The Mona Lisa in Florence
100 years ago this week, the most famous painting in the world turned up missing. Learn about brazen thief Vincenzo Peruggia, who claimed he did it all for his mother country… then celebrate art with this Italian take on the “Mona Lisa” cocktail — pioneered by a bar right next to the Louvre called Le Fumoir.
“The Mona Lisa in Florence,” as framed by Francesco Roccato, general manager at Fusion Bar in Florence, Italy:
Into a tall glass, add:
- 1 part Alkermes, an Arabic-turned-Florentine liqueur from the de Medici era.
- 1 part orange juice
- 3 parts champagne
Secret the drink away to your native land, hide it in your apartment for two years, then attempt to sell it for big bucks. Or just sip it, with an enigmatic half-smile. (If desired, Francesco also suggests “staining” this pretty picture with a little creme de cassis.)
