Autumn has arrived and, with it, so have the colours of the leaves in the streets, the first rains, the first cold and, of course, the typical tastes and flavours of this season, so loved and so hated.
Even the cocktail sector adapts to seasonal changes and there are numerous ideal drinks to enjoy in autumn, in the company of friends, in the warmth of a bar or in your living room: from the Cosmopolitan to the Manhattan, let’s find out together the perfect flavours for this particular time of year.
Cocktails matching autumn: from the Cosmopolitan to the Negroni
The arrival of a new season is synonymous with major changes, not only in the climate and temperatures, but also in the tastes and flavours of our traditions.
We start lighting up stoves and fireplaces and, on evenings at the bar or at home in the company of friends, we often prefer to be accompanied by a good cocktail that reminds us of autumn. There are numerous drinks that go particularly well with this season, its colours, its scents, its suggestions. One of the ideal cocktails for autumn is the traditional Cosmopolitan.
Its pink colour is a joy to the eyes and matches the colours of autumn leaves, which are often characterised by bright and colourful hues. Its ingredients, on the other hand, are an experience for the palate: from vodka and cointreau to lime and blueberry syrup, they give a balanced taste that swings between sweet and sour.
Another traditional cocktail to pair with the autumn season is the Negroni, a timeless must that never gets old. Suitable for those who prefer decidedly strong flavours, it consists of gin, campari and red vermouth: a formula that satisfies our taste buds especially in autumn.
Its red colour also recalls autumn leaves and its taste goes well with strong flavours, such as hot and spicy, but also with a meat dish: the ideal accompaniment for our autumn dinners.
Traditionally, cocktails are accompanied by chopped fruit for savoring. Strawberries, lime, orange, pineapple, melon, passion fruit, but also herbs such as mint. In fact, the ingredients that make up our beloved drinks find their perfect match in fruit, creating a wonderful synergy of flavors. Let’s find out together which fruits are the most popular to accompany cocktails.
How to pair fruit with cocktails: orange, pineapple and lime
Fruit is often a star ingredient in the preparation of cocktails. It allows the drink composition to be given a hint of acidity or sweetness, depending on the specific ingredients applied, and pieces of fruit can be enjoyed both inside our glass or chalice and outside it. The assortment of accompanying fruit is wide and varied, and also depends on the type of cocktail we have just ordered.
Next to the Spritz, for example, a nice slice of orange can never be missing. The composition of this beloved aperitif cocktail invokes sour notes and, for this reason, the best pairing is the citrus fruit par excellence of Italian tradition. If, on the other hand, we move to an alternative with sweeter and more enveloping tones, such as the Piña Colada, from citrus fruit we move to one of the most popular exotic fruits: pineapple. The composition of white rum, coconut milk and pineapple juice creates a synergy of unmistakable flavors and, for this, the best accompanying fruit is a nice slice of pineapple to enjoy along with the drink.
Lime, then, is another citrus fruit that is quite recurrent in cocktail preparation. Have you ever enjoyed a margarita? In this case, the lime is the main ingredient and releases its unmistakable acrid flavor: this is another reason why it fits perfectly.
Cocktails and fruit: pairings between tradition and originality
Not only orange, pineapple and lime: strawberries also pair perfectly with cocktails, releasing a hint of sweetness as well as color. Strawberry is an ingredient that can be paired with multiple compositions: with Daiquiri, for example, but also with Caipiroska. Then there are more versatile cocktails, such as the Sex on the beach, which can be surrounded by the color and flavor of numerous fruit varieties: from orange to blueberries, from white melon to passion fruit.
But not only fruit: herbs can also accompany the iconic cocktails of our tradition. Think, for example, of the Mojito, which, in addition to lime, is composed of mint leaves that give it an unmistakable flavor. With the appropriate combinations of ingredients, original and alternative solutions can be created thanks to the thousands of flavors and colors of our land, from fruit to herbs.
The cocktail, after all, is a multisensory experience that combines unmistakable scents and flavors. And that creates contrasts of different textures, from the drink we sip to the fruit that, piece by piece, we savor. At Smile Tree you can choose from numerous alternatives, made with extreme care and originality: discover our venue in the Quadrilatero Romano, a true oasis of fun and nightlife in Turin.
La vie en rose is a symbolic cocktail of its kind, being one of those choices that is never missing from menus but which, from bar to bar, is customised to the utmost. The philosophy of this drink is the same (enhancing the floral flavours of the ingredients through a peculiar colour tending to pink) but it is available in countless versions depending on the versatility of the bartenders. Among the variants of La vie en rose, the one proposed by Smile Tree is a must-try.
La vie en rose: the exaltation of floral tones, colours and flavours
There are cocktails that are unmistakable and that, thanks to the composition of fixed ingredients, create a specific blend of flavours that is difficult to customise. And then there are those drinks that, while remaining true to themselves and the philosophy for which they were created, can vary without ever really distorting themselves.
Take, for example, La vie en rose, one of the best known and most popular cocktails which, despite its single origin, is available in countless variations. The idea behind it is to create a product that enhances the floral flavours and aromas on the one hand, and the typical colours of the flower on the other. Thus, in addition to grappa or vermouth as the base of the drink, rosewater infusions or syrups can be used to recreate the beauty of a rose in a cocktail glass.
La vie en rose, named after the famous song by Edith Piaf, thus enhances the flavours and colours of nature, beauty and femininity. A product recreated in numerous variations according to the creativity and style of each bartender, who revisits the original recipe in his or her own way.
La vie en rose: try the variant proposed by Smile Tree
Smile Tree also offers a rather original variant of La vie en rose on its menu. Here too, there is no lack of colours, flavours and floral tones to decorate and embellish the cocktail, albeit with a recipe that calls for the mixing of three main ingredients. In addition to smoked vermouth fumigà (the real Turin vermouth proposed by Smile Tree), our La vie en rose also combines rose-infused Campari with port.
The combination of these ingredients restores to our palate the unmistakable flavour of vermouth combined with Campari, which, combined in an original way with the taste of roses, creates a unique product. Among the countless existing versions of La vie en rose, come and try ours and treat yourself to the privilege of an absolutely unmissable olfactory and gustatory experience.
In addition to La vie en rose, we specialise in the preparation of numerous other pre- and post-meal drinks, all rigorously revisited in the style of our barmen. Visit us in our bar in Piazza della Consolata in Turin, the centre of the Quadrilatero nightlife. Taste our products, accompanied by original supports and serving dishes and presented in our genuine and welcoming manner.
Il Natale ha tutto un altro sapore con le proposte di drink di Smile Tree!
Durante questo periodo dell’anno, la vita scorre tra pranzi, cenoni in famiglia e scambi di regali. Per intervallare i pasti opulenti, per digerire, per socializzare meglio e per stupire i vostri ospiti, vi suggeriamo qualche idea natalizia nelle bevande e drink. Il Natale, si sa, è da sempre il momento più magico dell’anno, è sinonimo di famiglia, calore e allegria, ma spesso significa anche qualche occasione formale di troppo, cene forzate, portate infinite ed è subito.. voglia di cocktail! E allora cosa c’è di meglio di un gustosissimo drink per affrontare al meglio le festività? I drink natalizi hanno spesso qualche nota speziata, un richiamo alla frutta stagionale di dicembre e sfumature eleganti adatte a questa occasione. Inoltre, per lasciare a bocca aperta i vostri commensali, è buona norma presentarli in modo divertente, coreografico e colorato.
Noi di Smile Tree vi proponiamo alcune ricette di cocktail di Natale che potrete preparare comodamente da casa, semplici ma d’effetto, che stupiranno i vostri ospiti e daranno subito vivacità al menù delle feste.
Americano con Vermouth storico di Torino Cocchi
Simbolo dell’aperitivo per eccellenza, l’Americano è un cocktail facile da preparare da casa, dal gusto unico ed è perfetto per accompagnare l’aperitivo anche durante le feste. La versione che proponiamo è semplice, minimale e.. tutta torinese!
Al sapore amaro e rinfrescante del Campari e degli agrumi, consigliamo di unire il Vermouth Cocchi di Torino. Lo storico vino liquoroso dal colore ambrato conferisce al drink un sapore intenso e morbido.
Ecco la ricetta del nostro Americano con Vermouth Cocchi per dare un taglio dinamico al vostro Natale:
● 30 ml Campari ● Soda (una spruzzata) q.b. ● 1 scorza di limone ● Vermouth Cocchi 30 ml ● ½ fetta arancia ● Ghiaccio q.b.
A Long Time
“A Long Time” è un cocktail molto natalizio che trovate tra le proposte del nostro Cocktail bar a Torino e che potete replicare facilmente anche da casa. A Long Time è composto da parti uguali di rum diplomatico, pimento dram e amaretto ed è ideale per concludere in modo intenso il cenone della Vigilia. Ramato, carico e luminoso alla vista, questo cocktail pervade l’olfatto con sentori speziati di cannella, chiodi di garofano e noce moscata, derivati dal pimento.
Caratterizzato da persistenti sensazioni dolci-piccanti, questo drink è perfetto per stupire i palati dei vostri commensali con un esplosione di sapori intensi e vibranti.
● 2 parti di Rum ● 1 parte di Pimento Dram ● 1 parte di Amaretto ● stecche di cannella, amaretti e cioccolato per decorare
Drink analcolico con lo zenzero
Per gli amanti dei drink analcolici ecco un cocktail dissetante e piacevole che, con le sue note pungenti dello zenzero, conquisterà i palati di ogni commensale. Questo cocktail con zenzero, lime e cedrata è adatto sia come aperitivo ma anche perfetto da gustare dopo le cene delle feste.
Ecco la ricetta del nostro drink analcolico con lo zenzero per vivere emozioni forti anche durante le feste natalizie:
● Ghiaccio in cubetti ● 12 cl di ginger ale ● 0,5 cl di cedrata ● 0,5 cl di succo di lime fresco (o di cedro) ● ½ cm di zenzero tritato ● Menta fresca ● ½ cm di zenzero tritato
