How to Make a French Martini Italian

Summer's coming . . .

A better French Martini [Photo Credit: Gresey]

It may be winter when The Italian Lesson opens, but as summer approaches us, we want you to be ready for hot summer days and warm summer evenings with an easy-to-make cocktail that will make you feel like you jumped into a cool ocean during a heat wave.

Typically made with Chambord, the French Martini becomes much better if we make it with an Italian twist—use Crème de Cassis instead of Chambord and (our favorite part) add extra-dry Prosecco.

INGREDIENTS [Serves 2]

• 2 oz. vodka

• 1 oz. Crème de Cassis

• 1 oz. pineapple juice

• Ice

• 2 oz. Prosecco

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour vodka, Crème de Cassis, and pineapple juice into a cocktail shaker over ice. Shake to get as cold as possible. Strain it into a martini glass.

2. Add Prosecco.  

Or you can pour into an old-fashioned glass over large ice cubes .

For a delicious semi-mocktail, pour equal parts pineapple juice and San Pellegrino over ice and add a Crème de cCassis floater (the liquer has a low alcohol content of only 15%). For a straight-up mocktail, simply replace the Crème de Cassis with the same amount of black currant syrup.

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Kir Royale [Photo Credit: sarymsakov]

Do you want a cocktail that’s lighter and drier? Just hold the vodka, ice, and pineapple juice and you wind up with an absolute classic: the Kir Royale.

All you have to do is add one ounce of Crème de Cassis to four ounces of Prosecco—fresh raspberries optional—and you have the perfect cocktail to sip while watching the sunset over Tuscan vineyards. Salute!