Woohoo! The Cocktail Diaries are back for real. And I have a renewed energy for them, because we just bought a bottle of Campari, which opens up a ton of new doors for cocktails. I had to start with one of my favorites, the negroni.

It’s been SUCH a busy weekend. We are in the midst of a kitchen remodel, and right now we’re in the part where our new stove isn’t yet installed. That means that we aren’t cooking unless it’s in our toaster oven. It also means that we are spending a lot of time shopping for tile, sinks, paint, etc. Which is fun on one hand, but as we’ve found out, can be pretty tiring because you are making so many decisions at once that feel very big at the time.

And cocktails, thankfully, don’t take any cooking. So that part I can definitely do. Maybe it should be cocktail week! (?)

I’m discovering that my taste for cocktails runs quite bitter. Not that I don’t love me some margaritas. But I am a huge fan of the medicinal, aromatic and the very boozy. Negronis are all three of those things. Bitterness from the Campari is only partially mediated by the presence of sweet vermouth, and then there’s the gin… Yeah, this beverage is not for the faint of heart, and I don’t know if I’d drink more than one in any given evening.

That said, it’s definitely a cocktail where you can focus on the intense ingredients. There’s no simple syrup or citrus juice masking the alcohol and bitters. It’s feels like a drink for musing, working on a writing project or something where you want a strong sipper at your side. Or… if you are partying hard that day.

Here’s what you need:
1 1/2 oz. gin
1 1/2 oz. Campari
1 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
twist of lemon or orange for garnish

Stir gin, Campari and vermouth in a glass with ice until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass with one large or a couple of regular ice cubes. Rub your citrus peel around the rim of the glass before using as a garnish.