It feels like the rain has been falling for a year. Day after day we have had dreary grey clouds and heavy rain drops plopping down all around. There is something so difficult about a seemingly endless run of rain that makes everything seem to move in slow motion. Fortunately, this week ended with a sudden stop to the rain. The sun broke through the clouds and revealed that spring is present in Tokyo after all. Just in time for Cocktail Friday. What a relief!
The cocktail I chose for today is one that works as a perfect beginning to a spring meal. Campari, sparkling wine, and rosemary compliment one another perfectly. Campari has always been a confusing spirit for me. I haven’t really been a huge fan of its bitter flavor, although I love the vibrant red color. One thing I consistently love is using herbs to infuse my cocktails. If I could write an entire book full of cocktail recipes based on herbs, I would do it in a heart beat. There are so many deliciously sensual scents and flavors that herbs can bring to cocktails making them romantic and unique.
I found a recipe for a Campari-Fennel Aperitif on the Food & Wine website the other day and simply had to try it. I couldn’t find any fennel at the grocery stores here in Tokyo, but I did find rosemary. The gentle sweetness of sparkling wine (prosecco in this case), the bitter, red Campari and strong, earthy flavor of the rosemary work together to create an elegant, effortless cocktail perfect for whetting the appetite.
Brad and I are celebrating our new apartment with a housewarming party tomorrow afternoon and this lovely little aperitif will be the perfect way to toast with our friends. I may even go crazy and try using basil instead of rosemary. I know. I’m so unpredictable.
Cheers to a long-awaited Cocktail Friday!
Campari-Rosemary Aperitif
Makes 1 drink
Adapted from Food & Wine
2 rosemary sprigs, plus extra for garnish
3 oz. dry sparkling wine
1 oz. Campari
ice
Muddle the rosemary and Campari in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add the sparkling wine and gently stir. Strain into a glass filled with ice and garnish with a rosemary sprig.
