Campari

[yvonne johnson]

A sweet martini-3 parts gin with 1 part sweet vermouth, 1/4 teaspoon Campari, and a cherry-is the perfect drink. Sophisticated, but not self-consciously so.

I continue with the Campari experimentation and have made a liquid Rothko in the process.

Last night I followed Katherine's recipe for the sweet martini. In a narrow 4oz measure I placed the gin, sweet vermouth and the little drop of Campari. Three distinct layers of bronze/orange, red then clear on top. Very pretty. Tossed this into shaker with lots of ice. Poured into cold martini glass. No cherry in the house though. I liked this more than I thought I would. Not too sweet--the Campari gave it an edge. I might have one tonight. The ingredients don't separate into those lovely layers once shaken, however. Something about the rules of physics my consort (I wonder whether Regina Schambling even knows we're taking the micky) tells me.

[coolranch]

I drink Campari like water and for those who usually go for Campari with OJ I cannot tell you how much better Campari is with grapefruit juice.

I love to drink Campari and grapefruit juice in the summer.  The first time I ordered it at my local bar, the bartender had never heard of it.  He always remembered my after that--the campari and grapfruit juice girl.

[thefoodhunter]

In Italy you can buy great 8 packs of already mixed mini-Campari and soda bottles in any supermaket. I like to throw a few in the pool and dive for aperitifs when I am there. Decadent yes, fun, very....

[Jim Dixon]

I love the little cone shaped bottles those come in...I usually stuff a couple in my carry on for the flight home, and actually have two in my refrigerator right now.

Jim

[Wilfrid]

Esca serve campari and grapefruit as one of their sorbet flavors.  As good as it sounds.

[Ron Johnson]

Well Jim Dixon and Christopher GT came close but no one quite got a cocktail that I have enjoyed recently.  While, I am primarily a bourbon on the rocks or perfect Manhattan up kind of guy, this is one fruity martini concoction that I like:

One part vodka

One part limoncello

One part Campari

Juice of 1/2 orange squeezed into shaker

Shake with ice, strain into martini glass

This drink is perfect balance of sweet, bitter, sour and alcohol heat.

[Jaymes]

Ah - Campari...the gods must be Italian.

Here's another Italian aperitif.  It doesn't contain Campari, but it's so good...in the same mood, a sweet/bitter thing.  My Italian friends served it to me last night before an absolutely delicious meal.  They said it is extremely popular in their home country.

Rosso e Bianco (Red & White)

1 part sweet vermouth (red)

1 part dry vermouth (white)

wedge of lemon

thin slice of lemon

Rub wedge of lemon on rim of chilled martini glass.  Shake vermouths with ice cubes and strain into glass.  Float thin slice of lemon in drink and serve.

[bushey]

Ooooh.....a Campari support group!

One of the most delightful aperitifs I ever had was Campari, blood orange juice and champagne. I tried duplicating it at home with more humble ingredients, adding a ruby red grapefruit/orange juice mix and sparkling wine (Freixenet, which you can buy in small 6-packs) to the Campari and it was quite nice indeed. It's a great drink to serve with brunch or as an aperitif in summer.

[Wilfrid]

Oh, bubbly and Campari.  New dimensions open up!  Thanks for that.

[coolranch]

When I was in NYC in January, I had a specialty martini at Asia de Cuba that had orange vodka, Campari and blood orange juice in it.  Good, but was a little too sweet for me--needs more Campari.  

[Suzanne F]

Thank you all for the recipes.  Campari is my third favorite aperitif (after Champagne and Manzanilla Sherry), but I've never done much with it but slurp it down.  Must try the suggestions!

BTW, why do so many people find it too bitter?  I think it's a perfect bitter/sweet balance.

[bushey]

Wilfrid -- Bubbly adds a new dimension to everything, I think.

Suzanne -- I also love the bitter/sweet balance, although I sometimes like to drink Campari with tonic to swing the balance in favor of bitter. And a twist of lime to add just the right dimension of tartness.

This is making me thirsty............

[edemuth]

I've got an infusion going now I made with kumquats, which I dropped into the alcohol whole. It's developing a nice orange color, and I'm anxious to see of that tart-sweet kumquat flavor comes through.

I also have some half-finished nocino, made with green walnuts last summer, whichy looks like used motor oil. I still need to the add the syrup, and I think I'll spice a portion according to the recipe in Anna Tasca Lanza's most recent book on Sicilian cooking.

Jim: How are your infusions going? Any other interesting new creations?

[oliva]

Campari and tonic is lovely and my favourite.

Another liquer which would appeal to all Campari lovers is Averna, also from Italy.

[maggiethecat]

I make liquors at home. No biggie. But what is the active ingredient in Canpari? We know about the nonalcoholic bitters. But what makes Campari Campari? Herbs and so forth?

[Wilfrid]

Certainly herbs. Let's see if there's a web-site. Well, there's a corporate web-site for the group which tells you nothing, and bizarrely fails to reveal the recipe for campari.

This is more interesting and gives you a bit of history, but confirms that the ingredients are a trade secret. It's a partial answer, at least.

And I can confirm that I am still drinking the drinkof the summer - campari on the rocks with Ting, a Jamaican grapefruit soda brought to my attention by Malawry.

[hollywood]

I've had premixed bottles of Compari and soda straight out of mini bars in Europe. Tastes right. The bottles are shaped like little olive oil bottles.

[awbrig]

what does Campari taste like?

[hollywood]

what does Campari taste like?

Sort of bittersweet. Some say like cough syrup. It's an acquired taste shared only by the cognescenti.

[mixmaster b]

I very much enjoy Negronis--they were my intro to Campari, and I am now excited to try the other concoctions mentioned here.

Does anyone else like Negronis made with dry vermouth? I find the flavor to be a bit cleaner. And when using sweet vermouth, I use about 1 1/2 parts gin to 1 part Campari and 1 part vermouth. Seems less viscous/sweet to me...

[malarkey]

what does Campari taste like?

Like aspirin dissolving on your tongue.

[hollywood]

The best thing about Compari used to be the double entendre ad campaign about one's "first time." As I recall, the first person featured in such an ad was Elizabeth Ashley, then self-described as "the best lay in New York."

[yvonne johnson]

If you like Campari as an aromatic cocktail component try this:

2 parts campari, 2 parts chartreuse jaune and 6 parts GFJ or OJ.

I've been meaning to add: a bit like Campari and grapefuirt juice, but the combination had a hint of passion fruit to it. Spectacular color too.

[Wilfrid]

Darn, that chartreuse jaune dropped of my shopping list. Never tried it - maybe next summer. Time to start a thread on winter cocktails.

[Priscilla]

The other weekend a friend stopped by while we were having Campari & grapefruit juice outside in the hot evening, and, knowing she liked neither grapefruit nor Campari asked her what could I get her, and she said, eyeing the pretty pink in my glass, "What are you drinking?"

I told her; she winced. But she tasted it, and immediately we mixed one for her because of course it was one of the best drinks she'd evereverever had. Ah The Magic of Campari.