The Backsplash – Cocchi Americano Rosa and Solerno Cocktail
– Humphrey Bogart
Nowhere is Bogie’s sentiment more apt than when used to describe the vicissitudes of a home remodel. Selecting a backsplash for my kitchen has sent me into a tizzy. A tizzy, in case you are not familiar with the term, is Bart’s chosen descriptor for that peculiar state of mind that overcomes me when I am overwhelmed, angry or quite undone. It is not a compliment.
Help however, is not far behind, and it comes in the form of a cocktail, the Backsplash. This one is a combination of Cocchi Americano Rosa, the newest vino aromatizzato (aromatized wine) from The House of Cocchi and Solerno, a liqueur made of Sicilian oranges and lemons. The citrus in both liquors marry beautifully and the kiss of bitter in the Americano Rosa lends a most adult finish.
The formula is simple. It is 1:1, equal parts of both liquors shaken with ice and strained into a chilled cocktail glass. Please note I said cocktail glass, not salad bowl. I am referring, of course, to those eight or ten ounce abominations appropriate only for dessert… or photography. A proper cocktail is measured in ounces, not cup proportions. To my mind, two or three ounces is enough. More than that, and by the time I get to the bottom, my cocktail is room temperature, a sad state of affairs indeed.
Backsplash
serves 2
2 oz. Cocchi Americano Rosa
2 oz. Solerno
orange wheels for garnish
Chill the cocktail glasses. Fill a cocktail shaker half full with cracked ice and add liquors. Shake for thirty seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glasses.
Garnish with an orange wheel. Serve.
Note: You can click on any picture for a slide show!
I have no affiliation with any product, manufacturer, or site mentioned in this article.
Monday, April 29th 2013 at 2:14 am |
questo mi potrebbe interessare! 🙂
Monday, April 29th 2013 at 7:05 am |
Ciao Elena,
Adoro questi liquori. Entrambi sono italiani, naturalmente!
Monday, April 29th 2013 at 3:48 am |
Adri, although I am not a cocktail drinker, I must say that the pictures in this post are beautiful and striking and a real pleasure to look at!
Have a lovely Monday!
Monday, April 29th 2013 at 7:06 am |
Hi Andrea,
Thank you. These two liquors are so wonderful, they might make a drinker out of you!
Monday, April 29th 2013 at 6:51 am |
I really need to find this Salerno… these lovely Italian cocktails have really been a godsend to me this past year. I adore them and they don’t knock me out before dinner. So great that Cocchi is now so available.
Monday, April 29th 2013 at 7:08 am |
Hi Trevor,
Get yourself over to K&L in Hollywood or The Wine House in West LA. You will find them both there. I await a post from you with these two treasures.
Monday, April 29th 2013 at 2:09 pm |
Oh Adri – How wickedly wonderful. I simply MUST go find both of those and make myself a Backsplash. Please keep us informed of the kitchen backsplash progress too.
Monday, April 29th 2013 at 9:50 pm |
Hi Linda,
I say a Backsplash is good for what ails you! Cheers!
Monday, April 29th 2013 at 6:10 pm |
Oh Adri, I need to come have cocktails with you!
Monday, April 29th 2013 at 9:51 pm |
Any time Marie!
Monday, April 29th 2013 at 9:17 pm |
I must look for Solerno! It sounds so delicious, as does this wonderful cocktail combination with the cocchi americano rosa, Adri.
My kitchen backsplash is ceramic tile. I like it. I feel it is attractive, durable and timeless.
Monday, April 29th 2013 at 9:58 pm |
Hi Pat,
I just adore these two liquors. I hope you enjoy them too. I think you are right about ceramic tile, and these days there are so many gorgeous versions. I really think we will go with it. Who knew it would be so difficult to choose!
Tuesday, April 30th 2013 at 1:33 am |
Adri– I can totally relate — I feel like I live my life in a permanent TIZZY! I love your Backsplash – it looks like everything a tizzy is not — cool, calm, collected and sophisticated. And since you mentioned Humphrey Bogart– a man who always seemed so cool, calm, collected and sophisticated, I must say he has been on my mind. On the return from my recent trip to Marrakech, my husband and I had a strange flight plan. We flew from Marrakech to Casablanca where we landed at 7pm then we had a flight to Rome at 2am. So we took a taxi from the airport for 45 minutes to a glamourous seaside restaurant that someone had recommended to us. We ate a fabulous meal, drank wine and thought about Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. It was so romantic and such fun!
(I am now back in my usual Roman Tizzy between work and kids)
Tuesday, April 30th 2013 at 7:13 am |
Round up the usual suspects, Trisha. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Tuesday, April 30th 2013 at 6:59 am |
Lo provo, grazie!!!!!
Tuesday, April 30th 2013 at 7:14 am |
Alla tua salute!
Tuesday, April 30th 2013 at 8:00 am |
This cocktail looks just wonderful – what a gorgeous color! And I agree – some cocktails are just way too huge. Not only does it get warm before you can finish it, but it can really pack too much of a punch, alcohol-wise! I don’t need a 16 oz. martini, thank you very much! =P
Tuesday, April 30th 2013 at 8:09 am |
Thanks, Amy!
This trend with giant cocktails is WAY too much for me and as you note WAY too much of punch. I prefer to remember my evening!
Tuesday, April 30th 2013 at 4:38 pm |
I’m with you on the bathtubes that pass for cocktail glasses these days. Most “classic” cocktails contain less than 3 ounces booze (total) other ingredient will sometime affect the volume however. GREG
Tuesday, April 30th 2013 at 6:56 pm |
Hi Greg,
I am glad you concur. The large ones are great for panna cotta and gelato, but just downright silly for a serious cocktail.
Wednesday, May 1st 2013 at 4:40 am |
What a perfect looking cocktail! I could definitely go for one of these right now… and it’s not even 8 am!
Wednesday, May 1st 2013 at 6:52 am |
Thanks, Ashley! The way I figure it, it is always hour cocktail somewhere in the world!
Wednesday, May 1st 2013 at 1:10 pm |
I need to stop by your place during cocktail hour. Your drinking style is very appealing! I was out over the weekend and treated myself to a Cocchi Americano – now on the hunt for the Rosso version. The bianco is delicate, herbal and not too sweet. The Solerno not only looks gorgeous in the bottle, but contains my favorite citrus. Cin-cin!
Wednesday, May 1st 2013 at 2:19 pm |
Ciao Karen,
We have a future together! I am glad you liked the Bianco. I bet by June (when Cocchi plans the big roll-out) you will find the Rosso. I adore Solerno. And the bottle is a complete knock-out. It has won design competitions. You will flip once you get some. I look forward to seeing what you do with it! Cheers!
Friday, May 10th 2013 at 8:15 am |
I love this: “I said a cocktail glass, not a salad bowl.”
Friday, May 10th 2013 at 11:06 am |
Hi Trix,
I’m glad you like that. I just can not believe the size of some of cocktails. A cocktail must not be “super-size.”