The Negroni: A Love Affair with a Classic Cocktail, Hardcover Book, By: Matt Hranek

A CENTURY AGO THE COCKTAIL ACHIEVED PERFECTION when, according to legend, Count Camillo Negroni asked his bartender in Florence to stiffen an Americano by replacing the soda water with gin. The world never looked back. with its cosmically simple 1:1:1 ratio, its balance of bitter and sweet, its pleasant kick, its aura of sophistication, the Negroni has bewitched cocktail lovers ever since. Perhaps none more so than Matt Hranek, who intones this love song to his favourite drink and offers a curated collection of recipes, both the classic and dozens of variations, deviations, and delicious reinterpretations. Drink in 100 Years of History with This Love Letter to One of the World's Most Popular Cocktails The Recipes Matt Hranek offers more than 30 variations on the classic Negroni, including the Teller, one of The Hotel Il Pellicano’s house cocktails. Named for Juergen Teller, the German fine-art and fashion photographer who has spent his fair share of time at the hotel bar, his namesake Negroni is finished with a splash of Chinotto soda, Italy’s herbaceous, sweet-bitter counterpart to American Coca-Cola. The Essentials Learn how to choose the optimal gin, bitter, vermouth, and garnish for your tastes, plus barware and glassware options. Because of its reputation as a perfect aperitivo, Hranek even includes the best snacks to enjoy alongside a pre-dinner nip. The History and Lore Treat yourself to stories and photographs of the greatest Negroni bars in the world. From Naples to London to Patmos to Paris, each bar highlighted in the book has an intriguing history, and each venerable bartender has talent to learn from. Anecdotes include the origins of the Sbagliato at Milan's Bar Basso, and Hranek's introduction to Thalami, "an oasis of a bar" in the Greek Isles. Enjoy a Negroni just as author Matt Hranek would make one Ingredients 1¼ ounces (40 ml) Campari 1¼ ounces (40 ml) London dry gin ¾ ounce (20 ml) Punt e Mes vermouth Slice of orange for garnish Matt Hranek's Negroni "My house cocktail deviates slightly from the 1:1:1 formula, leaning heavier on the Campari and gin and lighter on the vermouth than the classic version. Good ice is not as important to me as a good glass, and the choice is always crystal, preferably something from my Baccarat collection." Preparation Combine the Campari, gin, and vermouth in an old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Stir and garnish with the orange slice. About the Author Matt Hranek is the author of The Martini, The Negroni, A Man & His Watch, and A Man & His Car, as well as a photographer, a director, and the founder/editor of the men’s lifestyle magazine WM Brown. He and his family divide their time between Brooklyn and the Wm Brown farm in upstate New York, though he can also be spotted quite often in old-school bars around Europe, Negroni in hand. Find him on Instagram at @wmbrownproject.