To use the compote in baking, Moua had to drain off the excess liquid, which created a flavorful syrup. Not one to let something so tasty go waste, Moua gave the rhubarb syrup to bar manager Sarah Atkinson, who turned it into a sophisticated version of an Italian soda by mixing it with a little lime juice and soda water.
So why turn it into a spritz? “We’re all a little dehydrated in the summer,” Atkinson says, “and all you really need for a good spritz is a sunny day, a little bit of ice cold bubbles, and maybe a patio.”
Which is why, more than any other drink, a good spritz tastes like the essence of summer. A spritz offers more than refreshment — it invites a pause, a moment of connection and a taste of la dolce vita, whether you’re enjoying a late afternoon aperitivo in Rome or at a backyard patio with these DIY recipes for Earl Grey Duck Spritz, Midnight Spritz, Negroni Sbagliato and Rhuby Tuesday Spritz.
The Earl Grey Duck Spritz cocktail at Pink Ivy in Hopkins starts with a tea-infused vodka and muddled blueberries. (Anthony Soufflé/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
While this fun and inventive cocktail from Jake Jarecki at Pink Ivy takes a couple of steps to make, they are both ultra quick and easy and well worth the effort.