A Blood Orange Negroni is the perfect way to brighten your summer with this seasonal twist on a classic Italian, gin-based cocktail.
Blood Orange Negroni: A Unique Summer Cocktail
Doesn’t it feel as if we spend months on end wishing for the lazy days of summer, somehow forgetting just how busy these longer days really are? We pack so much ‘fun’ into this time of year that it starts to get a bit overwhelming!
This summer is exceptionally memorable for the casa crew because the kid ships out for basic training at the end of August. We have been spending our down time visiting with friends, taking day trips, and really maxing out on family time.
Paul and I need our date nights out so we set up a rare, adults-only night out with another couple to check out a neighborhood wine bar. Definitely more upscale than our usual sports-bar happy hour excursions! It was the perfect place for me to try a Negroni, that classic Italian cocktail made with equal parts gin, Campari, and Vermouth.
I follow several drink websites and the Negroni has been pretty hot on the cocktail scene lately. Naturally I had to try out the floral, slightly bitter concoction. Booze aficionados will tell you it is an acquired taste, but I personally fell in love with it!
Our bartender gave me the low down on making them at home and my first question was, ‘how can I personalize it?’. We chatted about different brands of gin, sweet vs. semi-sweet vermouth, and the best way to put a twist on it.
If you follow my posts here on SoFabFood, then you know I am a farmers market junkie. Missing a week puts me into a tizzy, any more than that and I am near catatonic with longing. It is my place for foodie inspiration.
And it’s where I got the idea for this is Blood Orange Negroni!
Citrus is plentiful in Arizona and we are lucky to have locally grown varieties like tangelos, Meyer lemons, and my all-time favorite blood orange. So why not use them for an added citrus element in my Negroni experiment? The resulting Blood Orange Negroni is refreshing and screams summertime.
If you don’t have fresh blood oranges, try blood orange soda instead. You can typically find it at a your local real food market or specialty food store.
The bitters are a great addition too, if you have them. And don’t limit yourself… there are so many spins you can put on this cocktail. I think a Blackberry Negroni is next on my list! How will you personalize the classic Negroni?
- 1 ounce gin
- 1 ounce Campari
- 1 ounce sweet vermouth
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed blood orange juice or blood orange soda
- 2 dashes blood orange bitters
- Ice
- Citrus peel for garnish
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker.
- Shake well, strain into an ice filled glass.
- Garnish with citrus peel.
We hope you love this Blood Orange Negroni from SoFabFood Contributor, Loriann from Thyme for Cocktails, as much as we do. If you enjoyed this cocktail recipe, be sure to find more like it in our Cocktails section. For daily recipe inspiration, like us on Facebook, follow us on Pinterest, and stop by our Google+ Community to see all of the amazing recipes our community members are sharing. Enjoy!
Disclosure: Message intended for our readers 21+ only. Please drink responsibly!
Leave a Reply