Ferragosto is celebrated on August 15 every year. It is usually one of the hottest days in Italy and most Italians try to leave the cities. The celebration actually dates back to the year 18 BCE when the Roman Emperor Octavianus Augustus decided to establish several days of formal rest for the hard working agricultural workers of the Roman Empire. Even farm animals were released from work and decorated with flowers. The festivities started August 1 with more days spread out over August. During Roman times it was called Feriae Augusti, Latin for The Holiday of Augustus. (Augustus actually gave name to the month). The Catholic Church eventually decided to move Ferragosto to August 15 to coincide with the Assumption of Mary m. However you celebrate Ferragosto, cooling off the August heat with a Sgroppino is a great way to do it.

THE SGROPPINO
The Sgroppino was probably first created in a wealthy home in Venice during the sixteenth century. To be able to make sorbetto for the Sgroppino you need ice and the only households that kept ice during the Renaissance were the aristocrats and the very upper class. Ice was collected form rivers and lakes during winter and stored in ice houses for use in summer.

The drink could either be served as a palate cleanser or at the end of a meal as you would a limoncello today. The name Sgroppino comes for the Italian word sgropare, in Venetian dialect sgropin, the name still used in Venice, meaning to untie a knot, referring to knots in the stomach after a big dinner. The Sgroppino is made by whisking together sorbetto and prosecco to create a froth. Over time vodka, sambuca or limoncello was added making it more complex.

THE DESIGNER
The Narcisso glass was designed by Italian-American designer and sculptor Isabel Antonia Giampietro-Knoll in 1957.

Time for a new exhibition at the fantastic Sempre espresso-bar in the center of Stockholm. This time mobilità will show a combination of two great things, islands and cocktails, each cocktail with an island connected to it (in more or less obvious ways). Singapore Sling, created at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore with the island of Singapore. Sgroppino, made with vodka and lemon sorbet with Capri, the island famous for its lemon groves. Mai Tai, actually created by Trader Vic in California but with its Tahitian name meaning “Out of this world” it fits perfectly with the Tahitian island of Bora Bora. Dark and Stormy, that was invented by Gosling Rum (and has to be made with Gosling Rum) with Gosling’s home island of Bermuda. And finally Champagne Cocktail that ought to be the drink of choice whenever you visit the luxurious island of Saint Barthélemy.

If you’d like to continue drinking cocktails with an island theme you can always have a Piña Colada from Puerto Rico, a Mojito a Daiquiri and more from Cuba, a Pimm’s Cup and Black Velvet from the UK and, of course the classic Manhattan.

Enjoy the Island Happy Hour at Sempre on Jakobsbergsgatan 5, Stockholm, Sweden.