if I can find
some lemons, olive oil and basil. Treviso captivates visitors with its rich
culinary heritage, of which Prosecco is of course the most famous example. I’ll tell you
about another one at the end of the episode. For now let’s grab some lemons, basil, and extra
virgin olive oil. We also need some strawberries, balsamic vinegar and some rooibos
tea, but that’s for another time. As much as I’m enjoying this, it’s time to
head back and start with the first cocktail. Ok, maybe an espresso before I go.
With everything we need for both cocktails of the day, let’s first check
out the ingredients for The Basil Spritz. We’ll mix dry gin, pear liqueur, lemon juice, some fresh basil leaves, soda water, and FIOL.
FIOL was founded in 2010 by 3 lifelong friends, all born in Treviso, with a passion for
good wine, and the Italian way of life. FIOL’s wine vision, flavor profile and
quality control is overseen by Marzio Pol, an expert in the wine and sparkling wine
industry, who has overseen more than 50 harvests. The FIOL logo was inspired by the vine
poles created to support the plant, showcasing symbols of strength and tradition.
FIOL Prosecco is made from 100% Glera grapes and it has a floral, fruity and slightly
acidic aroma. It’s lively and refreshing, with a nice balance of acidity, combining
both savory and sweet flavors, ending on notes of Mediterranean spices and lemons.
The bubbles are incredibly fresh and long lasting but also create a wonderful and
playful mouthfeel with a soft finish. It embodies the essence of what
Prosecco can and should be. I really look forward to enjoying it in both
cocktails today, starting with the Basil Spritz. First, fill a wine glass with ice to chill it.
The Basil Spritz was created by Erik Hakkinen at Washington’s Bar Hitchcock. It’s easy
to remember the amounts as we have equal parts of all three ingredients that go into the
shaker, starting with 0.5 oz or 15 ml of Dry Gin. Next, the same amount, 0.5 oz or 15 ml
of pear liqueur. This one is 25% ABV. Fun fact, there are 4 different varieties
of pears grown in the Veneto region. Then another 0.5 oz or 15 ml of
lemon juice. Super juice is great, but there’s also something about freshly squeezed
lemons, right after you got them from the market. And this wouldn’t be a Basil
Spritz without some basil, so add 4-5 basil leaves into the shaker. Give
it a spank, but there’s no need to muddle it, as ice will do that for us. The
harder you shake the better. Then double strain into the
chilled wine glass over ice. Then first add the reason we’re
here, FIOL - 3 oz or 90 ml. In the ancient venetian language the word
fiol means "son" or "young boy", but it’s also used among friends to refer to someone that
stands out and who knows how to appreciate life. And lastly, as with all Spritz
cocktails, soda water, 1 oz or 30 ml Gently lift the cocktail with a barspoon,
so we’re not losing bubbles with stirring. I hope you got enough basil, because
we’ll need a few nice, bright green leaves to garnish the cocktail. Beautiful!
Before we move on to a signature spritz with olive oil and basil, I’ll take a
few sips of this just to cool down a bit. The sun is a bit stronger here
than at the studio. But as they’d say around here: Così è la vita! Saluti! Basil gives it a nice herbal aroma,
and it’s also really present on the palate, making for a wonderful combination with pear.
Crisp dry gin and bright lemon juice give it a summer feel, and the combo of
FIOL and soda water make the whole thing a light and effervescent day sipper. So even if it’s not quite Cocktail Time yet,
we have you covered with spritz cocktails. And if you like italian food I know you’ll love
this next one, the Olive Fiol Spritz. Yes, olive oil and basil can make more than just pesto.
To make the Olive Fiol Spritz you’ll need the star of the day, FIOL Prosecco, dry vermouth, a
homemade olive oil & basil syrup, a little saline solution, and soda water to top up. For garnish
we’ll coat the glass with a little lemon dust. So before we start pouring the
prosecco in the glass we need to make the lemon dust for the garnish and
our olive oil syrup with a little basil. Speaking of pouring it looks like
it will rain, so we’ll move the set. To make the olive oil & basil syrup you’ll of
course need olive oil, basil, sugar, and water, but also xanthan gum and gum arabic, to keep
everything in solution and have proper texture. To start I’ll first blanch 10 grams of basil,
to make sure our syrup keeps a vibrant green color - otherwise it would turn brown-ish
pretty fast. To do that simply place the basil in boiling hot water for 15 seconds, then
submerge it into an ice bath for 1 minute. This process stops enzyme action which otherwise
causes loss of flavor, color and texture. In addition, blanching removes some surface dirt
and microorganisms, and helps slow vitamin losses. To this blanched basil you will add 240 grams
of water and blend it using a stick blender. Then, to strain out the solid par. icles,
filter the basil water through a fine strainer. Once filtered, weigh out 200 grams of this
basil water. To make our next ingredients easier to mix and fully dissolve, place
the water on medium heat. Then add 150 grams of extra virgin olive oil - using the
best stuff really makes a difference here. Followed with 2,7 grams of gum
arabic and 0,3 grams of xanthan gum. Help everything mix in and dissolve
with another whirl of the stick blender. Once we have a homogeneous mixture
it’s time to add the sugar, add the sugar, 200 grams, same as water
of plain white sugar. This time I’ll mix this in with a whisk.
It shouldn’t take too long to dissolve thanks to the warm mixture. You can definitely
make it faster by using the stick blender again, but keep in mind that it will foam up and it
would take some time for the bubbles to settle. Once everything is dissolved and in
solution, give it a try - you probably don’t make basil & olive oil syrup every day.
Then bottle it in a labeled bottle and that’s it. Beautiful olive green color, with
a pleasantly herbal and oily aroma. It’s incredibly smooth and very aromatic.
You can use this recipe to make a syrup from other types of oil or fat as well, like peanut,
avocado or coconut oil, or even bacon fat. As you see, there was no point in fighting nature,
so welcome into the Villa Tiepolo Passi itself. Moving on to the garnish. For this you just need a
lemon and a peeler, heat, and some time. Make sure you give your lemon a good wash before you peel
it. Once you have your lemon completely peeled, place the peels on direct Veneto sunshine
so they dry out completely. You know what? A dehydrator or an oven set to the lowest
temperature works perfectly fine as well. Once completely dried, crush the
peels with a mortar & pestle into a fine powder. One may say a lemon
dust. Transfer to a small container, and we’re finally ready to
make the Olive Fiol Spritz! No shaker this time, but grab your glass and
let’s take care of the garnish before we chill it. To do that take a thin brush and use it to
add a strip of lemon juice on the outside of the wine glass. Then dust this part
of the glass with dehydrated lemon peel powder. Ideally do this beforehand, so
you can place the glass in the freezer… … and have it chilled when you start making the
cocktail. Thank you dear, glad you made the trip. Then fill the glass with ice and start adding
the ingredients. First, 3 oz or 90 ml of FIOL Prosseco. Pour this award winning Ambassador
of Italian excellence slowly and at an angle. Follow that with 0.5 oz or 15 ml of dry vermouth.
It will add additional crisp, tart flavors, pairing nicely with the FIOL Prosecco.
Next, 0.75 oz or 22,5 ml of our Olive Oil Syrup. I already made a cocktail with Olive Oil, but
making a flavored syrup with it is something new. To enhance all flavors we add salt, just like with
cooking. This is 2 drops of 20% saline solution. And lastly, to make it a spritz, a splash of
soda water. Let’s call it 1 oz or 30 ml. Now go in with a barspoon and gently lift and mix
all ingredients of our cocktail. With that, the Olive Fiol Spritz is ready, as we already
have the garnish on the outside of the glass. I’ll just close the doors, to keep the
mosquitoes out. And now we drink. Saluti! Aroma is similar to that of the Basil Spritz -
herbal, but here we also get notes of olive oil and citrus. On the palate the Olive Fiol Spritz
is full-bodied and refreshing. Dry vermouth adds a nice freshness that blends perfectly with
the FIOL. We made an elegant and unique Spritz. With that you’ve made it to the bottom
of the glass of this special episode. To let me know you’ve stuck around
till the end drop a Bottle with Popping Cork Emoji in the comments.
You’re a real FIOL if you do. And since we’re in Treviso - did
you know that besides being the home of Prosecco and of course FIOL, it’s also the birthplace of Tiramisu, a delicious coffee-flavored dessert.
I don’t have a cocktail with Tiramisu yet, but you can check out how to make a Donut
Old Fashioned and a Brownie Manhattan. I’ll see you next week. Buon appetito!
