Food & Wine Word of the Week: Negroni
Reportedly during the year 1919, the "Negroni" cocktail was invented when Camillo Luigi Manfredo Maria Negroni asked bartender Fosco Scarselli of Cafè Casoni to fortify his Americano with gin.
Ahhhhh. 3 of my all-time favorite things in one place---Gin, Campari, Vermouth. It just doesn't get any better than this for me.
A little history I found on the beverage says:
Reportedly during the year 1919, the "Negroni" cocktail was invented when Camillo Luigi Manfredo Maria Negroni asked bartender Fosco Scarselli of Cafè Casoni to fortify his Americano with gin. There is a letter from October 13, 1920 written to Count Camillo from Frances Harper of Chelsea, London, "You say you can drink, smoke, & I am sure laugh, just as much as ever. I feel you are not much to be pitied! You must not take more than 20 Negronis in one day!"¹
I recall a leisurely drive from Dogliani to Sampeyre in the early fall. My dear Italian friends have a favorite pit stop at a little cafe along the way. It has a comfy outdoor seating area with over-stuffed sofas and cozy red curtains. It was time for aperitivo and of course that meant Negronis for everyone!
The Negroni is a true classic Italian aperitivo cocktail. Made as follows according to the International Bartender's Association²:
NEGRONI Pre dinner ( old-fashioned glass )
3.0 cl Gin (I'm a Plymouth woman myself) 3.0 cl Campari 3.0 cl Sweet Red Vermouth (Cinzano Rosso is of course the Italian choice! Though I prefer Dolin)
Pour all ingredients directly into old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Stir gently. Garnish with half orange slice and stirer. Optional : Splash of Soda Water.
¹http://chanticleersociety.org/wikis/timeline/1910-to-1920.aspx
²http://www.iba-world.org/english/cocktails/negr.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negroni
TOURING INFORMATION:
Want to visit the historic Caffè Giacosa formerly Caffè Casoni, reported birthplace of the Negoni? We can take you to beautiful Florence to discover it and sip a Negroni where in the very bar where it was created.
Here's where you can find it:
Caffè Giacosa, Via della Spada 10/r 50123 Firenze - Italia - Italy tel: +39 (0)55 2776328 e-mail: info@caffegiacosa.it
