Name: Tonic Spritz
Prep time: 1 min
Total time: 1 min
Ingredients: 1 part Cocchi Italian Vermouth; 1 part Tonic water; 1 part Prosecco; 1 orange slice

Appetito's Riccardo Massetti shares his regular aperitivo expertise with this spritz that cuts the robust Cocchi with tonic and Prosecco.

Add a “Tonic” Boom to Your Next Spritz

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<div><i>Toni Brancatisano was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, one of four children and the younger of twins. Her father, Giuseppe (Joe), was born in Calabria, Italy, to Vincenzo and Concetta, and is one of nine siblings. Like many Italian families seeking new opportunities, they emigrated to Australia in the 1950s, bringing with them the traditions, values, and flavors that would later shape Toni’s culinary path.</i></div>
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<div><i>Toni graduated from The Royal Melbourne School of Nursing in 1993. Two years later, she set off on what was meant to be a six-month working holiday in London. That short adventure quickly turned into a three-year journey when she became nanny to two-year-old triplet girls. When visa restrictions eventually required her to leave the UK, Toni found herself in La Jolla, California, where she spent several months working as a prep chef in a friend’s Italian restaurant — an experience that further sparked her love of cooking.</i></div>
<div><i>In August 1998, Toni arrived in Tuscany intending it to be her final summer abroad. Life, however, had other plans. A Tuscan wedding and two children later, she found herself firmly rooted in Italy. During those early years of motherhood, her passion for baking blossomed. What began with birthday cakes for her children soon grew into a thriving cake-decorating business specializing in cupcakes, celebration cakes, and elegant tiered wedding cakes.</i></div>
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<div><i>Toni stepped into the national spotlight in 2009 when she competed on Italy’s first cooking reality show, La Scuola — Cucina di Classe on the Gambero Rosso Channel (Sky). After twelve weeks of intense culinary challenges, she emerged as the winner, earning her own television show.</i></div>
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<div><i>In 2010, she launched Le Torte di Toni, a cake-decorating series co-starring her daughter Annabella. The pair filmed three seasons together, followed by two additional series titled Le Torte di Toni — Masterclass, where Toni welcomed guest cake decorators in each episode. In 2012, her first book, La Torta Perfetta di Toni, was published by Gribaudo Feltrinelli.</i></div>
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<div><i>After nearly fifteen years in Tuscany, Toni moved to Rome, where she continued sharing her passion for Italian food and culture. She led food tours and cooking classes with Eating Europe, catered events for the Australian and New Zealand embassies, appeared as a guest speaker, and worked as a food stylist for advertising campaigns.</i></div>
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<div><i>In October 2025, Toni’s first Italian cookbook for the American market was published in the United States by Mentoris Publishing, bringing her love of authentic &amp; traditional Italian home cooking to a wider international audience.</i></div>
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<div><i>Today, Toni focuses on leading private food tours in Rome, offering visitors a bespoke and deeply personal experience of the city’s culinary traditions. Working directly with travel consultants around the world, she curates tailored itineraries that connect guests with authentic Roman food, local artisans, and the stories behind Italy’s rich gastronomic heritage.</i></div>


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<div dir="ltr">Planted, harvested and aged in NY, Li Valentine has a background in education and marketing, with a passion for travel and all things wine. With roots in the boot, she has a special interest in Italian wine and travel. She is a certified wine professional and Italian Wine Specialist. In addition to writing about wine (<a href="http://discover.thewininghour.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://discover.thewininghour.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1697217195025000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2tvR1J02Hhj2IanKTun4fa">discover.thewininghour.com</a>), she is the founder of The Wining Hour, Inc., which includes a wine boutique that caters to the wine lover, as well as the vinous winechat (#WiningHourChat) on X (formerly Twitter).</div>
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<div dir="ltr">Follow Li on all social at @thewininghour.</div>


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<p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/gratawellness/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/gratawellness/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1728582454046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0-p1BOSwGT2LwCBFQH-Smv">Join Marianna on Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.gratawellness.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.gratawellness.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1728582454046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3zJZn6DlYCdpYaedSJ9zYw">sign up for the Grata Wellness newsletter</a> for tips and inspiration. For personalized guidance, please email <a href="mailto:marianna@gratawellness.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">marianna@gratawellness.com</a> or <a href="https://www.gratawellness.com/booking-calendar/complimentary-30-minute-consultation?referral=service_list_widget" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.gratawellness.com/booking-calendar/complimentary-30-minute-consultation?referral%3Dservice_list_widget&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1728582454046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2pt-oFccDs6dDP44HSDO3D">book a coaching consultation</a> to begin your wellness journey today.</p>
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Add a “Tonic” Boom to Your Next Spritz

Tonic Spritz

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