Jul 25 2008
Negroni
Photo Courtesy of Leslie Fearon
“Vorremmo due negroni per favore” was one Italian phrase I had no trouble with on our trip to Rome last November. There, we were met by our dear friends Leslie and Richard, who (lucky for us) seemed to have their collective fingers on the pulse when it came to Roman style refreshment. Our rather giddy friends met us at our hotel for dinner, fresh from a café on the Piazza Navona where they had just sampled this cocktail alla Romana recommended by Richard’s sister.
As soon as we cleaned our dinner plates we headed for the nearest bar to give it a try ourselves. We ended up at a pub with the rather humorous name, Druid’s Rock, that was covered from floor to ceiling with soccer pennants, scarves, and posters; I was pleased to be seated under the giant Y Ddraig Goch* flag of Wales. Despite my amusement this didn’t exactly seem like the proper setting to try this Roman cocktail, but with a name like Druid’s Rock there was no way I was leaving. So we settled in and ordered our drinks.
On my first sip, I thought this combination of Campari, Vermouth and gin was not for me. I began to question why I had gotten it since I am a bit of a wimp when it comes to liquor. It was bitter and strong, but strangely intriguing and a bit tempting. So, I sipped my drink, eyeing it with suspicion trying to ascertain what it was about this electric ruby liquid that beckoned me to drink and by the time my glass was empty, I was as giddy and in love with negroni as my friends were. After that first taste we stopped off for a negroni every evening until we left Rome. I even schooled an ex-pat bartender from the UK on how to make negroni. I realized yesterday that I had not had one since we left Italy and I think it is high time to remedy that.
Now the negroni pictured above was what Leslie and Richard drank on the Piazza Navona. They were a bit more ornate than what your would normally be served, which is an orange wedge stuck on the side of your glass. I remember Leslie saying that the fruit and most especially the red currants were lovely paired with negroni and it just so happens that I found a pint of fresh, organic, grown in Washington, red currants that matched the shade of the negroni perfectly. I do like the way a touch of orange accents the drink so I have added a touch of fresh orange juice to the mix instead of on the rim.
Cin-Cin!
Negroni
1oz. Campari
1oz.Vermouth
1oz. Gin
1 tsp of fresh orange juice
Spray of fresh red currant
Shake the campari, Vermouth, Gin and orange with ice in a cocktail shaker and strain over ice. Garnish with a spray of red currant.
*Despite my best efforts I don’t actually speak Welsh. I guess a word-a-day e-mail wasn’t the best route to take on that one. The Welsh above says, the red dragon. I really need to look into Rosetta Stone, so I can learn something other than Cymru.
Diolch, Grazie and Thank you for using my photo!
I had the exact same reaction with my first couple sips of this drink, but as you say, it keeps tempting you back for more until you’re wondering what the problem was in the first place. When we first ordered our negroni our somewhat sassy Italian waiter leaned in close to me and said, “are you Italian?” which made me think not many American tourists knew to order this which made me even more excited to drink it for some reason. They took their sweet time bringing them out to us, but it was worth the wait.
It was an impressive cocktail but was even more impressive was that I was able to drink two of them without them completely knocking me on my backside– especially since the less refined Druid’s Rock version seemed much stronger.
I thought the fiendish Count Negroni was in a Gothic Romance… who knew?! I will have to get me one of these. Tho’ I am not a great fan of Campari or Vermouth. I do like gin tho’!
Interesting that you had a red drink below the Red Dragon!
Wow. That looks so good, but mostly I am again SO insanely jealous that I wasn’t in Rome with you guys!
Les, Thank you for letting me use it!
Griffin, I think the gin is the predominant flavor of this drink and it combined with the orange may temper the campari and sweet vermouth to your liking.
Sam, You should have gone!
Oh my gosh, this looks delicious and super refreshing! (Of course this opinion is in NO WAY influenced by the lovely east coast humidity that had me sweating through tux shopping this afternoon).
It is! I am so thankful to be out of that crazy heat and humidity. I think all I wore was linen in my summers there.
So many times to Rome but never with Negroni in hand…I’ll remember this on my next trip! The Welsh pub sounds hysterical, glad you shared…
I love gin, and I love bitter drinks, so the Negroni sounds perfect. I’ve got everything but the campari.
Marc, It was one of my favorite things I discovered in Rome.
Marvin, If you like bitter this will be right up your alley. The first taste is a little shocking, but only because it looks like it should be sugary sweet.
Looks yummy! I think I will ask my daughter to make one for me. How about it?
This does sound tempting!