Cocktails and Pussy Galore will show you how to drink like James Bond. The Americano (AKA Milano-Torino) is an Italian apéritif cocktail made with Campari, Sweet Vermouth, Club Soda and an Orange Twist. It's meant to be sipped before a meal to help awaken the appetite. Campari is an Amaro, an Italian bitter herbal liqueur, that is heavy on the orange and even heavier on the bitter. It's a really startling flavor for our jaded and warped Slurpee-corn-syrup-saturated palates. It's a shocking splash of cold water in the morning that wakes up dormant parts of our tongues. If you're not ready to dive into the deep end, Aperol might be another option. It has an orange and bitter flavor profile, but it's lighter on the bitter and heavier on the orange. The drink technically wouldn't really qualify as an Americano, but it would be a building block for you to work your way up to the deep bitterness of Campari. Bond does not shy away from these flavors. The Americano, Vesper and Negroni are all bitter-forward cocktails that Bond enjoyed in the books. The Americano is the first cocktail Bond drinks in the opening pages of Casino Royale, the first of the books, so it is a good place to start. In the short story, From a View to a Kill, Bond specifies that an Americano should only be made with Campari, Cinzano Sweet Vermouth and Perrier. Campari and Cinzano have been the brands from the beginning when it was originally called a Milano-Torino, named after the cities where Campari and Cinzano come from. I like Americanos in a rocks glass, but it's also common to make them in a collins or maybe even a pint glass. That would increase the amount of club soda in the drink, which would mellow the flavor profile. That may work for you, but Bond often preferred his drinks strong, flavorful and well-made. Cheers! Recipe: 1.5 oz Campari 1.5 oz Sweet Vermouth top Club Soda (approx. 2-3 oz) Orange Twist Combine Campari and Sweet Vermouth and stir with ice. Strain into rocks glass over ice. Top with Club Soda. Garnish with an Orange Twist. Follow Us! https://www.facebook.com/DistinguishedSpirits http://instagram.com/distinguishedspirits https://twitter.com/DistinguishedSp http://www.pinterest.com/DistinguishedSp Featured in This Episode Campari http://www.campari.com/int/en/campari-world/product/ https://www.youtube.com/user/campariofficial Cinzano http://www.cinzano.com/ https://www.youtube.com/user/CinzanoArgentina Perrier http://www.perrier.com/ https://www.youtube.com/user/perrier

• published: 16 Jan 2015
• views: 535