I officially declare it gin season! Let’s kick it off right with a classic gin cocktail: the negroni.
This cocktail is rated hip: no cocktail mixing experience required. Seriously!
One of my favorite aspects of the negroni is its simplicity: it is equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. If you don’t have these in your liquor cabinet, you should! Here are some tips for purchasing and using these ingredients:
- Sweet vermouth: Buy the smallest bottle you can find. Vermouth loses flavor once it’s open, and you probably won’t go through it very quickly. Once opened, keep your bottle in the fridge. I recommend dumping whatever’s left and replacing it about every three months. This negroni was PARTICULARLY delicious because it contained fresh vermouth.
- Campari: A bottle of Campari is cheap, and it’s excellent for a dozen summery drinks. Try a Campari orange with fresh orange juice, a Campari soda, or just have some on the rocks.
Supplies for the negroni: Campari, gin (I used Hendricks this time, but any gin works), sweet vermouth, a cocktail shaker (optional), a jigger, a spoon, and an orange (for garnish).
In the cocktail mixing glass, combine 1 oz each of gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari. Stir with ice to chill. Strain over fresh ice into an old fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange peel.
Lazy preparation: Fill an old fashioned glass with ice. Add 1 oz each of gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari. Stir to combine, and garnish with an orange peel.
Even lazier preparation: Fill an old fashioned glass with ice. Pour in some gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari. Just eyeball it. Stir. Enjoy!
It’s impossible to mess up this cocktail, but it’s worth using a jigger, using fresh vermouth, and stirring and straining the cocktail.
Note that my knitting matched my drink. Look for a new design in Neighborhood Fiber Co. Rustic Fingering (shown here in Petworth and Otterbein) this summer!
