16 Jun Negroni Week 2: Masseria + Count Camillo Cocktail Recipe

Negroni Week 2: Masseria + Count Camillo Cocktail Recipe

Last week, while we were posting our own Negroni recipes, we were out on the town tasting what other people were offering for Negroni Week.

Masseria is all the rage among our DC friends right now. We haven’t been there for dinner yet; we save our multi-course, fixed price meals for special occasions. We have dropped in for drinks a couple of times, and it makes us want to find a special occasion as quickly as possible.

You’d never expect to find a place so pleasant and elegant among the wholesalers and warehouses alongside Union Market, and even Masseria’s own, somewhat forbidding, front wall gives you no indication of what you have in store. But step through the entryway, and you’re suddenly in a much different place. The peace and comfort of the large courtyard and the retractable-roof bar area practically draw a relaxing sigh out of you.

The drinks and the appetizers only increase the sense of satisfaction.

What We Ordered

Count Camillo: St. George Botanivore gin; Contratto Bianco vermouth; beet-infused Campari

What We Thought

The gin really stood out in this Negroni, in a good way. Campari rightfully takes the spotlight in most Negronis, but it’s nice for gin to get a chance to shine every once in a while. The softness of the bianco vermouth (sweeter than the more common dry white) and the rich sweetness of the beets mellowed the Campari and gave the gin a chance to step forward.

Count Camillo Cocktail Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 oz gin–make it a good one. Masseria’s choice of St. George Botanivore is a good, widely available option.
• 1 oz bianco vermouth
• 1 oz Campari
• a few pieces of beet

Instructions

• Infuse the Campari with beets, by simply putting the beets in the liqueur and letting it sit for about 20 minutes. Strain out the beets. It’s probably easier to do this with more than a single ounce of Campari, but don’t infuse more than you’ll use.
• Combine the gin, vermouth, and Campari in a mixing glass with ice and stir until the ice is half-melted.
• Strain into an ice-filled old fashioned glass.