By michael Vivar
Few drinks conjure the vision of speeding along winding roads on a Vespa to an all'aperto trattoria that’s your little secret quite like the Negroni cocktail.
The origins of the Negroni are murky. One story is in 1919, Count Camillo Negroni ordered an Americano (Campari, vermouth and soda water) but requested the soda be switched for gin.
What’s certain is that it burst onto the international stage beginning in the 1950s when globetrotting celebrities sang praises to the Negroni.
Filmmaker Orson Welles, also known as a connoisseur of fine cocktails, discovered the drink while filming "Black Magic" in Rome.
No history of bending the elbow is complete without Ernest Hemingway. The Negroni appears in his 1950 novel, "Across the River and Into the Trees."
Actress Audrey Hepburn was the social influencer of her day. She made a splash serving houseguests Negronis while taking a break from the Roman Holiday set.
The sheer simplicity of the Negroni leaves it wide open to interpretation. Here’s the classic along with a couple of variations.
Combine one part gin, one part vermouth and one part Campari into an ice-filled strainer. Shake vigorously. Strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with orange twist.
Combine one part prosecco, one part vermouth and one part Campari into an ice-filled strainer. Shake vigorously. Strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with orange twist.
Combine one part bourbon, one part vermouth and one part Campari into an ice-filled strainer. Shake vigorously. Strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with orange slice.
"Naturally, I’m misanthropic. But the Negronis are helping considerably." - Anthony Bourdain
What's your preferred Italian cocktail?