rib tickler

This is the cocktail David and I drank to see in the arrival of 2017. It comes from Spritz, a lovely book about spritzes, which are bitter and bubbly Italian aperitivo cocktails. The book is beautifully designed and has a good range of modern, classic and “inspired by” drinks, most of which are lower in alcohol than many cocktails.

The rib tickler includes Suze, a gentian flavoured drink which can be an acquired taste. We originally bought Suze to make a white negroni but this is the nicest way I’ve drunk it. The Suze is slightly muted by the white vermouth (ideally you want quite a dry spicy vermouth; the book recommends Dolin but we used Muntaner, a Mallorcan white vermouth) so is perhaps a good introduction drink.

 To make, pour into a wineglass, over ice, 2 shots dry vermouth, ¾ shot of suze, ½ shot St Germain (elderflower liqueur), ½ shot of lemon juice and ¼ shot of sugar syrup. Top with soda water* and garnish with grapefruit half wheel.

* we also tried a version with prosecco, in place of the water, but preferred the cleaner flavour of the original.