Published: 08/03/2021 By The Abode Team
Here in Italy 'La Festa delle Donne' has been celebrated for years - it was something I had never heard of before coming to Italy in the late 80's and I did think that the method of commemorating such a tragic event was a little inappropriate. To me it seemed similar to a 'hen-night' in the UK with rowdy, often uncharacteristic behaviour that wouldn't be contemplated on the other 364 days of the year.In more recent years, and most especially this year, it's all much more sober. Hardly surprising during the pandemic when working women in Italy have borne the brunt of job losses with 99,000 losing their jobs in December 2020 alone compared to 2,000 men. Economists say women in Italy have been disproportionately hit as they more often have insecure positions in service industries, such as tourism or catering which have been particularly badly affected.
Bunches of tiny mimosa blossom, the chick-yellow, fluffy pompoms which burst forth from the tree at this time of the year, are given to women on 8th of March. Sweet smelling and almost unreal, these beautiful little flowers give their name to a cocktail that is perfect to drink on 'International ladies day' and it's easy to make at home because it contains just two ingredients - equal parts Champagne and orange juice. Slightly different to a Buck's Fizz which is two parts champagne and one part orange juice.
What’s the best Champagne to use?
Because you’re getting sweetness from your orange juice, you want your Champagne to be as dry as possible. So when buying a bottle look for the words Brut or Extra Brut as this indicates its dryness, because fun fact: a Champagne described as ‘Dry’ actually sits further up the sweetness scale.
Can you use Prosecco instead of Champagne?
We’re not here to tell you what fizz to add – so if you want Prosecco, Cava, or even English sparkling wine, knock yourself out! The only fizzes to avoid are things such as Asti Spumante, Demi-Sec sparkling wines or Dry Prosecco like Valdobbiadene which are all a lot sweeter.
Enjoy!