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August 1st is National Spritz Day and the most famous spritz cocktail in the U.S. is the Aperol Spritz. We love it, but how about something new: a Mint Julep Spritz recipe (below)?
What’s a spritz?
A spritz is a wine-based cocktail made with prosecco, a bitter liqueur such as Aperol, Campari, or Cynar, and sparkling soda water (club soda, seltzer—the difference).
This recipe, from Hello Fresh’s Chef Carol England, adapts the spritz concept to a Mint Julep by adding seltzer.
“Spritz” is German for “squirt,” referring to the original soda siphons which squirted out carbonated water through a nozzle.
It is often called a spritzer in the U.S. (e.g., “I’ll have a wine spritzer”), but spritz (Spritz) is correct.
So get out the Bourbon, muddle the mint in a pitcher, and invite your favorite people to celebrate with you and a Mint Julep Spritz.
And note that there’s another day to enjoy this cocktail: While August 1st is National Spritz Day, May 30th is National Mint Julep Day.
RECIPE #1: SPICY MINT JULEP SPRITZ
If you don’t like spice, you can omit the jalapeño syrup and substitute plain simple syrup.
If you do like spice, you’ll be able to use jalapeño syrup in all the ways we’ve included below.
Ingredients For 8-10 Servings
1 bunch mint
2 cups Bourbon
1 cup jalapeño syrup (recipe below)
2 cups seltzer
Crushed Ice
Mint leaves for garnish
Jalapeño slices for garnish*
Preparation
1. MUDDLE the mint at the bottom of a pitcher until fragrant. Add the jalapeño syrup, Bourbon, and seltzer; stir to combine.
2. FILL the glasses with crushed ice and pour the cocktail over the ice. Garnish with mint leaves and jalapeño slices.
RECIPE #2: JALAPEÑO SYRUP
This is an infused simple syrup. It can be made up to a week ahead and kept in the fridge.
Simple syrup is “simply” a 1:1 combination of sugar and water, heated until dissolved.
You can infuse any flavor. Popular infusions include lavender, Meyer lemon, mint, and vanilla.
Ingredients
1 jalapeño plus more for garnish
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Preparation
1. HALVE the jalapeño lengthwise, leaving the seeds and ribs.
2. COMBINE the water, sugar, and halved jalapeño in a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
3. REMOVE from the heat and allow to cool. Strain out the jalapeño. You can store the syrup in the fridge for a week or more.
> The history of the Spritz.
> The Aperol Spritz recipe and origins.
USES FOR SIMPLE SYRUP
Many people are familiar with simple syrup only as a sweetener in cocktails. Here are other ways you can use plain or flavored (infused) simple syrup:
Breakfast: Drizzle infused syrup over pancakes instead of maple syrup; mix into plain yogurt; sweeten oatmeal.
Cakes: Moisten pound cake and other cakes by using a squeeze bottle to drizzle the syrup over the top, or make holes with the nozzle and squeeze in the syrup.
Cooking: Add to marinades for sweet heat (with jalapeño syrup).
Drinks: Sweeten iced tea, iced coffee, or lemonade (the syrup dissolves almost instantly, unlike granulated sugar); add to club soda.
Fruit: Garnish poached pears, other poached fruit, and compote; drizzle over fruit salad.
Sorbet: Use as part of the sugar in a sorbet recipe.
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[1] Mint Julep Spritz for a crowd: Get out your pitcher (photos #1 and #2 © Hello Fresh).
[2] The jalapeno syrup in the cocktail has numerous other uses (see below;).
[3] Fresh spearmint, the mint variety almost always sold in grocery stores and markets (photo © Good Eggs).
[4] A classic Mint Julep. Here’s the recipe (photo © Woodford Reserve).
[5] The classic Aperol Spritz. Here’s the recipe (photo © DeLallo).
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