Perfect your winter Negroni
Winter has landed and that means we are well into Negroni season.
I know the Negroni - an equal mix of Campari, sweet vermouth and gin - often has summer connotations due to its Italian heritage and use as a pre or post-dinner tipple in the Mediterranean, but its strength of flavour makes it the perfect cocktail for hiding away from the cold in a cosy bar, preferably with a sofa and a fire.
Some people like to shake a Negroni, but personally I prefer it stirred with a large block of ice rather than a number of small ones. I read somewhere that the bar manager of Polpo adds the gin and stirs it with the ice before adding the other ingredients to watch the colours change.
As far as ingredients go, a clean and classic gin is probably best and a sweet, red Vermouth. Make sure the gin has a strong finish too, otherwise it will get lost with the Campari. Some go with a zest of orange, but I prefer the slight sweetness of a slice; the taste from the flesh brings the gin through more. Stylist William Gilchrist, on the other hand, likes grapefruit instead to get a better kick.
What you need 1 small glass 1 large ice block 25ml gin 25ml sweet vermouth 25ml Campari Slice of orange (thin)
Method Add the ice to the glass and pour the gin over the top. Stir the gin. Add the vermouth and the Campari and stir. Add the orange and give it a twist as you put it in the glass, then give it a quick stir. Relax and enjoy.