Signature Drink - The Negroni
According to Imbibe Magazine “The Negroni is perhaps one of the most iconic embodiments of the color red. This year the classic Italian cocktail celebrates its 100th birthday, purportedly at the behest of Count Camillo Negroni during as stop at Caffe Casoni in Florence, when he asked the bartender for a bolder retelling of the Americano, with gin replacing soda water. Classically mixed in a rocks glass (but often served up in a coupe) with equal parts Campari, gin and sweet vermouth, the ruby-toned cocktail was helped in its recent return to fame by initiatives like Imbibe’s Negroni Week as well as Negroni-adoring bars, such as Dante in New York City.”
Negroni’s seem to be an aquired taste as the drink is somewhat bitter from the Campari and also extremely boozy. According to one of the friendly cocktail mixologists at Verve in Somerville, NJ, the key to the classic Negroni is the orange twist - for which the sweet citrus softens the bitterness.
The recipe for the “Classic Negroni” is:
1 oz. of dry gin (our favorites are Tanqueray and Bombay Sapphire)
1 oz. of Campari (an Italian apertiv)
1 oz. of sweet vermouth
an orange twist or slice
Stir all of the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice, and then strain into an ice-filled glass and garnish.
Recommended Musical Pairings
The Negroni is a serious, moody cocktail. Accordingly, we recommend pairing it with our jazz and international playlists, specifically:
The Giants of Jazz Wedding Cocktail Hour - click here
The International Excursions Wedding Cocktail Hour (Vol. 2) - click here
The Chanteuse Wedding Cocktail Hour - click here
Cheers, and remember to sip this one slowly. As always, we like to remind our readers to enjoy their adult beverages responsibly.
