sgroppino

quanto sei bello?

This is my entry for Mixology Monday with the theme being lemon. Jiggle The Handle is the host so visit the recap to find out what other lemon cocktails were produced for this blogging event.

My entry is the sgroppino, a classic beverage from the Veneto region in northern Italy that uses lemon gelato, prosecco and vodka.

I first drank this yummy cocktail on Capodanno 1998-1999 (New Years Eve). I was staying with family friends in Vittorio Veneto and, after a homemade dinner of wild boar and grilled radicchio, I was served a sgroppino as a digestive.

In Veneto they use vodka as the spirit of choice, but you could you grappa or limoncello if you prefer.

Italian lemon gelato is more like a sorbet and doesn’t include any milk/cream based products. I’ve noticed some American recipes call for cream and/or ice cream. I suppose you could add dairy, but why mess with a good thing?

The drink consistency should be a little runnier than a slushie and is the perfect pre or post dinner cocktail.

Sgroppino
Anna's recipe. Makes 4.
Ingredients:
2 cups lemon gelato, softened
1 cup Prosecco, chilled
4 tablespoons vodka (I used Absolut Citron)
1 tablespoon limoncello
Zest of one lemon
Method:
1. Chill 4 champagne flutes.
2. Shake gelato, limoncello and vodka in a shaker.
3. Add Prosecco and whisk through.
4. Serve immediately in chilled champagne flutes. Sprinkle lemon zest on top.

Unfortunately the one I made for this photo didn’t turn out quite right. I didn’t have enough gelato for the portions so it was lemony, but not the slushie like consistency it should have been.

Don’t let this photo fool you. A good sgroppino is an adult lemon slushie and your own little ticket to heaven no matter whether it’s sunshine or snow!