the spritz

We’re back in Munich for a couple of weeks. One of my favorite parts of spending time in new place is often just seeing the different ways that people do things, the little things that we naturally assume are the same way everywhere. For instance, my first time in Europe I was really surprised to find that the beds have only fitted sheets with single-sized duvets folded on top; double beds will have two single duvets instead of a large one.

Another difference in Europe, versus most parts of the United States, is that water is not automatically served at restaurants. If you want water to drink with your meal, you have to request and buy it by the bottle, and it is usually sparkling mineral water (although you will sometimes be asked if you’d rather still, without gas).

Some of these little things will make you appreciate or miss the way things are done at home, but sometimes you find something that you will carry home with you like a souvenir, and changes slightly your daily life. Such is the custom of drinking a spritz in Bavaria. 

I had never heard of a spritz before, but every single menu we saw in Munich had at least an Aperol Spritz listed. Wine glasses filled with bright orange liquid stood out in the seas of tables in every restaurant and bottles of Aperol decorated every bar. 

The spritz is usually a mix of prosecco, bitter liquor, and sparkling mineral water, Aperol is obviously the bitters used in an Aperol Spritz. Another popular one in Munich is the really tasty Hugo, a mix of prosecco, elderflower syrup, spearmint, and sparkling mineral water garnished with lime. 

We made a point of trying a bunch of spritzes during our trip, and the best tasting had to be the Maria Spritz at Cafe Maria, garnished with a Haribo twin cherries gummy:

Hubby and I stopped drinking beer a while back in favor of a nightly glass of red wine, and from now on that will definitely change to a nightly red wine spritz. I can’t wait to find my own everyday version as soon as we get home, although I’m guessing it will probably just be a glass of my favorite soft red wine diluted with sparkling mineral water and a slice of lime.