Raspberry Limoncello Spritzer (cocktail recipe).

I can't help myself...I'm still crushin' on raspberries this month! I never used to be that into raspberries for some reason. Maybe I worshiped the ever-so-popular strawberry for a little too long? I'm reminded of that scene from the movie Sideways where Paul Giamatti and Maya Rudolph discuss how everyone is into Cabernet Sauvignon because it’s so popular and prosaic, yet the beautiful and delicate Pinot Noir, while equally tasty, can sometimes be overlooked – well, not anymore for that matter.

Anyway, I guess I never gave raspberries a real chance until this summer, but now that I have, I’m in deep. After I created my Raspberry and Basil Margaritas, I decided to try another new cocktail recipe with raspberries and I wound up with an amazing Raspberry Limoncello Spritzer. I made this recipe with some homemade limoncello from my refridgerator, raspberry syrup, fresh lemon juice and sparkling lemon water. It’s so easy!

When I wasn’t drinking an Aperol Spritz during my time in Italy, you could definitely catch me sipping on the occasional Limoncello while I was there. Limoncello is a popular summer-time-drinking Italian lemon liqueur and it works great in cocktails. Now take the fact that I have an abundant lemon tree outside my place and tons of leftover vodka from my wedding, so of course I made Limoncello (recipe coming soon!). The sparkling lemon water added at the end to this drink lightens it up and adds the perfect amount of effervescence.

Does the pretty pink color of this cocktail make me love it even more? You bet! Can you imagine serving this beauty at a shower of some sort? The ladies would go crazy, especially if you serve them in beautiful glassware with a gorgeous garnish. If you’re looking for a slightly sweet and sour cocktail with some fruity pizzazz this summer, then you’ll definitely want to give my Raspberry and Limoncello Spritzer and go :)

Raspberry Limoncello Spritzer

Ingredients:

1 oz limoncello

1 vodka

3/4 oz *raspberry simple syrup

2 - 3 oz sparkling soda water

ice

Garnish:

lemon peel

raspberry

thyme sprig

*raspberry simple syrup:

Bring a 1/2 cup of water and a 1/2 cup of sugar to a boil and stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add 12 muddled raspberries. Let steep for 30 minutes. Strain if you prefer no seeds. Refrigerate for up to a week in an airtight container.

Directions:

In a cocktail shaker, add limoncello, vodka, raspberry simple syrup and some ice. Secure shaker top and shake until tin turns frosty cold. Strain liquid into a glass of fresh ice and garnish.