A Brief History of the Negroni
Over the holiday weekend, family reunions of sorts had us thinking of a different kind of family tree — the Negroni family. Ever since Campari‘s American headquarters moved to New York, we can geek out over the bitter liquor and endless ways to enjoy it. But the Negroni will always remain king above all Campari cocktails and continues to influence new ones as well.
The Negroni was prefaced by Milano Torino and Americano cocktails. The first Negroni was made in 1919 when a Florentine Count, Camillo Negroni, was inspired by London’s gin scene. He ordered his usual Americano with gin rather than the soda water — with a twist of orange atop, the Negroni as we know it was born. It is also the one cocktail the recipe of which has no changed at all since its original inception at the bar with a capricious client.
The ideal recipe still features :
Prepare the ingredients into a mixing glass over ice, stir, and strain directly into a rocks glass filled with a large piece of ice. Garnish the cocktail with a slice of orange.
The cocktail is now available in endless variations, some particularly good ones even joined the family. For example, the Negroni Sbagliato was created when a bartender accidentally added Prosecco instead of gin. One can also substitute the gin for a whisky to make a Boulevardier.
And despite the new variations, the good old recipe is still essential on any cocktail menu. While the taste of Campari — strong and bitter, takes a moment to get used to (they say one needs to try a Campari three times), the Negroni is ultimately one of those cocktails you cannot get enough of. Captivating, somewhat romantic with its orange-red color, warm, and perfectly distinctive, the Negroni is always the way to go.
