L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 28 L'Italo-Americano I n I t a l y , s o m e b a r counters still carry a s e t o f s o f t d r i n k s unknown outside of the Belpaese, sodas t h a t s h a p e d m e r e n d e a n d afternoons of many, especial- l y i n t h e l o n g - g o n e b o o m years: bright lemon, bitter c i t r u s , c a r a m e l - a m b e r spuma, and tiny bottles of Crodino all come to mind. T h e y w e r e t h e t a s t e o f a new, faster country – easy to grab, easy to share – and t h e y r e a d a s " g r o w n - u p " drinks thanks to their bitter- ness and herbal notes. It is, indeed, this very profile that made them popular among a whole new set of drinkers, as it fits today's no/low-alcohol mood, which asks for flavor without the buzz. H e r e , w e p r e s e n t f i v e c l a s s i c I t a l i a n s o d a s known for their ubiquitous nostalgia factor (raise your hand if you are a Gen-Xer or a Xennial and loved chinotto as a kid!) but also for how they have been successfully riding today's "live cleaner" trends, one drink and a slice of lemon at a time! Cedrata Tassoni: cit- ron from Lake Garda C e d r a t a i s a c l e a n , lemon-adjacent soda with a citron core, associated espe- cially with Tassoni, a com- p a n y f o u n d e d i n S a l ò , o n L a k e G a r d a , w h e r e i t h a d begun as a historical phar- macy, and later turned into a beverage maker. The ready- to-drink cedrata arrived in the 1950s and has kept its signature small bottle and bright gold color to this day. The taste is citrus-forward but softer than lemonade: t h i n k c i t r u s p e e l , g e n t l e sweetness, and a pithy finish; Italians drink it very cold, o f t e n w i t h a l o n g s t r i p o f lemon peel over ice, or as a light mixer with plenty of sparkling water if they want it drier. Food-wise, it works with simple snacks like pota- to chips, almonds, or a slice of good focaccia. In the US, look for Tassoni in Italian groceries, at specialty mar- ketplaces, and Eataly. Chinotto: Italy's bitter citrus Chinotto is a dark soda that looks like cola but has a totally different taste. At its heart is citrus myrtifolia, a small bitter orange with a long history along the Liguri- an coast, especially around S a v o n a . B o t t l e d c h i n o t t o took off in the postwar years and, by the 1960s, it was a n a t i o n a l o b s e s s i o n , w i t h r e g i o n a l b o t t l e r s a n d b i g brands producing it side by side. The flavor is unmistak- able: bitter orange zest, light spice, a hint of rhubarb, and a d r y f i n i s h . S e r v e d c o l d w i t h a s l i c e o f o r a n g e o r lemon, it behaves more like a n a p e r i t i v o t h a n a k i d ' s d r i n k , w h i c h i s w h y b a r - tenders like it in zero-proof highballs. Pair it with salty f o o d s : t u n a - a n d - c a p e r s sandwiches, fried anchovies, or a paper cone of potato chips are all perfect with it. In the US, you'll find chinot- t o f r o m p r o d u c e r s l i k e Lurisia and Stappi at Italian markets and online; Sanpel- legrino Chinotto appears in s o m e l a r g e r r e t a i l e r s d e p e n d i n g o n l o c a l importers. G a z z o s a : t h e l e m o n fizz Gazzosa (or gassosa) is the easygoing lemon soda that predates most of the others on our list; it's light, z e s t y , a n d d e s i g n e d t o refresh. Regional bottlers made it a staple from the late nineteenth century on; today, versions using Amalfi or Sorrento lemons are com- mon. Expect bright lemon oil on the nose and a clean, sweet-tart taste. It's perfect w i t h a p l a i n b r i o c h e a t m e r e n d a , w i t h a s l i c e o f ciambellone, or next to a simple prosciutto panino. Americans can look for gaz- z o s a f r o m b r a n d s l i k e Lurisia in Italian groceries and specialty shops; if you want it less sweet, top it with a splash of seltzer. Spuma: it's all about caramel and herbs Spuma comes in bionda (amber) and nera (darker) styles and tastes like a light, h e r b a l c o l a w i t h o u t t h e heavy vanilla, but with dis- tinct caramel notes and a touch of clove or gentian, depending on the maker. It's the most "bar snack orient- ed" of the group, excellent w i t h s a l t e d n u t s , t a r a l l i , mortadella, or a wedge of young cheese. Classic pro- ducers include long-running r e g i o n a l b o t t l e r s s u c h a s Paoletti in the Marche and P o l a r a i n S i c i l y , w h o s e r a n g e s s o m e t i m e s a d d r h u b a r b o r e l d e r f l o w e r t w i s t s . I n t h e U S , s p u m a shows up mainly through importers and online Italian markets; if you see it, grab a few bottles because stock is irregular. C r o d i n o : t h e z e r o - proof aperitivo L'analcolico biondo, as an Italian commercial says, was born in 1965 in Crodo, Pied- mont, and later joined the Campari family. Crodino is orange-gold, lightly bitter, a n d h e r b a l , a n d i t w a s designed from the start to be an aperitivo with no alcohol. The bottle is small because the flavor is concentrated: pour it over ice, add a slice of orange, and you have an instant drink with structure and bite. That made Crodino a natural fit for today's zero- proof spritz culture, where y o u c a n l e n g t h e n i t w i t h soda water and still keep the balance and the bite of a reg- ular spritz. Pair it with green olives, grissini wrapped in prosciutto, or anything fried. Availability in the US is good through Italian retailers and online. Simple pairings and spritz riffs You don't need a bar kit t o m a k e t h e s e s o d a s f e e l "adult." Ice, citrus, and a soda water are enough. We can begin with a Crodino Spritz (zero-proof): just pour 1 small bottle of Crodi- no over lots of ice, top with a splash of soda water, and garnish with an orange slice. For a drier take, use a 1:1 mix of Crodino and soda. If you like to try chinotto, look no further than a chinotto highball: chinotto over ice with a squeeze of lemon and a r o s e m a r y s p r i g . I f y o u w a n t i t l i g h t e r , c u t t h e chinotto with equal parts of soda water. A good cedrata cooler is perfect if you are still enjoying sunshine and some real heat; its mix of cedrata, ice, lemon peel, and a f e w b a s i l l e a v e s i s j u s t divine on a hot day! In Italy, we also love our gazzosa shandies, a low- ABV option for those who like beer: half gazzosa, half light lager over ice with a lemon wheel. Skip the beer a n d a d d s o d a f o r a z e r o - proof version. Last but not least, a classic bar pairing: s p u m a a n d e s p r e s s o : spuma in the glass, a short espresso on the side, plus s a l t e d a l m o n d s o r c h i p s . D o e s n ' t g e t m u c h b e t t e r than that! GIULIA FRANCESCHINI HERITAGE HISTORY IDENTITY TRADITIONS PEOPLE Italian sodas, then and now Iced bottles of cedrata, a traditional Italian soda; bottom right, the legendary gazzosa (Images created with DALL-E 2)

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