La Bicicletta
La Bicicletta
In keeping with the playing card theme and to celebrate the most widely used cards in the world, I’m toasting the Verso Box with La Bicicletta. My own copy of Verso uses the beautiful gold and silver Aurora line of Bicycle cards. Founded in 1872, the Russel, Morgan & Co. printed its first deck of the famous playing cards, which featured mirror imaged bicycles on the backs, in 1881, before it became known as the United States Playing Card Company in 1894. Over the years many secrets and codes have been incorporated into the images on these playing cards, only furthering their appeal to magicians and puzzle lovers alike.
The classic Italian spritz
La Bicicletta is a classic Italian spritz made with Campari, white wine and soda water. Named (like all good classics, the name provenance is suspect) for the typical Italian elderly male swerving on his bicycle after one too many afternoon drinks, it is a traditional aperitivo composed of two very popular evening appetite stimulants – dry white wine, and the ubiquitous Italian red bitter Campari. A true spritz is simply this combination of a bitter liqueur, wine and some bubbles which soften and lengthen the drink, which is already low in alcohol content, to make it even less potent and last longer. It’s a perfect drink to sip at an afternoon café with a view. Jeff Morgenthaler makes a great version that I once featured with Cynar rather than Campari that he carbonates and bottles ahead of time. Try your own variation depending on what bitter liqueur and wine you have on hand. Cheers!
Tandem Bicycle
La Bicicletta
2 oz Campari
2 oz dry white wine
Club soda
Pour Campari and wine into a tall glass. Add ice and top with soda. Orange slice garnish is traditional.