Bobby Flay Just Revealed His Favorite Cocktail

Though Bobby Flay might be better known as a chef than a bartender, he certainly has opinions about cocktails and has shared some recipes of his own. Flay swears by rosé as his summertime drink, but he does enjoy some other alcoholic beverages. The celebrity chef offers up a recipe for a mulled apple cider mocktail, but he mentions that you can spike this drink with bourbon. 

On a recent episode of his podcast "Always Hungry with Bobby Flay and Sophie Flay," he and his daughter chatted about retro cocktails and went through some that they enjoy. Flay shared that one of his favorite cocktails is a sbagliato, which might not be a drink that everyone recognizes, especially for anyone who prefers a glass of wine or a bottle of beer.

What may be more familiar-sounding, however, is the negroni, which is a classic cocktail most bartenders know how to make, and which the sbagliato is derived from. In fact, there is just one small difference that distinguishes a sbagliato from a negroni.

Bobby Flay explains that sbagliato means "mistake" in Italian, and the cocktail gets this name from its origins. Flay shares the story of a bartender who was making a negroni and accidentally used sparkling wine instead of gin. Imbibe Magazine also confirms this and offers a little more detail, reporting that this drink was accidentally invented by the owner of a Milanese bar, Mirko Stocchetto, in the 1970s.

A negroni has equal parts of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth, so to make a sbagliato, combine equal parts of Campari and sweet vermouth, then top the drink off with your sparkling wine of choice. Food52 explains that you don't need to pick the most expensive bottle of prosecco to make this drink but you shouldn't skimp on the price and buy the cheapest bottle, either. The sbagliato should be served over ice with an orange garnish.

If you're interested in learning more about retro drinks, here are some vintage cocktails that we think deserve a comeback.