Summery, fruity Venetian cocktails – including great Tessa Kiros cocktail recipes

Cheers to Venice - the Rossini is a classic Venetian cocktail

There are some things that any trip to Venice must include ? a ride in a gondola, a visit to St Mark’s square, a ride along the Grand Canal, and getting hopelessly, wonderfully lost in the maze of narrow streets.

There must also be some time taken out to sit down, relax and drink a Venetian cocktail!

It is after all a long-held tradition (and really, who would want to buck a tradition as good as this?) to sit down in the late afternoon or early evening with some friends, or even on your own to do some great people-watching, have a cool drink and some nibbles, and let the heat of the day shake itself off, to unwind and relax before going for a late dinner.

Venetians, and Italians all around the Peninsula actually, do this being impeccably dressed. It’s a way to catch up with friends, relax, be seen, tide over the appetite until dinner time, flirt with fellow aperitif-drinkers, and more.

The following Tessa Kiros recipes are fabulously cool (not just in the temperature sense), contain fruit (so they must be good for you!) and delicious (and did we mention, good for you so you?).

Sgoppino ? Lemon chill

Recipe by Tessa Kiros

200 g (7 oz) lemon ice cream

About 4 tablespoons chilled processo

About 2 tablespoons chilled vodka

You can make your own or buy lemon ice cream for this recipe. If you are making your own ice cream, buy it the day before so that it will have time to become firm and then all you have to do on the day is briefly whizz the ice cream with the alcohol. You can add as much prosecco and vodka as you like here depending on how soft your ice cream is and how strong you want this to be. Since i like to serve this after lunch, I’ve made it fairly mild, bearing in mind that you may have started the meal with processo, then moved onto wine and are not looking at passing out for the afternoon. It’s much more summery with less alcohol anyway. Many people serve this as a palate cleanser instead of as a dessert. If it’s very hot then put your glasses in the freezer for a few minutes before serving.

Instructions:

Scoop the ice cream into a blender. Splash in the prosecco and vodka and whizz (the more alcohol you add, the more liquidy the mixture will end up). Pour into glasses and serve at once before it melts completely!

Serves 2

Rossini ? Cheers

Recipe by Tessa Kiros

80 g ripe strawberries, rinsed

1 flat teaspoon sugar (or more, depending on your strawberries)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

240 ml cold cold prosecco

This is to be made when the strawberries are bursting with their best flavour. I like to make it with small wild strawberries. The amount of sugar will depend on your strawberries so taste and see.

Instructions:

Cut the green hats away from the strawberries and cut the strawberries into pieces. Sprinkle with sugar and lemon juice. Purée until completely smooth. Pour into 2 glasses. Divide the prosecco between the glasses, mix, wait for it to settle and then serve at once.

Serves 2

Pomegranate ? alla salute

Recipe by Tessa Kiros

80 ml freshly pressed pomegranate juice

240 ml cold cold prosecco

This may be my favourite for its gentleness of colour and taste. Use a citrus presser here (or you could spoon out all the seeds into a wire strainer and set over a bowl and press them with a spoon to extract all the juice). A medium pomegranate will give you about 80 ml.

Instructions:

Pour the pomegranate juice into 2 glasses. Pour the prosecco over. Serve.

Tessa Kiros, a good friend of Artviva, is an occasional special guest at the Authors, Artists and Aristocrats events giving visitors to Tuscany a chance to meet local authors, artists and aristocrats, including wine tasting and insights into Italian culture.

You can also learn about the traditional Italian ingredients and learn to make delicious, typical dishes before indulging in a delicious meal made by you by signing up for our hands-on cooking class in Florence.

In one glorious afternoon, have a ride in a gondola on our small-group Original Gondola Tour.

Visit San Marco ? St Mark’s ? on a guided tour and have our expert tour guide take you on a tour of the Doge’s Palace.

Conclude your day with a relaxing ride on the Grand Canal in a tradition Motoscafo water boat on the small-group Grand Canal tour.

This tour is part of our super-discounted Grand Italy Tour discounted tour package including small-group tours in Rome and small-group tours in Florence.

For more information, see www.italy.artviva.com or contact us at staff@artviva.com.