Ring in the New Year with a frothy Italian sgroppino.
I first had a sgroppino in Carole (CAH-OHR-LAY) a resort town on the Adriatic near Venice with our Italian cousins. Traditionally made with lemon sorbet, vodka and Prosecco, it is common in Italy as a palate cleanser or after dinner (dessert) drink. In Italian sgroppino (scro-peen-yo) means to “loosen” or “untie”. in other words relax and wouldn’t we all like to untie ourselves from the stresses of the past year. The drink has a creamy, sweet tang and is usually served during the summer in Italy but its light, tart flavor and festive froth makes a perfect cocktail for New Year’s Eve or the brunch that follows. If there are kids at the table you can substitute ginger ale or a sparkling soda for Prosecco so they can join in.
The proper glass for serving an Italian sgroppino is either a champagne flute or a coupe, a stemmed cocktail glass with a wide saucer-like bowl. Mixologists favor the coupe because the wide mouth of the bowl allows you to take in the scents and flavors you'd otherwise miss in a champagne flute. You can also use a parfait glass or white wine glass. Any style of glass that supports the bubbles and shows off the froth.
To make a sgroppino you need to start with chilled glasses and chilled Prosecco. In a small stainless steel bowl or pitcher, whisk together 1-1/2 cups of lemon sorbet, 3/4 cups chilled Prosecco and 1/4 cup chilled vodka. Gently whisk the ingredients in a bowl until the sorbet and liquids form into a smooth, icy mixture. Do not use a blender. You don’t want the blend too thick nor too thin. When pouring the mixture into the chilled glasses, a delicate layer of foam should develop and eventually rise to the top.
If you are making this drink by the glass, whisk 1 cup chilled Prosecco with 1 T of chilled vodka and a scoop (1/3 cup) of sorbet. Pour into a chilled flute or coupe. Serve immediately.
Cin-Cin!
NOTE: We like to use Talenti Roman Raspberry Sorbet for a holiday sgroppino to add a festive note of color at our New Year’s celebration.
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