This Is Italy
Italy is of course known for the many wines and liqueurs that the country has to offer. That's why we already paid attention to tasty Italian summer drinks. But sometimes you prefer something without alcohol. Fortunately, there are also many non-alcoholic drinks that are worth trying when you go to Italy this year (by the way, you can also get some of these drinks in the Netherlands, so you can enjoy an alcohol-free drink from your backyard). sweet life can enjoy).
Below are ten non-alcoholic Italian summer drinks that are guaranteed to keep you cool this summer!
Table of contents
crodino
This is probably one of the most famous non-alcoholic drinks in Italy. This drink is made with herbs, spices (including coriander and nutmeg) and subtropical fruit extracts. These are added to mineral water from the old water source Lisiel which is located near Lake Maggiore.
This mix provides Crodino's characteristic bittersweet taste. Crodino is best served ice cold, possibly over a cube of ice and with a slice of orange.
chinotto
Chinotto is a drink that resembles Crodino. They both have a characteristic bitter taste. However, the Chinotto has been somewhat forgotten over the years. Although the Italians still drink Chinotto, the drink is hardly known in other countries.
This carbonated drink, which resembles cola because of its dark color, is based on the eponymous fruit chinotto. This citrus fruit is very similar to an ordinary orange, but because of the bitter taste it is better not to eat this fruit separately. This drink is suitable for those who like a drink with bite lust!
Bellini Virgin
The Bellini Virgin is an alcohol-free variant of the well-known Bellini cocktail. The classic Bellini cocktail is a mix of peach puree and prosecco and has its origin in the famous 'Harry's Bar' in Venice. In the alcohol-free variant, the prosecco is replaced by tonic. Are you a lover of sweet and fruity, then this drink is really something for you.
granita
De border is a wonderfully refreshing mix between a sorbet and ice cream, usually in lemon flavor, but the coffee flavor is also very popular. You can best compare the granita with a slush puppy, but in a more solid form.
The granita is originally from Sicily, but you can get it all over Italy. The texture of the granita varies greatly from region to region and even from city to city. In Sicily, the granita has a very firm texture, so you actually scrape it out of the bowl with a spoon, while in many cities in northern Italy the texture is a bit more liquid and you can also drink the granita through a straw.
Fair is fair; once you have tasted the granita in Sicily, it will be difficult for you to get used to the granita from the north of the country. Not to mention that slush puppy.
Juice
A juice, or freshly squeezed juice, is wonderfully refreshing and is also a good source of the daily necessary vitamins. In the Netherlands, of course, we know the classic squeezed orange juice, but in Italy there are also less obvious flavors.
How about a pomegranate, blueberry or pineapple spremuta, for example? Also nice to try once: the spremuta d'arancia rossa. This spremuta is made with blood oranges and is slightly sweeter than the well-known orange juice.
No freshly squeezed juice within reach? Too bad, but then you always have succo di fruttaor fruit juice. This is on the menu at every cafe or bar. You usually get your fruit juice in a small green bottle and besides apple juice they often have pear juice, banana juice, orange juice, pineapple juice and other tasty juices.
Not only great for children, but also for adults who are looking for a healthy and tasty refreshment in summer Italy. It's just a shame the bottles are so damn small. Your healthy juice will be gone in no time.
latte e menta
The combination of milk and mint is also nice and refreshing in the summer, either latte and menta. The simplest variant is a glass that you fill half with cold milk and half with mint syrup. You can of course also make a delicious milkshake by putting the milk and mint syrup in the mixer with ice cream.
coffee freddo
Even in the sweltering summers, the Italians will not give up their favorite drink. Fortunately, there are also summer variants that allow you to fully enjoy the taste of coffee without having to cook inside.
De coffee freddo It is actually very simple to prepare and can therefore easily be made at home. You prepare the coffee as usual and then add it together with some ice in the mixer and turn it on for a few seconds so that the ice cubes are crumbled.
sgroppino
A sgroppino is actually a kind of sorbet, but more liquid, so you drink it instead of eating it. Although the classic sgroppino has an alcoholic base, you can also replace the alcohol with milk, which gives you a nice refreshing drink that you can enjoy throughout the day.
You get a tasty non-alcoholic sgroppino for 3 people based on watermelon by putting watermelon sorbet ice cream (200 gr) with milk (60 gr) and possibly some whipped cream (60 gr) and fresh watermelon (40 gr) in the mixer.
For an extra refreshing effect, leave the sgroppino in the fridge for a few hours after mixing before serving. You can of course also replace the watermelon sorbet ice cream for a different taste.
Lemonade
What's better in warm weather than cool lemonade? Indeed, little. A well-known Italian brand lemonade is San Pellegrino, but there are many more. Lemonata is also readily available in the Netherlands, for example at Albert Heijn.
Stock up on a few bottles or cans and enjoy the summer with an Italian twist! By the way, did you know that the Dutch word lemonade probably derives from this Italian word meaning 'lemon water'?
Water
As the last of this list of summer drinks, we also mention ordinary water, or water, as they call it in Italy. Temperatures can get very high in summer, especially in the south of Italy. So it is very important that you stay well hydrated.
This is even more true for holidaymakers who – against their better judgment – are busy in the open air almost all day long. Our advice: make sure you have a bottle of water with you at all times. Just like in the Netherlands, in Italy you have both carbonated water (natural water) as carbonated water (aqua frizzante).
Your favorite summer drink without alcohol?
Do you think we are missing something in this top 10? Which non-alcoholic Italian summer drink is your favorite? And why? We would love to hear from you!
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