Bocce Ball
Named for the beloved Italian lawn sport, the Bocce Ball is a laid-back, three-ingredient highball that lets amaretto's nutty sweetness shine through a generous pour of orange juice topped with a refreshing splash of soda water.
- 1Fill a highball glass with ice.
- 2Pour in amaretto and orange juice.
- 3Top with a splash of club soda and stir gently once to combine.
- 4Garnish with an orange slice. Serve immediately.
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The Bocce Ball appears in Stanley M. Jones' 1977 Jones' Complete Barguide, one of the comprehensive bartender references of the era, making it a product of the same decade that launched the wider American love affair with Italian amaretto. The drink's three-ingredient simplicity — amaretto, orange juice, and soda water — perfectly mirrored the relaxed, unpretentious spirit of its Italian lawn-bowling namesake. Its popularity reached notable heights when the cocktail was reportedly served aboard Pope John Paul II's TWA charter flight during his 1979 United States tour, a detail documented in contemporary accounts. As noted in a 2024 PUNCH Magazine feature, bartenders at New York City's Bronze Owl have revisited the Bocce Ball for modern cocktail menus, drawn to its straightforward approachability and its graceful showcase of quality amaretto.
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