It’s said that there are two drinks by which a bartender’s skill can be judged. They are a Martini and a Negroni.
The Negroni was created at the start of the 20th century for a Florentine aristocrat, Count Camillo Negroni. Bored with his usual cocktail, an Americano, the Count asked the bartender to perk it up a bit. The bartender added some gin and, from that day on, the count drank only the Negroni cocktail.
You need:
- 1 part Campari
- 1 part sweet vermouth
- 1 part gin
Fill a shaker with ice and add the three ingredients. Shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Serve garnished with a twist of orange.
For a long drink on a hot summer’s day, use a highball glass and top with soda.
Campari, which has been described as ‘the bitterest of bitters’, was first produced in the 1860s in Italy. Developed by Gaspare Campari, it contains more than 60 natural ingredients including cochineal, which provides the red colour, and orange, the predominant flavour.
