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Negroni
Negroni: equal parts gin, bitter red aperitivo and sweet vermouth stirred over ice, finished with orange peel
The story goes that around 1919, in a café on Florence's Via de' Tornabuoni, Count Camillo Negroni asked for his usual Americano with gin in place of the soda water. A century later the Negroni is the backbone of Italian aperitivo: drunk between six and eight in the evening, with olives, salted crisps or little crostini, before dinner rather than with it. It is a drink for adults only and a strong one, so one is plenty; drink responsibly. Taste it and you get bitterness first, then dark herbal sweetness from the vermouth and a dry juniper finish, all lifted by the smell of fresh orange oil. The texture should be silky and weighty. The common mistake is shaking it: shaken, a Negroni turns cloudy, foamy and watery. Stir it over ice instead for 20–30 seconds. It is ready when the outside of the mixing glass is frosted, the drink has softened slightly in colour and it pours like glossy syrup. Choose a bitter aperitivo coloured without carmine, and check the vermouth label if vegan matters. Chef's tip: serve it over one large clear ice cube; it melts slowly and keeps the last sip as good as the first.
- Total time
- 5 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 1
Ingredients
For the Negroni
- 2 tbsp ginLondon dry
- 2 tbsp bitter red aperitivoone coloured without carmine
- 2 tbsp sweet red vermouthcheck the label for a vegan one if it matters: some wines are fined with egg or fish products
- 10 ice cubesfor stirring
- 1 large ice cubefor serving
- 1 strip orange peelpared without pith
For the alcohol-free version
- 1 orange orange zest (optional)pared in strips
- 1 ¾ oz white sugar (optional)
- 3 ½ tbsp water (optional)
- 3 tbsp non-alcoholic bitter aperitivo (optional)
- 2 tbsp red grape juice (optional)
- 10 ice cubes (optional)
- 1 large ice cube (optional)
- 1 strip orange peel (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 2 tbsp gin, 2 tbsp bitter red aperitivo and 2 tbsp sweet red vermouth in a mixing glass or jug and fill with 10 ice cubes.
1 minStep 2: Stir smoothly with a long spoon for 20–30 seconds, until the outside of the glass is frosted and the drink looks glossy.
1 minStep 3: Put 1 large ice cube in a short glass and strain the Negroni over it.
1 minStep 4: Squeeze 1 strip orange peel over the glass, skin side down, so the oil mists the surface, rub it round the rim and drop it in.
1 minStep 5: Alcohol-free version: simmer 1 orange orange zest, 1 ¾ oz white sugar and 3 ½ tbsp water over low heat until the sugar dissolves and the syrup smells of orange, then cool and strain.
4 minStep 6: Alcohol-free version: stir 3 tbsp non-alcoholic bitter aperitivo, 2 tbsp red grape juice and 10 ml of the orange syrup with 10 ice cubes until cold, strain over 1 large ice cube and finish with 1 strip orange peel.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 200 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does negroni take?
- About 5 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 1 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
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