Sant'or Santameriana/roditis Recipe

Prepare peel

Wash the oranges thoroughly and use a peeler to remove wide strips of peel, avoiding as much of the bitter pith as possible. You need two full orange peels.

Place the peels in a clean jar and pour 250 ml neutral spirit over them. Add 2 tablespoons honey and stir gently to help dissolve a little and encourage extraction.

Seal jar and let sit at room temperature for 24–48 hours, shaking once or twice daily. Taste after 24 hours — the spirit should have a strong bright orange aroma with some sweetness. Strain through a fine mesh and reserve both peel-infused spirit and any strained honey-flavored liquid. Yields roughly 3/4 cup infusion.

Chill a large pitcher or mixing vessel and the serving glasses in the fridge for 10–15 minutes.

In the chilled pitcher combine 2 cups Roditis (or a light Greek white) and 1/2 cup of the Patra orange peel infusion (or 1/2 cup orange liqueur if using). Stir gently to combine.

Add 2 tablespoons neutral grape brandy or raki if you want extra body and warmth. Stir to integrate.

Whisk together the 1/2 cup fresh orange juice, 2 tablespoons honey and 1 tablespoon lemon juice until the honey is fully dissolved. Pour this honey-citrus mixture into the pitcher and stir until homogeneous.

Add 1 teaspoon sea salt and stir — the salt will lift the minerality and emphasize the honey-orange notes. Taste and adjust: add an extra 1–2 tbs honey for sweeter, or another 1 tbs lemon for more brightness.

Just before serving, fold in 1 cup very cold sparkling mineral water to introduce minerality and effervescence. Stir gently to preserve bubbles.

Fill serving glasses with cracked ice (about 3/4 cup per glass). Pour the chilled Sant'Or santameriana/roditis over the ice, dividing evenly. Garnish each glass with an orange wheel or twist and a thyme sprig if using.

Serve immediately. The drink is lightly fortified, bright with orange-honey, and finished with a crisp mineral sparkle. Leftover uncarbonated mixture can be refrigerated up to 24 hours; add sparkling water just before serving.