Negroni

Negroni Sbagliato or Mistaken/ Wrong Negroni

The Negroni Sbagliato was born in Milan, in the Basso bar,Milano 1960s,  thanks to a mistake made by bartender Mirko Stocchetto who, while preparing a Negroni, confused the bottle of Prosecco with gin. An error, however, which consigned the variant to myth to the point of making this cocktail highly sought after throughout the world. In fact, if you go abroad and order a "mistaken Negroni" or a "Wrong Negroni" they will understand you straight away.

Its success is due to the presence of Brut sparkling wine which enhances the flavor of the red vermouth making it much more enjoyable and lighter.

Ingredients

3cl bubbly wine brut

3cl Campari bitter

3cl martini red 

How to prepare:  

-  Place 4 ice cubes in a medium tumbler. 

- Add the Campari bitters and the Martini Rosso and mix delicately for a few seconds with a bar spoon.

-  Garnish with a slice of orange.

Dishes: salted dried fruit, canapés or with croutons or second courses such as chicken curry.

Variants

Instead of the Martini you can use any red vermouth or Carpano for the Negroni Sbagliato.

If you put vodka instead of gin, your Sbagliato will be called Negrosky

Some add a few drops of angostura to give a stronger touch to the cocktail.

 Americano

Old Fashioned

Martini Cocktail o Dry Martini

Espresso Martini

Gin Tonic 

I.B.A

The gin and tonic, also known in England as G&T, is a fresh and thirst-quenching long drink made from gin and tonic water, to which lemon zest is usually added or, alternatively, spices or herbs such as rosemary. The fairly high alcohol content, around 17 degrees, makes it perfect to drink during an evening aperitif or after dinner.

The history of the drink dates back to the eighteenth century, when during the colonial era the soldiers of the British division stationed in India began to add the English distillate par excellence, gin, to the so-called Indian Tonic Water - tonic water containing a small percentage of quinine, a natural alkaloid that was believed to eradicate the risk of contracting malaria. Since then, and in particular since the 1990s, when it was relaunched by Parisian students, the gin and tonic has become one of the most famous cocktails in the world, a must during happy hour in England, where, as mentioned, it is commonly called G&T.

Unlike other drinks such as Moscow Mule and Manhattan, whose doses are very precise, in the case of gin these vary according to the school of thought: we recommend using 4 parts of tonic water for 1 part of gin

Ingredients

Tonic water 4 parts

Gin 1 part

Lemon 1 slice

Tools: 1  jigger, 1 bar spoon and tongs, 1  tumbler or  highball, glass cocktail glasses with a narrow and elongated shape, with a thick bottom

How to prepare: 

-put ice in a tall glass, until it is full

- add the gin using the measuring cup 

-pour the tonic water until the glass is full 

-Stir gently so as not to lose its fizz

- decorate the drink with lemon zest

Advice:

Given that the best choice for this drink is a very light gin, you can vary the quality used from time to time, choosing different spirits in taste and structure. 

-Hendrick's, for example, is a fresh and delicate gin, characterized by floral and herbaceous notes,

 -The Botanist has more intense and spicy taste, to be combined with a not too strong tonic water. 

- Panarea Island with a citrus flavour, 

- Roby Marton with a liquorice aftertaste 

-Opihr which takes you directly to the spices of the East.

Dishes: cold and fish dishes. For the aperitif:  crostini, butter and anchovies, mature cheeses, fried mozzarella or fried fish, which will be "degreased" by the drink. For a special dinner: smoked salmon, spaghetti with seafood or mixed paella.

Variants

The most classic version of the gin and tonic involves the addition of lemon peel, which can be rubbed on the edge of the glass to enhance the citrus note, but the drink can also be flavored using spices and herbs: here are three variations of the gin and tonic to try .

              Gin tonic with rosemary. Gin tonic with grapefruit. Gin tonic with cucumber.

Margarita

I.B.A

Elegant and fresh, the Margarita falls into the category of sour cocktails. It is a symbolic cocktail of Mexico, thanks to the main ingredient, tequila, mixed together with triple sec and lime or lemon juice. 

Typical aperitif cocktail or after dinner

Of uncertain origin, its birth is debated between Tijuana, Mexico, and San Diego, the Californian city closest to the border. 

Probably, the name of the Margarita cocktail comes from Marjorie King, an actress of the 1930s, allergic to spirits except Tequila. In fact, in her honor, in 1938, the American  barman of the hotel where she was staying, "La Gloria Ranch" in Tijuana, created for the first time a drink based on tequila, lime juice and triple sec.

However, there are many "Margarita makers" mentioned in anecdotes and, among them, there are Carlos Herrera, who mixed blanco tequila with lemon juice and triple sec, and Daniel Negrete, who mixed 1/3 triple sec, 1/ 3 of tequila and 1/3 of lime juice.

Since December 2011, the Margarita has been included in the IBA cocktail list together with its variant, the Tommy's Margarita, with Agave nectar.

Ingredients

Tequila - 3.5 cl

Triple sec  - 2 cl

Lime ( the juice)  - 1.5 cl

Garnish with  lime - 1 slice. Ice cubes 

Tools: 1 CITRUS JUICER. 1 BOWL. 1 SHAKER. 1 STRAINER 1 SOMBRERO CUP

The preparation is very simple and involves the Shake & Strain technique: the liquids, in fact, are mixed in the shaker and the drink is filtered directly into the Margarita cup. According to the original IBA (International Bartender Association) recipe, the proportions between the ingredients should be 7:4:3 (50% tequila, 28.5% Triple Sec, 21.5% fresh lime or lemon juice), but the The trick to preparing an excellent cocktail is to use the right quantities of triple sec, which will give the right sweetness, and lime juice which, instead, will give a touch of acidity.

The result will be a fresh and summery drink, with an alcohol content of approximately 25.4%.

As with the Mojito, we recommend rolling the lime on the table with the palm of your hand: this way, the fruit will warm up and it will be easier to squeeze. If you don't particularly like salt, you can use it to garnish only one half of the rim of the glass, and then sip the drink from the other.

How to prepare Margarita

To make the Margarita, start by placing some crushed ice in a margarita glass or shaker. Let cool for 3 minutes

In the meantime, squeeze the lime into a small bowl: warm the fruit by rolling it between the work surface and the palm of your hand, so as to extract the juice more easily. 

Wet the rim of the glass with a slice of lime

Then dip it in a bowl with salt, which will easily stick to the rim of the cup

At this point, dedicate yourself to preparing the cocktail. In the shaker, add the lime juice filtered in the strainer, the tequila and the triple sec

Shake vigorously for a few seconds

Pour the cocktail into the Sombrero cup, filtering it with the appropriate strainer, and serve: the Margarita is ready to be enjoyed

Variants

The Margarita does not have any official variants. However, it is possible to modify some ingredients to create unrecognized versions. Among the most common ones, we remember drinks based on fruit juices, lemon (or lime) and tequila, especially strawberry, peach and banana juice.

An alternative recipe perfect for Christmas holidays, however, includes tequila, cointreau, blueberry and lime juice, coconut milk and agave nectar.

 Daiquiri 

I.B.A.

History and curiosities about the daiquiri

One of Ernest Hemingway's most loved drinks, mentioned in many films made in the USA. The history of the Daiquiri is fascinating: legend has it that a young American sailor landed in 1989 in Daiquiri, a small village near Santiago de Cuba, today called Playa Daiquiri. After entering a shack that offered drinks by the glass, he refused to drink straight rum and asked to be diluted with lemon juice and sugar. And here's the first Daiquiri.

The origins of the daiquiri are unclear, in fact two different stories are attributed to its birth. The first dates back to 1898: during the war between Spain and the United States, after the sinking of 

the Maine ship in the port of Havana, a marine disembarks in Daiquiri, a Cuban village, enters a bar and asks for something to quench his thirst, too bad that the taproom offered only rum. The sailor thus decides to dilute it with lime juice and sugar, creating the first daiquiri.

The second legend about the birth of the daiquiri moves the date a few years later, to 1905: it is said that the cocktail was invented by American engineers working in an iron mine. At the end of the day, to recover from the hard work, they decided to drink something, but they only had rum, lime and sugar available, which they mixed in a shaker with ice. Initially they called the cocktail "rum sour", but it was deemed too simple and later changed to daiquiri.

Ingridients

White rum - 4.5 cl

Lime  juice - 2 cl

Sugar syrup - 0.5 cl

The daiquiri is a Caribbean cocktail based on white rum, lime juice and sugar syrup which is part of sour cocktails, i.e. those based on distillate, lemon juice and sweetener.

A long drink which is therefore made with few ingredients which give it a pure and essential flavour, ideal for an aperitif or after dinner. Here's how to make this crystal clear and intriguing drink in just a few steps.

How to prepare: 

• Start by squeezing the lime juice, or alternatively the lemon juice, and filter it. 
• Pour some ice cubes into the shaker, add the rum, lime juice and sugar syrup. 
• Shake vigorously for 6/8 seconds and pour into the cup previously cooled with ice
• if you wish you can garnish with a slice of lime. 
• Your daiquiri is ready to be served

Advice

To make a perfect daiquiri, use ripe citrus fruits and respect the doses perfectly, to create the right mix of flavors that make this cocktail unique.

The daiquiri can also be enriched with fruit syrups or peach vodka, to make it even tastier. However, there are 3 official variations: the strawberry daiquiri with the addition of strawberries, the frozen daiquiri, a more summery and refreshing version, which also includes the addition of a 

scoop of ice cream, and the banana daiquiri to which banana cream is added.

If you prepare the daiquiri for an aperitif, offer it accompanied by olives and some savory snacks.

Aperol Spritz

I.B.A

The Aperol Spritz, created by the Barbieri brothers in 1900, in response to a light Aperol-based pre-dinner, achieved global success so much so that it was included in the lists of the IBA (International Bartenders Association) with the name "Venetian Spritz ” thanks also to ingredients such as prosecco and a splash of soda or seltzer. Unmissable at aperitif time.

The history of the Spritz was born from a complaint, a misunderstanding and an invasion over 200 years ago. Today it is the king of aperitifs throughout Italy, because it is fresh, colorful and not too alcoholic, an ideal late afternoon drink to be enjoyed in company with some appetizers. There is probably a very specific year in which the cocktail became a national and international symbol, 2008, with TVs across Europe invaded by the Campari commercial. The modern recipe is made up of Prosecco, seltzer and bitters: but this was not originally the case.

Ingredients original recipe

Prosecco 9cl

Aperol 6cl

Soda/ Seltze

Ingredients venetian recipe

Sparkling white wine 1/3

Bitters 1/3

Sparkling water 1/3

Bloody Mary 

Cocktail with the unmistakable red colour, given by its main ingredient, the tomato: nothing better to recall the color of blood. The Bloody Mary is in fact borrowed from Mary I Tudor, also called Bloody Mary, for having had at least three hundred religious opponents executed.

Other reconstructions claim the name derives from the Hollywood star Mary Pickford, although the first hypothesis is more accredited. It was invented by Ferdinando Petiot, barman in 1920 at Harry's New York Bar in Paris: probably the aim was to create a drink that would get patrons back on their feet after an evening of revelry.

The recipe requires a base of vodka, tomato juice, hot spices (Worcestershire or Tabasco sauce), aromatic herbs (horseradish, celery), salt, pepper and lemon juice.

With a slightly bitter taste, it is a long drink, excellent for an evening aperitif, but often also enjoyed in the morning, especially in England, as a "pick me up", to "cheer yourself up" after the alcoholic excesses of the previous evening

Ingridiens:  

tomato juice     9 cl

vodka               4,5 cl

lemon  juice     1,2 cl

worcestershire sauce  2 drops 

tabasco 2 drops

sea salt 

black pepper

For decoration: celery, 

Tools: 1 TUMBLER , 1 SHAKER, 1 JIGGER, 1 BAR SPOON, 1 STRAINER

How to prepare: To prepare the Bloody Mary, pour the tomato juice, the Worcestershire sauce, the lemon juice, the vodka, two drops of Tabasco, a pinch of salt and pepper into a tall tumbler.  Mix delicately clockwise using the bar spoon for about 30 seconds.

Filter everything into another tall tumbler using a strainer or a normal strainer. Give a final mix of 30/40 seconds.

Dishes:  vegetables, a platter of cold cuts and cheeses or meat dishes.

Variants: The Bloody Mary is a much loved cocktail and, as such, you can find it in many variations. The best known is certainly the Virgin Mary, non-alcoholic, but the Ruddy Mary, with gin instead of vodka, and the Bloody Maria, which replaces the vodka with Tequila or Mescal, are also widespread. If you find yourself in Japan, however, don't hesitate to order a Bloody Geisha, withsake instead of vodka. Of course, nothing stops you from adjusting the doses of vodka according to your tastes and, if you don't like spicy flavours, from omitting the Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce.

Cosmopolitan 

I.B.A

"contemporary cocktail”

it is an iconic drink, a symbol of emancipation and femininity, which immediately makes you think of New York and the glittering evenings of the Big Apple. A symbol of New York elegance and style.

It is no coincidence that he became famous in the 90s, thanks to the singer Madonna, photographed at the Rainbow Room in New York with a glass of Cosmo, and the television series Sex and the City, whose protagonist, Carrie Bradshaw, tells of her social life sipping this red drink.

Its origins are uncertain: it is said that the recipe for Cosmopolitan was developed by a bartender at "The Strand" restaurant in South Beach.

Another version of the story has it that it was invented in the 1950s after a famous cramberry juice company held a competition featuring blueberries, a famous ingredient in the United States. 

Due to its high alcohol content, equal to 22°, it is considered an "anytime cocktail", perfect to sip on any occasion - both as an aperitif and as an accompaniment to a light dinner 

Ingredients

Vodka or Vodka citron 4 cl

Cointreau   1.5 cl

Lemon or Lime juice  1,5cl

Cranberry juice   3cl

Tools: 1 shaker,  1 citrus juicer, 1 strainer, 1 jigger,  1 martini glass.

How to prepare 

• start by placing the Martini glass in the freezer for about ten minutes or, alternatively, filling it with ice. 
• Squeeze the lemon (or lime) juice with a citrus juicer and filter it through a narrow mesh strainer 
• Equip yourself with a Boston shaker, consisting of a small bell and a mixing tin (larger jug).
• combine all the ingredients in the shaker together with the ice,
• shake vigorously and pour the drink, filtering it with the strainer.
• Finally, decorate it with a slice of lime on the edge of the glass or on the surface of the drink itself. 

Advice: To prepare the Cosmopolitan you can replace the cointreau with triple sec, a sweet liqueur with a very similar taste. To get as much juice as possible from the lime, however, follow this trick that bartenders use for Mojitos: rub the fruit between your hands to heat it slightly.

Variants

The Cosmopolitan is a very well-known cocktail which, as such, lends itself to numerous revisitations. The most famous are undoubtedly the following: the White Cosmopolitan, prepared with white cranberry juice, the Blue Cosmopolitan, with white cranberry juice and blue curaçao instead of cointreau, and the Metropolitan, which replaces the triple sec with crème de cassis .

Dishes: light dinner

Champagne base Cocktail