Nothing says Florence, Italy and the weekend kicking off quite like Florence and the Machine, and their track “Dog Days Are Over” thumping in the background. Welcome to the weekend! Time for a Florence-inspired Negroni cocktail to celebrate the dog day week being over.
With its century long history, the simple yet sassy Negroni has inspired much experimentation over the years. The recipe traditionally calls for equal parts (in our recipe 30 ml each) Campari, Vermouth and a Gin like our artisanal craft “Thursday”. Add a good few ice cubes, a sprig of mint, and to balance out the flavours, a twist of Clemengold orange from the shores of South Africa as garnish. Pour into a lowball glass and serve well-chilled.
This classic recipe is said to have originated in Florence, Italy in the early 20th century when Count Camillo Negroni requested a bartender intensify his favorite cocktail by replacing the usual soda water with something with a bit more kick - he settled on gin! The bartender squeezed in a twist of orange peel to stir things up for good measure. And from there one of the most recognised cocktails in history was born!
As with anything worth the effort, the key to a really good Negroni is selecting the highest quality base ingredients, and to ensure the other ingredients compliment, rather than overpower, the bitterness of Vermouth. So go ahead…experiment. And produce a cocktail worthy of a count! Cheers to you Florence!
