Being slightly insane and considerably intense, I brought ingredients for
these bad boys to my sister's wedding reception much to the confusion
and bafflement of various family members, both old and new, as well as
the bartenders ("You want me to serve a what?").
The Sardinian quickly converted plenty of would be
haters though as people began to sip their new found beverage with
marked trepidation. Taste-wise, think light, refreshing and bubbly.
Exceedingly apropos during warmer months, the Sardinian is a great cocktail anytime of year.
Although
I have done minimal research to confirm this, preliminary investigation
seems to indicate that this delightful drink is the brainchild of the
bartenders at Mario Battali's Otto in New York. At the very least, Otto serves a damn fine version that I encourage all to try.
Although I have made and ingested numerous Sardinian's myself (including several at Otto),
the precise measurements of the drink have managed to
allude me (my sincere apologies to those scientifically inclined
reader-drinkers who value precision). Thus, I present you with a list of necessary ingredients and an admittedly inexact instructions.
[1]
INGREDIENTS
:
Prosecco: I
suppose any variety of sparkling wine will do, but to maintain some
semblance of being an Italian drink, I recommend Prosecco (generally
less expensive too).
Amaro: Simultaneously the most crucial and elusive ingredient in the Sardinian, Amaro is a bitter, sweet Italian herbal liqueur. Surprising perhaps to some, Jagermeister is an Amaro.
Alcohol content and flavor can vary quite noticeably among different Amari and may severely alter the taste of the drink. Otto makes their Sardinians with Millet, which works quite well. If you cannot find this, look for a lighter, more floral Amaro as an overly bitter Amaro will overpower the drink.
Examples: Amaro Nonino, Amaro Florio, Amaro del Capo, Harry's.
Fresh lemon juice from ¼ large lemon.
Lemon slice to garnish.
Simple sugar
.
Ice.
Soda water (optional).
INSTRUCTIONS:
Step 1: Fill a highball with ice. Large, very cold cubes are a plus while ground slush from your refrigerator is a minus.
Step 2:
Pour roughly 1/3 ounce of Amaro over the ice cubes. You may have to experiment with this measurement depending on you individual taste and the strength and flavor of the Amaro.
Step 3: Add fresh lemon juice.
Step 4: Add just enough simple syrup to form a thin layer over the existing contents of the glass.
Step 5: Fill the rest of the glass with Prosecco. For those looking for less alcohol heavy version, substitute a quarter of the Prosecco added with soda water.
Step 6:
Stir lightly to blend ingredients. A well mixed version will exhibit a gradually darkening from top to bottom (i.e. avoid over-aggressive sloshing).
Step 7: Garnish with a lemon slice.
Step 8: To paraphrase Ice Cube, take a sip of the potion.
** Please note that individual results, while likely to vary, will all rock.
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