The Riva Lounge of the Gritti Palace in Venice is probably the place with the most comfortable chairs on the entire planet. It may be because - as the name suggests - the furnishings are designed by the prestigious Lombard brand of yachts and luxury boats, a true champion in terms of comfort. And yet, this is not what makes the terrace of the historic Venetian hotel special. Because if you lift your eyes for even a single moment from your table, you can be struck by the beauty of the Canal Grande with its characteristic buzz of gondolas and various ferries. But the majesty of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, stands out in all its elegance beyond the water, just a few dozen metres away.
And this is how Cristiano Luciani, head barman of the Gritti Terrace, imagined an homage to this wonderful postcard view. By creating a special drink. The Basilica, in this case, is reflected in a fragrant ingredient, its quasi-homonym: basil. So, raise your glass for the Basil-ica, a new alternative for a perfect Venetian style toast. "Although I see the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute practically every day, I can never get tired of its beauty," the bartender tells us, "and all the guests of our hotel fully agree. So I thought I would dedicate a drink to her, playing with words and adding basil to the recipe, along with gin, St. Germain and a few drops of bitters.” The result is a fresh and particularly aromatic cocktail, to be prepared at home for an aperitif by following the recipe below.
Basil-ica: The Recipe
Ingredients
4 tbsp gin
2 tbsp St. Germain
3 drops Orange Bitters
Basil leaves
Method
Place five basil leaves in the glass to give the glass the right aromatic notes.
Pour the ingredients into the glass with plenty of ice.
Mix and decorate with an orange twist and three basil leaves.