Because of the ongoing pandemic, the annual Negroni Week was delayed from the usual first week in June until today... however, because on the ongoing shutdown or restrictions in restaurants and especially in bars, there aren't any real time events that I know of especially here in the 50th where we're still in the midst of our 2nd Stay-At-Home orders...
But that doesn't mean I can't bring you a virtual Negroni Week...
I sampled my first Negroni as a Negroni virgin over 30 years ago at the Buckeye Roadhouse in Mill Valley as it was advertised as the "Perfect Negroni" with both red sweet and white dry vermouth. You see, the classic Negroni is equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and Campari so while I was a Negroni virgin back then, there is no virgin Negroni as there are no mixers involved, it's ALL alcohol. All thrilla, no filla!
As the story goes, in 1919, the Count Camillo Negroni asked bartender Fosco Scarselli at the Caffe Casoni for a cocktail stronger than his usual Americano which is equal parts of Campari and sweet vermouth with a splash of soda water. Gin was substituted for the soda water and the cocktail was garnished with a slice of orange rather than the usual lemon in an Americano and voila! The Negroni! The Negroni family eventually bottled a ready made version called Antico Negroni 1919. One issue with this story is that the Count passed away in 1913...
In any case, since that first sip some 30 or so years ago, I've been hooked. In fact, I've been creating my Negroni with a blend of dry and sweet vermouth for so long, Ms S thought that it was the original recipe until she sampled the original recipe a couple of years ago (she likes the sweeter version).
So to start off Negroni Week 2020, I offer the Unusual Negroni which swaps the bracing Campari for its sweeter, less bitter sibling, Aperol and Lillet replaces the usual sweet vermouth. I think of it as a Negroni with training wheels...
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