The global novel coronavirus pandemic may have grounded us, but we can still enjoy happy hour. This daily series will provide delicious drink recipes for you to try at home. So call your friends for a virtual sip session and traverse the globe, even if it's only in your mind.
Today's cocktail hails from Italy – Negroni.
What is it?
A good negroni invigorates, rather than intoxicates. With a fresh citrus scent and complex herbal notes, this Italian aperitivo is a superb palate-cleanser on a summer’s evening.
Origins
Sometimes a long drink (a cocktail filled with more mixer than booze) simply doesn’t hit the spot. Legend has it that Florentine count Camillo Negroni was in need of a beverage with more kick than his regular Americano. His mixologist dutifully fortified the Campari-vermouth blend with gin (rather than topping it with soda water). A classic Italian aperitivo was born.
What you'll need (Serves 1)
3–4 ice cubes
1 ¼ fl oz (35ml) gin
1 ¼ fl oz (35ml) vermouth
1 ¼ fl oz (35ml) Campari
1 slice of orange
Method
Step 1: Tip the ice cubes into a short whiskey glass and pour on the Gin, Vermouth and Campari.
Step 2: Stir quickly with a cocktail spoon before topping with the orange slice. Salute!
Tasting notes
On warm Italian evenings, there’s no rush to reach the dinner table. As the sun begins to dip, hours are spent lingering over buttery Castelvetrano olives or bruschetta crowned with tomato and basil. And always accompanied by an aperitivo like the negroni. The clink of ice as it swirls in a glass of negroni has an almost Pavlovian effect. Aperitivi are intended to whet the appetite, but they are also woven into social ritual. As with other aperitivi, this ruby nectar holds the promise of languorous hours spent sipping and socializing before a meal. This simple three-spirit blend produces wonderfully complex flavors. The bright grapefruit scent is balanced by bitter herbal notes. The garnish, a freshly cut orange wedge, adds a sweet, tangy fragrance.
Other recipes:
Garibaldi
Mango Lassi
Cosmopolitan