'Cocktail Botanici’ Shakes Up PCC Programming

Aperitivo is an Italian tradition that turns the pre-dinner hours into a golden opportunity to unwind after a long day. Best enjoyed with good friends and delectable finger foods, aperitivo is an essential aspect of food culture in Italy. But what would aperitivo be without something to wash down the appetizers? Typically, wines or cocktails round out the aperitivo menu, and like many things in Italy, the cocktails served during aperitivo are works of art.

In celebration of these elegant, drinkable works of art, the Palazzi Community Center (PCC) hosted “Cocktail Botanici” on October 31. Led by The American University of Florence (AUF) professor Lapo Morgantini, the event focused on the fragrant, flavorful herbs that take popular cocktails to the next level.

Cocktail Botanici is the newest addition to the ongoing series of “La Botanica” events at the PCC. These events highlight all things garden-related, showing the local community how to bring a piece of the natural world into their lives. At previous events, terrariums, decorative kokedama spheres, and other organic creations have come to life.

Around 20 attendees gathered in the PCC garden for Cocktail Botanici, learning about an array of herbs in the world of mixology. Morgantini explained the history and practical uses of plants such as mint, elderflower, and juniper. His horticultural history lesson was accompanied by a live cocktail-making demonstration by study abroad student, Lauren Moriarty.

Moriarty is part of the university’s Special Event Management program, and she spends time refining her hospitality skills at Ganzo, the school restaurant, and Fedora, the school pastry shop. While it isn’t the main focus of her work, Moriarty enjoys making cocktails whenever she gets the opportunity.

“I think it’s cool to learn something that’s hands-on,” Moriarty says. “I just find bartending to be really fun. And there’s so many different ways that a drink can be made, which is crazy, but I like learning it, even though it’s a little overwhelming.” 

Moriarty crafted a gin and tonic, a mojito, and a refreshing Hugo Spritz during the demonstration, garnishing them with their respective herbs. After she finished making each drink, she was met with applause from the audience. Between her experiential learning opportunities and more impromptu events like Cocktail Botanici, Moriarty says her days as a hospitality student are often full of surprises.

“It’s definitely not like any other job I’ve had,” Moriarty notes. “I walk in, I’m like, Okay, what’s today going to bring?”

Morgantini explains that the lineup of drinks Moriarty made for the audience was assembled based on several factors. Of course, these cocktails had to be part of the hospitality students’ mixology repertoire. Likewise, Morgantini says the cocktails were chosen based on the rich stories behind their herbal ingredients.

The cocktails were also selected based on what the PCC had available for harvest. The fresh herbs featured at Cocktail Botanici were sourced just steps away from the crowd of attendees in the PCC garden. Grown in this hidden greenspace in the heart of Florence, bunches of mint leaves and rosemary sprigs decorated the demonstration cocktails.

At the end of the cocktail-based event, Morgantini invited the audience to embrace a plant-based detox as well. A harvest basket full of greens was placed near the demonstration table, and attendees could fill a sachet with whatever combination of herbs they liked.

Morgantini hopes to gather feedback from the inaugural Cocktail Botanici event and develop the activity further, collaborating with more hospitality students whose skills can enrich this unique community event. To discover upcoming events in the “La Botanica” series, visit the PCC events calendar. The community center aims to celebrate the everyday wonders of horticulture, so new botanical events are always in bloom.

The PCC will host its final lineup of events this upcoming week on Monday, December 2 with the final Made In Florence event presenting Profumeria Invicta, Tuesday, December 3 with the final Letture in Giardino of the semester, and Thursday, December 5 with the Final Student Exhibit debuting inside of Corridoio Fiorentino. To learn more, visit Palazzi Community Center's website.