24 Feb 2024: Left Hand

Is this a riff on a Boulevardier or a riff on a Negroni?

The Left Hand, concocted by NY bartender Sam Ross, the Left Hand is smooth with bitter notes of Campari accented by Chocolate Bitters.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz. bourbon (we used Jim Bean tonight)

• 3/4 oz. Campari

• 3/4 oz sweet vermouth (Carpano Antico)

• 3 dashes Chocolate Bitters

• Brandied cherry (garnish)

Add all to a mixing glass. Fill with ice and stir til well-chilled, about 20-30 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with a brandied cherry.

17 Mar 2023: Tipperary

The Tipperary has sort of become an annual tradition in our house on March 17. While decidedly not green (who thinks drinking green adult beverages is a good thing?), it is our nod to St. Patrick’s Day by way of Irish whiskey.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Irish whiskey (our go-to is Powers)

• 1/4 oz. Green Chartreuse

• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth (for this one I pulled out the Carpano)

• Dash of Angostura Bitters

Stir all of the above with ice and serve up in a well-chilled glass. Express a little lemon peel over the top before enjoying.

28 March 2021: Stanley Tucci's Negroni #2

Say what you will about Stanley Tucci and his famous Negroni video (yes, shaken!), in my opinion, it is perfetto - at least it was until this iteration was published. Campari, as Negroni drinkers will tell you, can be bitter and while it is the driving force of a good Negroni, sometimes it needs a bit of balancing. The trick for me has been moderating the bitterness of the Campari with a red, sweet Italian-style vermouth like Carpano Antico. And a bit of orange peel.

In this revision, Tucci adds a splash of Balsamic vinegar which, to my taste, rounds things out nicely. Don’t bother with cheap balsamic, buy some of the really good stuff (I used Guiseppe Giusti 2 Gold Medal Aceto Balsamico di Modena - pricey but worth it)..

Ingredients:

• 2 oz gin (I prefer Juniper forward ones)

• 1 oz Campari

• 1 oz Red Sweet Vermouth

• “About” a tsp of Aceto Balsamic di Modena

Add all to an ice filled shaker, give it a shake and pour into a coupe. Add an orange peel - which is essential to making this work.