Americano Recipe: Classic Cocktails
The Americano is the Negroni's lighter cousin, which swaps out gin for soda water and is a great aperitif or day drink. Both cocktails hail from Italy, and you may be surprised to learn that the Americano came first, apparently because Italian bartenders of the mid 1800s found that American tourists preferred their Milano-Torino cocktails with a big splash of soda water. To me there’s some poetry and comfort in a drink named for Americans by Italians a century and a half ago.
Tip
If you're in the mood for a light cocktail with a bitter component, you might also like the Aperol Spritz.
Americano Recipe
The Americano is a lighter take on the Negroni, developed when Italian bartenders of the mid 1800s found that American tourists preferred their Milano-Torino cocktails with a big splash of soda water.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces Campari
- 1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth (rosso)
- 2 ounces soda water
Directions
- Place some ice in a tall glass. For their slow melt and simple, classy look I used these giant ice cubes.
- Pour in Campari and vermouth, stir in soda water and serve.
