Negroni

The story of the Negroni is a curious tale indeed. Sometime around 1920, an Italian Count named Camillo Negroni, who had recently returned from working as a rodeo cowboy in America—yes, a rodeo cowboy—went to a caffè. There, he ordered his favorite drink, an Americano, but requested that the bartender liven it up a bit by replacing the soda water with gin. The bartender also replaced the Americano's traditional lemon slice with an orange slice and named the drink after the Count. For years, the Negroni was an Italian favorite, but it didn't leave home until well into the 21st century. A full-throttle cocktail renaissance had opened Americans back up to the taste of gin and bitters, so the moment was finally right for the Negroni to make it's way to America, where it has become a mainstay on cocktail menus everywhere.