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“Shaken not stirred”

Most of us are very familiar with this sentence, and the first thing that comes to mind is a tuxedo dressed gentleman, often standing in the bar of a luxury hotel in some exotic foreign country.

The man in question is, of course, James Bond. And as you are reading this, you are probably expecting us to go through the vodka Martini.

However, the Vodka Martini or the Vesper, is actually not the first drink we are introduced to in the Ian Fleming novel “Casino Royal”.
When waiting for Vesper and Mathis, Bond enters the Hermitage bar, takes a seat by the window and orders… an Americano.

The drink is perfectly balanced between bitter and sweet, thanks to the ingredients – Campari and Vermouth Rosso.

The drink was originally called “Milano-Torino” because of the origin of the Campari and Vermouth Rosso, but in the early 20th Century, it became a favorite among the American tourists in Italy, who simply topped the drink with soda and thereby the “Americano” was born.

This drink is actually the predecessor of the Negroni – but we will go further into that at another time.

Recipe:

  • 3 cl. Campari
  • 3 cl.Vermouth Rosso
  • 2-3 cl. Soda / seltzer water / sparkling water
  • Ice
  • Orange slice or orange peel as garnish

Fill the glass with ice, pour in your Campari and Vermouth Rosso and give it a stir.
Top off with sparkling water to taste and finish it off with your garnish (on a side note to the garnish, James Bond preferred lemon).

Cheers!


Originally posted as part of the Gents Cafe Newsletter, a bite-sized read about men’s lifestyle to enjoy over a coffee or a nice cocktail. Join now!