Classic Cocktail - The Negroni

Ahhh the Negroni. Definitely in my top 5 favourite cocktails. It's the balance and simplicity that is so admirable, and it is just an enormous punch of flavour. After a long day with the kid(s), this is the kind of drink you want - it's strong, and it hits hard in every fiber of your body so that you can never be disappointed by it. It's definitely a safe choice, and because of its simplicity, leaves the door wide open for experimentation and adaptation.

Like many classic cocktails, its history is debated. But, the story most widely accepted, and my preferred tale, is that of Count Camillo Negroni. Count Negroni walks into a Florentine bar and wanted the bartender to take his favourite drink, the Americano (another classic - campari, vermouth, top with soda), and make it stronger, by replacing the soda with gin. This guy, where I'm from, would be known as "well 'ard". Imagine having the balls to say, nah mate, drop the soda, put in gin instead. The bartender, Forsco Scarselli, made the drink, and to differentiate it even more from the Americano, replaced the traditional lemon garnish with an orange. And the Negroni was born. It wasn't long before it was the drink on everyone's' lips.

So how is it made? Easily:

1 oz Gin

1 oz Campari

1 oz Sweet Vermouth

Pour in mixing glass, stir with ice, and strain into an ice filled rocks glass. Garnish with an orange peel (pop it in the drink so you get the nice orangey bitterness from it).

[And here's the beauty of the Negroni - you don't even need to do that! Just dump all the ingredients into a rocks glass with ice, and stir with your finger - that is all that is needed, and if I'm just making for me, that's what I do.]

You can also serve it up if you so choose, not a problem. Traditionally it's over ice, probably because it is such a strong drink, you might want some added dilution as you go along so you're not fucked before dinner. Or, it just prolongs the drink a little while, which is great because you never want your Negroni to end.

What you get is a beautifully bitter, dry, with herbaceous and spicy notes and just enough sweetness to make it quaffable by anyone. That is what you are guaranteed, but other flavours are completely dependent on the type of ingredients you are using.

Gin - Traditionally, you'd use a punchy gin - think Beefeater, or any of your traditional London Dry Gins. You want to use this so it stands up against the strong flavours from the campari and sweet vermouth. That sort of gin will give you a nice citrusy, spicy tang, as well as a lovely, brutish dry finish. You could use another gin, sure, but it could get lost in all the other ingredients There are two solutions to that; 1) Play with the measurements. Nowadays, you do see a lot of people using 1.5oz gin, 3/4 oz campari, 3/4 oz sweet vermouth. Perfectly acceptable, especially if you are wanting to use a more delicate gin. 2) Change the 'bitter agent', which in the Negroni's case, is the campari (you could also change the vermouth from a sweet to a rose, again, to make it softer and more gentle).

Bitter - Campari is amazing. And perfect. I won't hear otherwise. But, SOME people may find it over powering and too bitter. If that's the case, go for a different bitter aperitif - Aperol would probably be more to your liking as it's sweeter and less bitter and you get more of that orange flavour. If you like campari but want to experiment more, try using an Amaro. The world of Amaro is large and diverse, but they add more of a herbaceousness and depth that campari doesn't have, while maintaining gasping bitterness.

***Bartenders will tell you all about how important it is to choose the 'right' sweet vermouth too, and yes, they all do have minor differences which can make the difference between a great Negroni and the perfect one. But come on, we're making them at home here, not at The Ritz - tell those pretentious moustache curlers to fuck off and buy whatever sweet vermouth you want.

Getting bored of the regular Negroni? Still want to experiment more? Infuse the gin. I have infused gins with pink peppercorns, and also with rose in the past, and they do add something different. Those flavours in particular are strong enough to make themselves known in a drink full of heavyweight flavours. (Just to say - in Chicago, I have had a frozen Negroni, and, well... It. Is. EVERYTHING)

The Negroni has given birth to other drinks too of equal note; The Boulevardier (Rye/Bourbon instead of gin - I use rye and fiddle with the measurements to make it 1.5 oz rye, 3/4 oz campari, 3/4 oz sweet vermouth, just so the rye has a chance to be noticed). Also, the White Negroni (Gin, Lillet Blanc, Suze - just replacing the red ingredients with their clearer counterparts, and it's delicious delicate - maybe a more floral gin here is a good idea, but a London Dry will still work well).

It's a stunning drink. And the best place, in my opinion, to start a cocktail journey, because of its simplicity, and it's ability to adapt to everyone's palate. Make it your own, Daddio. Make sure the kids are down and pour it out while waiting for/cooking a beautiful meal. From now on, always make sure there's campari on the shelf and sweet vermouth in the fridge. Cheers.