Raise A Glass To National Negroni Week
By Paul Leddy in Food on May 29, 2013 4:30PM
The beginning of summer seems like a perfect time to celebrate one of the best 3-ingredient cocktails ever created. Imbibe Magazine has designated this week as National Negroni Week and while that designation may seem like Sweetest Day for cocktail aficionados (our love for the Negroni can’t be relegated to just one day), it is nice to take time to look at this great cocktail.
The legend is that a Count Negroni created the cocktail in 1919 when he asked his bartender to replace the club soda in his Americano with gin. While the story sounds nice, it seems more likely that it was created several decades later with variations sprouting up in different countries until the Negroni name caught on.
The classic Negroni is made simply with a 1:1:1 ratio of gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari. Purists can close their eyes for a second as we state something about the Negroni: It is an incredibly versatile cocktail. You can tweak the proportions or try different sweet vermouths (Carpano Antica or Punt e Mes as an example). Or, you can also experiment with different bittering agents such as Averna, Aperol, or Gran Classico. We have seen Negroni’s served straight up or over ice.
When the Chicagoist staff was out at The Charleston recently, bartender Sara Voden served a riff on a Negroni using Averna. The result was a cocktail that was complex and a little more contemplative than the classic Negroni, but the flavors worked very well together.
At Billy Sunday, they create their own version that not only replaces the Campari but also uses Old Tom Gin. The slightly sweeter, more botanical gin, pairs nicely with the flavors of the Gran Classico. We don’t have the exact recipe used at Billy Sunday, but we have been making our own version based on the classic ratio. The cocktail is very delicious and is steadily becoming our favorite Negroni (the purists still have their eyes closed, right?)
Another interesting twist (pictured above) is the Mezcal negroni at the dear departed Maison. The smoky mezcal blends perfectly with the bitter flavor of the drink, and while the restaurant may be gone, we still have the recipe.
Imbibe has suggested that bars donate $1 to the charity of their choice with each Negroni sold. There are three Chicago establishments who have officially joined the pledge: RM Champagne Salon (Human Rights Campaign); Red Door Chicago (The Bartender Relief Fund); The Bar at Mindy’s Hot Chocolate (Greater Chicago Food Depository).
So, raise a glass to Count Negroni this week either at home or at a local establishment and praise this wonderful cocktail.
Averna Negroni
From Sara Voden, The Charleston
1.5oz Death’s Door Gin
.50oz Averna
1oz Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth
Add ingredients to a mixing glass and add ice. Stir 10-15 seconds and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a swath of orange peel that has had its oils expressed over the glass.
Billy Sunday Negroni
Inspired by Billy Sunday
1oz. Scofflaw Old Tom Gin
1oz Gran Classico Bitter
1oz Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth
Add ingredients to a mixing glass and add ice. Stir 10-15 seconds and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a swath of orange peel that has had its oils expressed over the glass.