Cocktail of the week: Negroni

In light of it being Negroni week this week, I thought that I would feature my recipie for a Negroni. 

According to lore, Count Camillo Negroni developed this drink in Florence, Italy in the year 1919. He asked the Bartender to strengthen his favourite cocktail, the Americano, by replacing soda water with gin. the bartender, by the name of FosconScarselli, garnished the drink with an orange and the Negroni was born!

Traditionally made with Campari, Sweet Vermouth and Gin, the Negroni is one delicious, well balanced cocktail for those of us serious about our stiff drinks. Here’s how I make a traditional Negroni:

Ingredients

• 1 Orange peel
• 30ml Gin (London Dry Style)
• 30ml Campari
• 30ml Sweet Vermouth

Method:

• Put rocks glass in a freezer
• Fill a mixing glass 2/3 with ice cubes
• Add gin, vermouth and Campari
• Stir with a bar spoon until the mixing glass is frosted ( about 60-90 seconds)
• Strain into the frozen rocks glass, over a large piece of ice.
• Garnish by twisting out the oils in the peel over the glass, and rim the glass with the oils. 
• Add the orange peel to the drink and enjoy!

As great as the classic Negroni is, I always love putting my own funky spin on classic cocktails. Without further adieu, here is my rumgroni:

Ingredients 

• 30ml spiced rum (I spice my own, but recommend Cubaney spiced rum)
• 30ml Applewood red okar (made in Gumeracha by Bitchen’ Babe, Laura Carter and her husband)
• 30ml Maidenii sweet vermouth
• 1 bar spoon of agave syrup
• 6 dashes of aromatic bitters
• An orange peel

Method

• Put rocks glass in a freezer
• Fill a mixing glass 2/3 with ice cubes
• Add rum, vermouth, red okar, agave and bitters
• Stir with a bar spoon until the mixing glass is frosted ( about 60-90 seconds)
• Strain into the frozen rocks glass, over a large piece of ice.
• Garnish by twisting out the oils in the peel over the glass, and rim the glass with the oils. 
• Add the orange peel to the drink and enjoy!

The only problem about the rumgroni is that it’s way to easy to drink and therefore it goes down too quickly. I’ve even considered making it into a big pitcher, but that just wouldn’t be responsible.