Aperol

Some dear friends recently presented me with a bottle of liquor I'd never even heard of before: Aperol. Apparently it's a lightweight version of Campari (half the alcohol), and supposed to make a mean aperitif. Plus it has rhubarb in it, and lord knows I love me some rhubarb! So I was pretty excited to try it out.

We made two different drinks using Aperol- a Negroni with the Campari replaced with Aperol, and an Aperol highball. And I couldn't drink either of them. Robert thought they were both pretty decent (he preferred the modified Negroni), but I found them way too sweet. Cloying, even. Perhaps it is the gentian.

But, in case you should find yourself in possession of a bottle of Aperol, and have a taste in drinks that aligns more closely to Robert's than to mine, I present you with both recipes :)

Aperol Negroni

1 part gin
1 part Aperol
1 part sweet vermouth

Shake over ice, strain, and serve.

You're lookin' might fine next to that fedora, Aperol!

Aperol Highball

This is really more of a suggestion than a recipe- a few fingers of Aperol, a twist of lemon, and fill the rest of the glass with club soda.

Highball! Get it? The artwork here is by my talented friend, Alux.