Aigua de València

Serve in

Photographed in

Garnish:

Orange slice

How to make:

STIR first 4 ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass that has first been charged with Cava.

Review:

This boozier Spanish take on a Mimosa is authentically made with the juice of oranges from the Valencia region. Perfect for a lazy hot afternoon, preferably served with some Spanish sun.

History:

Aigua de València (Valencian Water) is often made and served as a punch in pitchers and is a popular drink in the tapas bars of the eponymous Spanish city.

Aigua de València was first made in 1959 by Constante Gil at Café Madrid in Valencia and the story goes that a group from the Basque Country had become regulars at the bar with their usual order being "Agua de Bilbao", meaning Water of Bilbao and referring to cava. (The majority of cava is produced in Catalonia but there is also some production in the Basque Country.) Challenged to come up with an alternative for the group, Gil came up with "Agua de Valencia" by adding local orange juice and then fortifying the mixture with gin and vodka. This proved a hit with the group and became a staple at the bar before finding broader appeal in other Valencian bars during the 1970s.

Nutrition:

268 calories

Alcohol content:

• 2 standard drinks
• 12.85% alc./vol. (25.7° proof)
• 28.3 grams of pure alcohol