Aperol Spritz

Greetings all!                        

I have recently discovered a delicious Italian cocktail that is perfect for hot days. It's bubbly, it's bitter, it's refreshing! And it follows a fun and easy-to-remember formula: 3-2-1!  

Image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/aperol-spring-994891/

Ingredients:

• 3 parts Prosecco
• 2 parts Aperol
• 1 part soda water
• Ice cubes
• Orange slice for garnish 

Instructions:

• Mix all ingredients in a chilled wine glass with ice and stir gently. 
• Garnish with an orange slice.

Variation:

• If you like grapefruit, you might enjoy this non-traditional variation: half Aperol + half Grapefruit Sparling Soda!

Aperol spritz has an interesting history, too! Apparently, the word “spritz” goes all the way back to the 1800s when visitors to the Veneto region of Italy found Italian wines so strong that they lightened them with a splash of water – “spritz” in German. Why German? Because at that time, the Austro-Hungarian Empire controlled some areas of northern Italy.

As with everything in life, things evolved: from water to bubbly soda water, then fortified wines, and finally the liqueurs.

Aperol was born in 1919, after seven years of experimentation by brothers Luigi and Silvio Barbieriand, who named it after the French term for apéritif: "Apéro."

Bon Appetit! Let me know how you like it!

Sources:

• https://www.tastingtable.com/1612982/original-ratio-aperol-spritz/
• https://insanelygoodrecipes.com/aperol-spritz/#wpzoom-premium-recipe-card
• https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/drinks/a28748705/aperol-spritz-drink-recipe-history/

Thought of the week – Your Decision-Making Muscles

Image from https://www.pickpik.com/decisions-right-false-here-there-opportunity-53141#google_vignette

“Most of us have weak decision-making muscles. We do not realize what it means to make a real decision. We fail to recognize the force of change that a truly congruent, committed decision makes. 

The word “decision” comes from Latin roots, with de meaning “down” or “away from” and caedere meaning “to cut.” Therefore, a decision means cutting from any other possibility. A true decision means you are committed to achieving a result and cutting yourself off from any other possibility. 

Committed decisions show up in two places: your calendar and your bank account. No matter what you say you value, or even think your priorities are, you have only to look at last year’s calendar and bank account to see the decisions you have made about what you truly value. 

See how you have reserved your time. Look at your expenditures. Those are the trails to the decisions you have made.” 

~ Carole Hildebrand 

[as read on https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1/march-16-2023]

Selection of Funnies: Cattitude

Source (and more Cattitude images!): https://www.boredpanda.com/one-panel-cat-comics-cattitude-anthony-smith-part-2/

Visiting Sicily

Easy Sautéed Spinach

Greetings all!

If you want to add more spinach to your life (and who doesn't!), here is a wonderful easy recipe! 

Image: Elise Bauer

Ingredients:

• 2 large bunches spinach, about 1 pound
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Butter (optional)

Directions:

• Clean and drain spinach.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat.
• (Optional) Add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, until the garlic just begins to brown.
• Add the spinach to the pan, packing it down a bit if you need to with your hand. Use a couple of spatulas (or tongs) to lift the spinach and turn it over in the pan, so you coat more of it with the olive oil and garlic. Do this a couple of times. Cover the pan and cook for 1 minute. Uncover and turn the spinach over again. Cover the pan and cook for an additional minute. I really liked this detailed instruction!
• Remove from heat and drain the excess liquid.
• Sprinkle with salt to taste. 
• (Optional) Top with butter.

Bon Appetit! Let me know how you like it!

Sources:

• https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/spinach/
• https://www.food.com/recipe/garlic-sauteed-spinach-112248