What could be better than beautiful summer weather? Beautiful summer weather plus delicious summery cocktails, of course!

We recently caught up with the delightful Alessandro Bonucci of B Espresso Bar in Toronto and asked him for his best inside tips for making fantastic summer cocktails.

ChickAdvisor: Alessandro, what’s important when you’re making cocktails?

Alessandro Bonucci: I love to make simple cocktails that have only three or four ingredients in them. In summer, of course, it’s great to use fresh fruit.

CA: Can you pick your favourite classic Italian cocktail?

AB: One of my favourites is the Americano. It’s a pre-dinner drink that’s very popular in Italy, very simple and refreshing.


Americano
* 1 oz Campari
* 1 oz Sweet Vermouth (red)
* soda water

Chill a highball glass in the freezer. Before pouring in the ingredients, twist a slice of orange into the chilled glass. Add some ice. Rim the glass with orange peel, then add the Campari, Vermouth and soda water.

AB: Another classic is ‘Pink Summer.’

Pink Summer
* 1 egg white
* 1/4oz fresh lime juice
* 1/4oz simple syrup (you can buy this or make it yourself by mixing equal parts sugar and hot water and then chilling the mixture)
* 1 oz Campari
* 1/2oz maraschino cherry juice (Alessandro’s tip: make sure you get the good quality stuff!)
* 1/2oz Grey Goose vodka infused with fresh pineapple (you can make this yourself - just add fresh pineapple to vodka and let it sit for up to two days) or pineapple juice
* fresh mint

Put all the ingredients in a shaker and shake briefly. Add some ice to the shaker and shake hard for 7-8 seconds. Serve in a chilled glass, garnished with a mint leaf.

Alessandro then shared a new watermelon martini he recently invented, in honour of some good friends.

PR808
* fresh watermelon, cut into small chunks
* 4 mint leaves
* 1/4oz fresh lime juice
* 1/4oz simple syrup
* 1/2oz Cointreau
* 1 1/2oz Grey Goose vodka

Put four watermelon pieces in a shaker with the mint leaves, lime juice and simple syrup. Muddle for 5-6 seconds, just enough to bruise the mint. Add some ice cubes, the vodka and Cointreau. Shake for 7-8 seconds. Pour into a chilled martini glass, rimmed with orange peel. Garnish with a little slice of watermelon.

CA: That sounds so good I’m going to have to make one right away. Thanks Alessandro!  

B Espresso Bar’s new location, at the Royal Conservatory of Music (Bloor and Avenue) opens this week in Toronto.

by Jo Rivard