The Sgroppino al limone (lemon Sgroppino) – a weird name for a simple drink. A summer drink, really. Lemon sorbet, vodka, sparkling wine, blended – what’s not to like? It is definitely on the sweet side, which makes it a dessert drink despite the absence of creamy ingredients. While this Venetian drink might not be the most sophisticated one, it is most certainly delicious.
What the hell is a Sgroppino?
The traditional Sgroppino consists of nothing more than these three ingredients, yet one can, of course, imagine numerous variations. While non-traditional, other flavors of sorbet or a flavored vodka might be used. Another, less obvious choice that one has when preparing a Sgroppino is the choice of texture. Depending on the amount of blending, a Sgroppino can be anything from a completely liquid cocktail to an alcoholic ice cream. A way to avoid an overly liquid Sgroppino is re-freezing the mix after blending.
As mentioned before, the lemon flavor is not obligatory. However, we decided to stick with the Sgroppino al limone and modify it in another way – we will even bump up the lemon flavor! The following recipe contains five layers of lemon: traditional lemon sorbet, lemon-flavored vodka, some Limoncello (the famous italian lemon liqueur) for sweetness, some lemon juice for some acidic freshness and the oils from a lemon peel for an amazing lemony smell.
Combine all ingredients except the prosecco in a blender or drink mixer and pulse until smooth. Try to melt the sorbet as little as possible while still achieving a homogeneous constistency.
Add the prosecco to the blended mixture and fold it in using a spoon. Again, try to make it smooth with as little agitation as possible in order not to loose the bubbles in the prosecco.
Pour the drink into a glass of choice and garnish with lemon zest and mint. For instance, you can use a small highball glass or some stemmed cocktail glass.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine all ingredients except the prosecco in a blender or drink mixer and pulse until smooth. Try to melt the sorbet as little as possible while still achieving a homogeneous constistency.
Add the prosecco to the blended mixture and fold it in using a spoon. Again, try to make it smooth with as little agitation as possible in order not to loose the bubbles in the prosecco.
Pour the drink into a glass of choice and garnish with lemon zest and mint. For instance, you can use a small highball glass or some stemmed cocktail glass.
The verdict
Now let’s look at the flavor map. First of all and not surprisingly: This drink BOMBS you with lemon flavor. It tastes neither salty nor bitter, but is really just a sweet and sour balance (though clearly on the sweet side). Still unsurprisingly, lemon is the only flavor component. Hence, the drink is fruity, but not herbaceous, mineral or creamy. Due to the lack of complexity, the drink is quite smooth.
To summarize, this drink is really good, but quite simple in taste. If you are into sour drinks, you might even find it is a bit sweet – just add some more lemon juice 🙂
