Such global success seems to always come at a price, however. In this case, the casualty was the olive. To appeal to an international audience who preferred the zesty taste of the orange – and, according to Pasini, its cheaper price – there is no mention of the olive in the recipe on the label of the Aperol bottle (just the orange slice garnish). Most non-Italians I asked didn't even know an olive was ever an option. A taste for compromise seems to be taking over Padova too. My childhood friend Laura, who also dislikes the sweetness and "excessive ice" of the Aperol Spritz, prefers to mix Campari and Aperol together. Laura's partner Simone drinks it with half Campari and half Cynar. Yet, some Italians forgo the whole spritz and bitter liqueur tradition all together. In the small town of Schio, 35km north-east of Vicenza, they still drink spritz like the Austrians – with only wine and seltzer. And a few elegant organic wineries in Venice have now declared with a veiled pride that they are not the kind of place that serves spritzes, as "real connoisseurs" would never splash water in their wine. Like most of the own brands we found, Aperol has a strength of 11%. It was the recognisable apéritif I'd tasted many times before - reddish-orange in colour and bitter, sweet and fruity in taste. It had an almost coppery flavour, but enjoyed in my sunny garden, it was undeniably refreshing. It tasted like summer and, in all honesty, I was doubtful any of the others would compare. Asda Apertini

Since Aperol truly comes alive when combined with bubbles, the most seamless way to experiment with Aperol is to riff on that Spritz, says Grant Gedemer, the director of food and beverage at The Godfrey Hotel in Chicago who uses sparkling rosé instead of prosecco and adds fresh seasonal fruit. “You can also add it to a Gin & Tonic,” he says. “The dryness adds a nice complement to the citrus, and the effervescence brings out its flavor too.” No Prosecco. "We like to use traditional white wine from Veneto with Aperol," says Tom Ross from Polpo. "Then top with soda water and garnish with an olive and slice of lemon. You can use Campari instead of Aperol if that's more to your taste." It's a big loss for humanity," said Pasini. The olive garnish adds a touch of salt that tempers the sweetness, especially if you don't rinse the brine. And any serious bartender in Venice would add a full olive with the pit, which is part of the culture of the drink in the city. "There is always that awkward moment when you don't know where to put the pit," conceded Cozzella. "On the napkin? Next to the chips?"We love Aperol so much that we've even added it into our dessert recipes like our Aperol spritz trifle, Aperol upside down cake, Aperol spritz lollies and we've even added Aperol to these mince pies! Serve it with light Italian or Mediterranean-style nibbles. I mentioned my favorite burrata platter earlier, but antipasto skewers, a simple tomato bruschetta, or a plate of whipped feta with a side of pita chips are all good ideas! If you want to serve a little something sweet and salty, try melons wrapped in prosciutto. The aperol spritz is commonly served as an apéritif. Apéritifs are designed to be served before a meal to stimulate the appetite. They’re typically lightly alcoholic and more dry than sweet. Aperol – now by far the most popular spritz liqueur around the world – was invented in the nearby city of Padova in 1919 by brothers Luigi and Silvio Barbieri after seven years of experiments, macerating sour orange peels, gentian root, rhubarb and spices in their father's distillery. It was first advertised in the 1920s to drinkers who wanted to stay fit because of its low alcohol level (11%), and to women in the 1930s with the slogan, " Signora! Aperol keeps you thin". By the '80s, it was dirt-cheap and appreciated by regulars at every local bar in the Veneto region, creating a sort of spritz archipelago in the Po Valley, where the cities of Padova, Venice, Treviso and Vicenza would carry on the tradition, each with their own slightly different recipe. Aperol Spritz is best served with ice, in a large wine glass, garnished with a slice of orange, in good company.

Now that you have your glass, discover the original Aperol Spritz recipe to make this staple drink: Only Aperol will do here. Aperol is a bright orange apéritif. The brand describes the flavors as, “zesty orange with complex herbal scents harmonized with a touch of vanilla.” Look for Aperol near the liqueurs or amaros at the liquor store. 2) Prosecco This has the most vibrant colour and is a new release by Morrisons - which is perhaps why it was positioned right at the entrance of the shop I went to. They are selling it as a way "to enjoy a classic Summer Spritz for less". And that it is as it is the joint cheapest of the options we taste tested. Prosecco is an inexpensive Italian sparkling wine similar to Spanish Cava or French Champagne. I recommend choosing a dry (brut) Prosecco so you drink doesn’t turn out too syrupy or sweet. Good choices range from 12 to 18 dollars. 3) Club soda Classic aperol spritz is made of aperol, prosecco, and club soda (or soda water). In my recipe, I skip the club soda in favor of a little freshly squeezed orange juice. Orange juice adds a little natural sweetness to balance the bitterness of the aperol.It came second in our taste test. There was a really rich caramel and orange flavour. When you shut your eyes and smelt it, you could imagine it warm at Christmas time quite easily. If, like my mum, you've never heard of Aperol until now - it's an Italian bitter apéritif, known for its distinctive bright orange colour and unique bittersweet taste. In my non-expert opinion, it tastes like boozy orange peel, but add it to prosecco with a splash of soda water and it creates something magical... Aperol Spritz.