Looking for a festive, different cocktail to serve during the holidays? Try a Sgroppino, one of many beverages that use our favorite sparkling wine, Prosecco. We enjoy a prosecco aperitif pretty much daily on our Italy cycling holidays and Dolomite ski tours. Sometimes we ‘mix it up’ with a drink like a Sgroppino, where we get our daily prosecco fix in a icy, clean cocktail. Sgroppino can be served as a palate-cleansing aperitif, or as a dessert drink. The name roughly translates in the Venetian dialect as ‘untie’, referring to it’s rumored ability to relax the stomach after a large meal.

There are several different versions of this drink, which originated in Venice. Most include lemon sorbet, prosecco and vodka. In the mountains of Friuli, they leave out the prosecco – maybe the more rustic, heavier mountain foods requires a more direct approach to untying. I’ve also seen recipes which include heavy cream, which might be a nice addition if your sorbet is pretty icy, but I don’t find it necessary.
After several enjoyable attempts, I came up with the following recipe. The simplest recipes call for spooning lemon sorbet directly into a glass, and topping with prosecco and vodka. We found this a bit hard to consume, as the prosecco and vodka seemed to disappear well before the sorbet has melted. The recipe below results in a cold, smooth drink without ‘globs’ of lemon sorbet. Whatever form you prefer, the drink is great, and makes quite a festive holiday presentation when garnished with the green mint and red pomegranate seeds.

Sgroppino

Makes 1

1 large spoonful lemon sorbet (about 1/4 cup), softened slightly
3 ounces prosecco, chilled
1 ounce vodka, chilled
Sprig of mint
Pomegranate seeds

About 1/2 hour before making your drink, put the vodka and prosecco in your freezer to chill.

Place the softened lemon sorbet in a cocktail shaker, and whisk until smooth with a fork or small whisk. Add the prosecco and vodka, and shake well. Pour into a champagne flute or martini glass, and garnish with mint and a few pomegranate seeds. Serve.