Spring is just around the corner and with it the traditional Valencian festivals, Las Fallas. One of the most refreshing drinks in our country associated with these dates is the Agua de Valencia.
It tells the book “Valencia Noche”, by the Valencian writer and journalist María Ángeles Arazo, that the late painter Constante Gil (1926-2009), is the author of the real Agua de Valencia. Gil devised it in 1959 at the Café Madrid of Valencia. Some usual Basque customers used to ask almost daily “Agua de Bilbao”, referring to the house’s cava. One day tired of always taking the same, they asked Gil to improvise a cocktail. Gil mixed orange juice, cava, then added vodka and gin and finally sugar. He served everything very cold in a jar with ice and called it Agua de Valencia.
The secret of a good Agua de Valencia, lies in the quality of its ingredients. A basic advice is to use seasonal oranges from the Valencian garden.
Original recipe Agua de Valencia cocktail
Ingredients
- Oranges
- Cava (semi-dry recommended)
- Sugar
- Geneva
- Vodka
- Ice
Preparation
Firstly, squeeze the oranges, you can use a manual juicer or our automatic juicers. The oranges the more sweet and ripe are better.
Secondly, in a deep container in which all the liquids fit, we started filling 33% with natural orange juice, adding 16% gin and another 16% vodka. Finally, we incorporate 33% cava or champagne, stir gently and let stand in the fridge. Minimum one hour so that their flavors and aromas are well integrated.
The use of sugar in this cocktail is optional, depending on the tastes of sweetness.
Finally, it should be served in a jug with ice, stir it with a spoon, without stirring, and ready to enjoy this wonderful Mediterranean cocktail.
