I had my first Negroni cocktail in Asheville NC while visiting our son and daughter-in-law early this Fall. We waited until the leaves were in their peak color and the morning air was filled with the crisp promise of winter.
When I think of Asheville, the first thing that pops into my head is the arts scene in the downtown area surrounded by the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains that hold hundreds of miles of trails which one can follow 1175 miles all the way to the Outer Banks of the Atlantic Ocean if one so chooses. Us? We hiked a modest 5-6 miles and headed to the nearest watering hole, of which Asheville has in spades.
Second only to the fine folks of Portland, ME, the greater Asheville NC area has the highest number of breweries per capita in the entire US. Although I do enjoy a finely crafted brew from Hi-Wire, Burial, or Highland, the task at hand was to broaden my cocktail repertoire and so, only through sheer dedication and a dogged sense of determination (it’s a tough job), we were able to kill two (or six) birds with one stone and as part of our pub crawl, we stopped in to savor not only the history and ambiance of Antidote in downtown Asheville but also their take on the most venerated of aperitifs: the Negroni.
The Negroni cocktail is part of the “aperitif” category since part of its job is to stimulate the appetite. It is thus served before a meal and may be paired with a savory appetizer; e.g., cheese, olives, crackers, pate’, etc. (according to the expert editors at Wikipedia, and who’s to doubt them because all that sounds really good!). The aperitif is usually dry rather than sweet. Some may also taste a hint of bitterness, or even a vague airiness. One ingredient of the Negroni, sweet vermouth, is enjoyed all by itself as an apertif.
The flavors of the Negroni are unusual and some may even call it an acquired taste. Remember what you thought after drinking your first beer? Give this drink a chance; it does exactly what it was designed to do and you’ll find yourself wanting another before too long!
Ingredients
1 ounce sweet vermouth
1 ounce Campari
1 ounce gin
orange garnish
Hard to mess this one up! Mix and serve over ice. Your garnish can be the peel or a wedge of the orange. Either way, squeeze a bit in there or muddle it into the mixture to give it that fresh taste.
Speaking of tastes, if Campari or sweet vermouth is a new ingredient to you, try the unfamiliar ingredient by themselves before mixing everything together. This is your drink! If you like the sweet vermouth and Campari makes you wonder, then halve the Campari and add 50% more sweet vermouth. That being said, always keep in mind the “base” recipe above; you may find after a few initial ventures that it’s better than you first thought.
John