Negroni

[kirra]

Negroni
Jan Hegewald

Ingredients:

1 1/4 ounce gin
1 ounce sweet vermouth
1 ounce Campari
2 dashes orange bitters
Orange rind (see instructions)

Preparation:

Add all ingredients except orange rind to a bar glass, then stir for about 30 seconds. Pour into an old-fashioned glass that has one large ice cube in it (see note). With a straight-bladed knife, cut a thin piece of rind off a whole orange, including enough of the pith to keep the piece together when you squeeze it. The piece should be about the size of the pad of your thumb. Hold the rind over the flame of a lighter or match to heat the oils, then squeeze it over the drink. Depending on the oil content of the rind, it may flame up, or just create caramelized orange oil in a thin layer on the drink.

Note:
Named after an Italian count in the 1930s, the Negroni is a drink that balances well the sweetness, bitterness and alcohol of its ingredients. It’s also fun because you get to light things on fire.

It is important to have hard, clear ice — Use very clean water, pouring it in a high-sided sheet or cake pan, and freezing it, then letting it thaw just enough to loosen, then using a chisel to cut out large pieces of ice for your glass. There are also commercially available molds to make large ice cubes.