Hugo Spritz from Sotto Piazza
Before coming to Italy, I had heard of an Aperol spritz, but had only tried one or two with brunch before my trip. I enjoyed the drink, but had no idea there were dozens of other spritzes in the same family of beverages. Technically, a spritz drink is any kind of alcoholic beverage created with a liqueur or flavoring, a spritz of soda water, and topped with prosecco or champagne. I had no idea the array of options available, and in Italy, every restaurant seemed to offer them all. My personal favorite spritz drink is the Hugo spritz. I had never heard of this beverage before coming to Italy, but now, I will continue to order it when in America. The Hugo spritz is composed of elderflower syrup, fresh mint, lime, soda water, and topped with prosecco. It is light, crisp, and sweet. This beverage is very different from the classic Aperol spritz; it is anything but bitter and very refreshing. The drink is light, fizzy, with a wonderful taste of mint and lime to counter the sweet elderflower syrup. The flavors are an interesting mixture, but compliment each other very well.
"Surprisingly refreshing." - Emma Satterwhite
So why are there so many spritzes in Italy and why are they so common to see on menus? The spritz drink actually originated in Italy in the late 1800s. At the time, the army found the Italian wine too strong, so they added a spritz of soda water to make it easier to drink. This practice has evolved over time, but is similar in idea. Now, because so many types of spritz drinks have evolved from this, it has become an Italian classic. If you are ever in Italy, I recommend you try many different types of spritzes to find your favorite (I recommend the hugo) ! :)
Storyteller: Emma Satterwhite
Editor: Alexis Martinez
Photographer: Emma Satterwhite
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