18 Nov Cooking and Cocktails with Brachetto d’ Acqui

Brachetto d’Acqui, a slightly sweet, slightly effervescent, red wine that is delicious to drink on its own, or pair with desserts or cheeses. But, as we discovered during a cooking class at The B. Ristorante in Nizza Monferrto, Acqui Terme, Italy, Brachetto can also be use to cook with…..and in cocktails. In the class, Chef and Owner Barbara taught both a sweet dish and a savory dish.

Involtini – made with pork wrapped around lardo and prunes:

Bavarois (or Bavarian cream):

In addition to cooking with Brachetto, it is a great component for cocktails. Playing on the wine’s profile, I muddled berries to enhance the strawberry and raspberry flavors and added Aperol, as the bitterness would balance the wine’s sweetness. After a quick shake, I topped it off with Brachetto, which added acidity, and a squeeze of orange. While I am not an experienced cocktail maker, I think I created a rather balanced and tasty cocktail.