Negroni

A negroni is an Italian aperitif cocktail of gin, Campari and red vermouth in equal parts. According to the trade guide Difford's Guide, it originated, according to the well-known story, in 1919 at the Casoni Bar on the Via Tornabuoni in Florence, later called Caffè Giacosa.

Regular guest Count Camillo Negroni asked barman Fosco Scarselli for a bit more punch in his Americano. Scarselli replaced the soda water with gin. Other guests then ordered 'a drink of Count Negroni', and so the cocktail got its name. The story is not undisputed: a relative disputes that the count existed, and printed evidence of the negroni dates, according to Difford's Guide, only from the 1940s and 1950s.

The white negroni is a clear variation in which Campari and red vermouth have been replaced. It consists of equal parts gin, gentian liqueur such as Suze and an aromatised white wine such as Lillet Blanc. If desired, a few drops of saline solution are added.

According to Difford's Guide, bartender Wayne Collins devised this version in 2001 at the VinExpo trade fair in Bordeaux. You make it the same way as the classic negroni: pour everything into a chilled glass with ice and stir. As garnish you use a strip of pink grapefruit peel, which you squeeze over the glass.

The difference lies in one ingredient: an Americano contains Campari, red vermouth and soda water, a negroni gin instead of soda water. The negroni is therefore shorter and stronger. According to Difford's Guide the Americano is the direct predecessor; the negroni is said to have come about when the soda made way for gin.

The Americano in turn descends from the Milano-Torino, a mix of Campari from Milan and vermouth from Turin. So if you want to keep it lighter, choose the Americano in a tall glass with ice and soda. If you want the classic ratio, stick with gin, Campari and vermouth in equal parts, over ice in a short glass.

You make an alcohol-free negroni by replacing the three drinks with alcohol-free counterparts in the same proportions: 30 ml alcohol-free gin, 30 ml alcohol-free bitter aperitif and 30 ml alcohol-free red vermouth. The preparation stays the same: pour straight into a chilled short glass full of ice and stir gently.

As with the original, add half an orange slice. Without alcohol-free vermouth you can also use a splash of red grape juice with a few drops of bitters, topped up with a little sparkling water. Feel free to ask in the shop which alcohol-free aperitifs are in stock; the range changes.

For the base there are 215 gins in the shop. Among them are well-known names such as Beefeater Gin and Bombay Sapphire Gin, but also Filliers Dry Gin 28, Bobby's Gin and Battumse Gin. For the bitter part there is Campari Bitter, the bitter that the IBA recipe prescribes.

For the red vermouth, Martini Rosso, Cinzano Rosso, Del Professore Vermouth di Torino Rosso, Dolin Rouge Vermouth and Marolo Ulrich Vermouth di Torino Rosso are ready, among others. Not sure which combination suits you? Feel free to call or drop by ’t Bockje at the Brink 2 in Bathmen.

The shop is at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Open Tuesday to Friday from 09.00 to 18.00 and Saturday from 09.00 to 17.00. For advice, call 0570 541 278 or email info@bockje.nl.