The Negroni
The excellent Negroni at Tullibee.
I often talk about Negronis. My love for them has indeed been influenced by the men’s style community (and not a few luminaries who professed love for the classic Italian cocktail), but there’s a reason they’ve achieved a vaunted place in the hearts of lushes ‘round the world. For one, they’re refreshing. Coming home after work and drinking an Old Fashioned - a la Don Draper - seems depressing. After a drink or two, the Old Fashioned's strength makes one stare at the bottom of the cocktail glass. Not so with the Negroni - the drink’s herbal subtlety relaxes and their effervescent taste makes them an ideal cooking companion for nights when wine won’t do.
Ernest Hemingway loved Negronis, too (photo courtesy of Sonic Editions).
The beauty of the Negroni is that it exemplifies La Dolce Vita, the Italian way of living. Italians aren’t known for their cocktails; the country produces plenty of liqueurs, apéritifs and digestifs that are necessities for home bartenders, but Italy is a country of wining and dining. Take one sip of a Negroni, however, and you’re transported to Florence, where the drink originated. Named after Count Negroni, the drink began as a variation on the Americano. The Negroni’s substitution of gin for club soda gives the drink a botanical dimension and is why the lore and reputation of the Negroni has surpassed its progenitor. There aren’t any photos out there of Hemingway pouring himself an Americano, after all.
At times it seems we’ve reached peak Negroni popularity, but the drink is too timeless to fade away. The drink is ubiquitous stateside - I’ve had barrel-aged Negronis at Clyde Common in Portland and several good riffs on the classic in Minneapolis (Eat Street Social and Tullibee’s versions are the best I’ve encountered). There’s even Negroni Week: Launched by Imbibe magazine in 2013, thousands of restaurants and bars band together to donate proceeds of each Negroni purchased to charity. Who said drinking can’t be philanthropic?
Balance in proportion is key when making a Negroni.
The platonic ideal for the Negroni is adapted from Matt Hranek, photographer for CN Traveler and curator of the Instagram @wmbrownproject, where he posts photos of his travels, vintage watches, Land Rovers, fine tailoring and workwear and Negronis.
1 part gin (I use Citadelle)
1 part sweet Vermouth (Dolin Rouge is a good bet under $10; Hranek uses Carpano Punt e Mes which is harder to track down)
1 part Campari
1 orange slice
Combine ingredients in an Old Fashioned glass and stir. Add 1-2 large ice cubes or 5-6 small ones and stir. Garnish with an orange peel and serve.