Hugo Spritz Cocktail
Author: Madeline Mahoney
Photographer: Karina Mak
While traveling in Florence, Italy, this summer, I discovered my new favorite cocktail – the Hugo Spritz. The Hugo Spritz is a more modern invention, created in 2005 in the Italian province of Naturns. This drink is delightfully refreshing with the perfect touch of sweetness from the elderflower liqueur.
My re-creation of the Hugo Spritz is relatively straightforward. Having experimented with different ingredients, I (unfortunately) concluded that the rather pricey St. Germain liqueur makes this drink as good as it is. My creations, which involved elderflower syrup rather than liqueur, turned out poorly. However, other, less expensive elderflower liqueurs on the market may deliver better results!
Recipe
Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Serves 2
Ingredients
One lime
A couple sprigs of mint
Two shots of St. Germain
Prosecco
Lime La Croix (or any other sparkling water)
Ingredients
Instructions
Pour a shot of St. Germain elderflower liqueur into each glass
Squeeze about half a lime’s worth of juice between the two glasses
Pinch off several mint leaves for each glass
Fill the glass about halfway with chilled prosecco
Top it off with Lime La Croix (or any other sparking water) to your liking
Now, if you close your eyes, you can pretend you are experiencing an Italian summer rather than autumn and winter in Chicago, where the sun sets at 4:30 pm!
Overall, this recipe has become my go-to cocktail. The Hugo Spritz is simple to make, but more importantly, delicious. Though the St. Germain liqueur was an investment, I have been making use of it. (Not to mention, it has functioned as a great piece of kitchen decor.) Finally, this recipe has been a hit with everybody who tried it, and one – obviously objective – friend said it was the best cocktail she ever had. I hope you try it out!
Finished Product