Maggie Mae Dale / Guest Bartender, Andy’s Pizza, Washington, D.C.
Many variations of the iconic Aperol spritz have flowed, including Spritz Don’t Kill My Vibe by guest bartender Maggie Mae Dale for Andy’s Pizza in Washington, D.C., winner of the 2021 World Pizza Championship.
Emily Brown, Beverage Director of Andy’s Pizza, asks, “What’s better than a lightly bitter spritz with a pizza?” Maggie, a bartender at Cabra Los Angeles, mixes the requisite Aperol with quinine-flavored Cocchi Americano, sparkling wine and a citrusy Yuzu Luxe Sour simple syrup.
“The color is beautiful and she balanced it perfectly,” Emily says. “The yuzu is just present enough that it’s not overpowered by the Campari and Aperol.”
Andy’s Pizza, with five locations in the metro D.C. area, specializes in New York-style pizza cooked in stone deck ovens by a skilled pizzaiolo from long-fermented dough, Wisconsin mozzarella and California tomatoes.
Emily consults regularly with Maggie, who helped her develop a frosé with The Perfect Purée Strawberry Puree and suggested The Perfect Purée Carmelized Pineapple Concentrate in a frozen cocktail called Dios De Pina (Pineapple God). A margarita with Blanco tequila, a trace of Ilegal Mezcal to cut the sweetness of the pineapple and fresh lime juice and orange liqueur, it joins The Perfect Purée Pink Guava Puree and Mango Puree in what Emily calls the “summer of margs!”
“The Pink Guava and Mango were both used for a Cinco De Mayo party and served as margaritas,” she says. “They were so popular we’ve kept them on.”