{"id":36078,"date":"2026-08-06T04:49:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T02:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myhome.at\/?p=36078"},"modified":"2026-08-06T06:24:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T04:24:29","slug":"summer-in-a-glass-three-extraordinary-drinks-for-hot-days","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myhome.at\/en\/summer-in-a-glass-three-extraordinary-drinks-for-hot-days\/","title":{"rendered":"Summer in a Glass: Three Extraordinary Drinks for Hot Days"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hugo, Aperol Spritz, and the like are getting some competition this summer: Viennese restaurateur and host Marco Simonis has created three extraordinary drinks for us that bring bay leaves, fennel, and Mediterranean herbs to your glass. Refreshing, easy to mix\u2014and guaranteed to provide a little moment of surprise for your guests. <\/em><\/p>\n\n

First things first: Nothing against classics\u2014of course they can stay. But if you\u2019re hosting guests in the summer of 2026 and don\u2019t want to serve the same old orange or mint-green classics yet again, feel free to get a little more experimental with your aperitifs. After all, bay leaves and fennel can also look surprisingly good in a cocktail glass. <\/p>\n\n

The accompanying recipes are by Marco Simonis. The restaurateur and passionate host runs a hybrid of a bistro, caf\u00e9, delicatessen, and event venue at the Dominikanerbastei in Vienna. He has been working in the restaurant and catering industry for more than 30 years. He doesn\u2019t create drinks from the perspective of a traditional bartender, but with the intuition of a host who knows how to surprise people. <\/p>\n\n

\u201cWhen it comes to cocktails, I\u2019m always focused on balancing different flavors. Especially in the summer, a drink needs to be refreshing. It should be easy to drink, fun, and surprising at the same time,\u201d explains Simonis. The ingredients are particularly crucial for this: \u201cIn my opinion, an unusual combination only works with truly high-quality base ingredients.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

For his three summer drinks, he combines Sicilian bay leaf liqueur with gin and tonic, fennel liqueur with mandarin, and a Mediterranean amaro with Prosecco and orange. Three simple alternatives to the well-known classic spritzes\u2014and three good reasons to restock your home bar. <\/p>\n\n

Dalloro Tonic: A Summer Drink with Bay Leaf Liqueur and Gin<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Bay leaves are best known for their use in soups, stews, and sauces. You\u2019ll find them in a liqueur glass much less often. That\u2019s exactly what makes the Sicilian Dalloro so exciting: It offers intense herbal and slightly balsamic aromas that, combined with gin, lemon, and tonic, create a surprisingly dry summer drink. Incidentally, in its homeland near Palermo, this bay leaf liqueur is traditionally served chilled as an aperitif or digestif. <\/p>\n\n

\u201cBay leaf is a very unusual base for a liqueur. Because of its herbal aroma, it quickly became clear to me that the drink needed a touch of freshness\u2014hence the lemon,\u201d says Simonis. To that, he adds a gin that\u2019s also herb-forward. \u201cWith a tonic that\u2019s not too sweet, plenty of ice, and that citrus note, the result is a dry, very refreshing drink that works wonderfully even in hot weather. It\u2019s not too strong and surprises you right away with its unusual base.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

\"Unique
Bay leaves go perfectly with gin: Dalloro Tonic.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

“Dalloro Tonic” Recipe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Ingredients:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n