Even with a lingering chill in the air, we’re eager to welcome spring — and that means diving into warmer weather drinks. If you’re craving something lemony, check out the new Limoncello Spritz in 12-ounce cans from Fabrizia Spirits, a Salem, N.H., family-run company crafting limoncello (an Italian lemon liqueur) owned by brothers Phil and Nick Mastroianni. The ready-to-drink cocktail with 7 percent alcohol is a convenient take on their bottled version made with the same recipe and only three ingredients — Fabrizia’s limoncello, Italian sparkling wine, and a splash of soda water. It’s easy drinking to bring to a cookout, picnic, or just grabbing from the fridge, and has a refreshing bubbly balance of sweetness, bitter, and zest.
The Mastroianni brothers began making limoncello in their parents’ garage in Newton, using a family recipe. They officially launched the company in 2008, and it has grown steadily with a lineup that includes various limoncellos, alcoholic sodas, and cocktails, all made with lemons imported directly from the company’s own grove in Syracuse, Sicily. The Sicilian lemons are well-known for their intense aroma and naturally sweeter, milder taste, and infuse Fabrizia’s drinks with a vibrant flavor. And the company’s reach is now national, with their limoncello even featured at The Italy Pavilion in Epcot at Disney World, where visitors go through 1,000 bottles a month.
It stands to reason that the company motto is “Live Life Zesty.’’
Limoncello Spritz comes in a 4-pack, $11.99. Available at Wine & Cheese Cask, 407 Washington St., Somerville, 617-623-8656; Marty’s Liquors, 675 Washington St., Newton, 617-332-1230; Kappy’s Fine Wine & Spirits, 104 Washington St., Norwell, 781-878-5042; One Stop Liquors, 265 Main St., North Reading, 978-664-5555, and others, or go to
fabrizia spirits.com
.
ANN TRIEGER KURLAND
Ann Trieger Kurland can be reached at anntrieger@gmail.com.
