Who was behind this cocktail recipe?
In 1919, an Italian legend named Count Camillo Negroni is said to have asked his favorite bartender to prepare a version of a standard American cocktail: instead of Martini, Campari and Seltzer, he wanted an extra punch and asked Seltzer to replace it with gin. Perhaps Count Negroni enjoyed this while he was in London. His barman duly replaced the soda club with gin, swapping orange for lemon topping. The classic Negroni was born and instantly became popular in Florence and beyond.
This classic bitter cocktail is a great drink to introduce at a party. Look for high-quality spirits; as you prepare a drink with equal parts of all the ingredients, you will really notice the difference.
To make a glass of classic Negroni, this is the recipe you need to follow.
Ingredients
Ice
1 ounce smooth gin ( choose between Tanqueray and Plymouth)
1 ounce Campari
1 ounce sweet vermouth
Orange peel/zest for garnishing
Method
Mix the gin, Campari and vermouth in a shaker or shaker glass half filled with ice. Shift into a tall glass full of ice. Garnish with an orange peel. Add an orange slice to the edge of the glass and serve immediately.
If you don't have a shaker, don't worry; Negroni can simply be mixed with ice and then poured. The classic Negroni is served in an old-fashioned goblet with ice and orange zest. The Negroni is a strong cocktail, more suited to late night than a casual aperitif.
