The Americano was first served at Caffè Campari, Gaspare Campari's Milan bar, although, at the time, it wasn't called an Americano. Originally known as Milano-Torino — after the birthplace of the recipe's Campari (Milan) and sweet vermouth (Turin) — the classic didn't experience a name change until the turn of the century, when visiting Americans grew fond of its flavor. The rest is, well, history.
If the Americano sounds familiar, it might be because the cocktail is essentially the inspiration behind the popular, and nearly as historic, Negroni. As the most widely adopted Negroni story goes, Count Camillo Negroni asked a bartender to make his favorite drink, the Americano, stronger — with gin. I can certainly relate.
As I've said before, the famed aperitivo Campari is often a shock to the uninitiated's taste buds. The balance of flavors in an Americano makes it a little easier to swallow, but Campari's bitterness quickly becomes less in-your-face as you sip. Once you down the bright red nectar a few times, methinks you'll find it quite delightful.
The Americano is a good fit for anyone seeking a pre-dinner drink. It's not overly potent, for one, and does seem to whet the appetite. An option for folks who're new to bitter cocktails: Make the drink in a Collins glass with the same counts of booze and fill the extra space with more sparkling water to tame the bitterness.
Makes 1
1.5 ounces sweet vermouth
1.5 ounces Campari
Sparkling water or tonic, to top
In a rocks glass, add Campari and sweet vermouth. Fill with ice. Top with sparkling water. Give cocktail a brief, gentle and slow stir with a bar spoon. Slightly squeeze an orange wedge over top and drop inside to garnish.
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This article appears in Jul 27 – Aug 3, 2017.