A few weeks ago, I sauntered into one of my favorite liquor stores trying to find an ingredient to make a variety of spritzers. I couldn’t exactly find what I was looking for but luckily, my neighborhood liquor store employs patient and knowledgeable people. I ended up with a reasonably priced bottle of Cocchi Americano. Have you heard of this beverage before? Allow me to *try* to explain.
Cocchi Americano (pronounced co-kee) is an aperitif wine created in 1891. Wait. Let’s back up a second.
Are you wondering what an aperitif is? OK. We’ll start there. An aperitif is an alcoholic beverage typically served before a meal. Its purpose is to stimulate the appetite. I like the idea of drinking something before dinner to activate my appetite, don’t you? Popular and common choices for aperitifs are: campari, cynar, Lillet even champagne. The options and possibilities are endless when it comes to aperitifs. OK – back to the Cocchi Americano.
It’s flavored with variety of herbs and spices – perfect for waking your appetite. Because of the flavor profile, it can simply be enjoyed on ice with a little club soda. These types of cocktails are also known as low octane cocktails, which mean they have a low alcohol content. Much like the cocktail we’re going to make today, it can also be paired with spirits (vodka, gin, etc) for an extra layer of flavor.
Five minute cocktail: Eventide with Cocchi Americano
OK so this drink is called an Eventide, which I did not make up. The process is pretty simple: wine, gin, bitters. That’s it. If you need something acidic or bubbly, you can add in club soda or seltzer water.
It’s easy to make and it will probably take you less than five minutes to make. Now I’ll warn you, it’s a little bitter in taste but I didn’t really mind it. If you’re averse to strong and/or bitter flavored things you’ll want to do one of two things: (1) stay away from this five-minute cocktail (you can try a few other options here and here) or (2) add in club soda.
Ready for another five-minute cocktail?
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz Cocchi Americano
- 1 1/2 oz gin
- 2 dashes of bitters
- Club soda, optional
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker or tall glass, combine Cocchi Americano, gin and bitters over ice; stir vigorously.
- Strain into a coupe glass, top with club soda, if using.
- Garnish with a lemon or orange peel.
