Is the Aperol Spritz the equivalent to boxed mac & cheese in the world of spritzes?

Several months ago, an article appeared in the New York Times that lambasted one of my favorite summertime beverages, the Aperol Spritz. Although the author makes it clear she enjoys spritzes in general, and offers some alternatives to Aperol that are “more nuanced,” she seems to find the Aperol spritz a poor representative of the genre. Aperol is too saccharine and syrupy, she says. The bubbles typically used are cheap, sweet prosecco, she adds. And in a final coup, she compares it unfavorably to Capri Sun. One could positively hear the gasps echoing around the internets. The nerve. The nerve.

She makes valid points, to be sure. But (and I may destroy my foodie cred right here and now) I do like mac & cheese from a box on occasion. Sometimes, nothing but boxed mac & cheese, bright orange powder and all, will do. It has to be certain brand, but still. And sometimes, on a warm summer evening, an Aperol spritz, refreshingly bubbly and just a little bitter, is just the ticket.

Yes, there are more sophisticated (and more bitter) amari one can use instead of Aperol. And no, you don’t want to use expensive champagne. And the club soda is essential. But a nice dry sparkling wine, with just enough bitter orange Aperol to be refreshing, and a splash of club soda to cut the sweetness, does the trick just fine.

I decided to do some taste-tasting around Ithaca. I can tell you which ones I liked the best. The ones I liked least will remain unnamed, not least because I like the bars and bartenders who made them. An excellent version can be found at The Rook, and, not surprisingly, Pasta Vitto makes a very refreshing one (now that they finally have their liquor license).