On the ever-evolving Chapel Street in South Yarra, Caffe e Cucina is a refreshing slice of the old school. Since 1988 the neighbourhood stalwart has offered a classic Italian dining experience in not just its food but with its details: a handwritten chalkboard of daily dishes, classic Italian prints and a cosily-cluttered interior.
“My dad came here, and my dad is a real Italian – he doesn’t speak a single word of English – and we went to Caffe e Cucina,” says bar manager Matteo Di Graci. “He was like, ‘Oh my god, this place is so good – it’s really Italian’.”
The menu depends on the season. You might find house-made tagliatelle with zucchini flowers, or gnocchi with oxtail ragu, among other staples. For Di Graci, the challenge is crafting a drinks menu that works alongside the food and retains those authentic Italian flavours while still leaving some room for creativity.
His Rosso di Sera, for example, blends Italian flavours, creative styling and the seasonal freshness of blood orange. “We are going into summer and I really like the blood orange soda,” Di Graci says. “And with the sugary part of the agave, it is kind of a twist on a Paloma, which usually uses grapefruit juice.”
Di Graci likes the Fever-Tree Italian Blood Orange Soda because it balances bitter notes and the sugar of blood orange. “You can really taste the blood orange in there, and it’s so hard to find a product of this quality right now where you can actually taste the fruits.”
You can order the Rosso di Sera as part of Fever-Tree’s Perfect Serve, which partners with top bars to ensure customers can hit the exact ratio they want in their drink. That means the Rosso di Sera is served with a 200-millilitre bottle of Fever-Tree Italian Blood Orange Soda on the side, so you can customise the strength of your drink.
Fever-Tree’s Perfect Serve drinks – including the Rosso di Sera, classic G&T, an Amber Delight and more – will be available all summer long at Caffe e Cucina.
Can’t make it to the venue? Di Graci has designed the drink to be easy to make at home. You’ll need some specific Italian ingredients, like the citrusy bergamot liqueur Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto, and Portofino gin. “Portofino is a gin from the north of Italy,” says Di Graci. “I think there are 35 botanicals, like thyme and rosemary.
“You just pour the agave syrup, lime juice and gin, and stir it down because the agave has to dissolve. Then you put ice and simply pour the Fever-Tree blood orange on top.”
Recipe: Matteo Di Graci’s Rosso di Sera
Makes 1 serving. Approx 1.77 standard drinks.
Ingredients:
Salt and pepper, for crust
45ml Portofino Dry Gin
15ml Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto
20ml lime juice
5ml agave syrup
Fever-Tree Blood Orange Soda
Blood orange wedge, lime or thyme to garnish
Method:
Rim a highball glass with salt and pepper.
Add gin, Italicus, lime juice and agave juice to the glass and stir.
Top with Fever-Tree Blood Orange Soda and garnish with blood orange, lime or thyme.
This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Fever-Tree. The Perfect Serve is
available at Henry G’s and Martinez in Sydney; The Farmer’s Wife in Allworth, NSW; and
Beverly, Jackalope and Caffe e Cucina in Victoria. Order a drink from the Fever-Tree Perfect
Serve menu and your tonic will be served on the side to create your perfect ratio.
