Happy Hour Tuesday: Amerouge

Happy Hour Tuedsay!

Italy marries Brazil in this week’s cocktail called Amerouge, which features among its ingredients Campari bitter -which at this point we all know what it is, right?- and Cachaça, a distilled spirit made from sugarcane. Cachaça originated in Portugal where it was made up until the 16th century when its production moved to Brazil. Similar to rum, cachaça can be unaged or aged, and today it’s most known in countries outside of Brazil as one of the main ingredients for Caipirinha.
Sweet, smoky, with hints of fruit and spices, cachaça is the yang to the Campari yin: together they balance each other in a bittersweet symphony of smooth, citrusy blend.

Orange juice, mango and a splash of Rometti limoncello contribute to make Amerouge the perfect, exotic aperitif that couldn’t open up our Spring 2014 Happy Hour Tuesday series in any fresher way. Consume preferably ice cold and in company of some good friends.

Ingredients:
1 1⁄2 oz Cachaça
1 oz Campari
1 1⁄2 oz Orange Juice
1 1⁄2 oz Mango Juice
1/2 oz Rometti Limoncello
1/2 Fresh Lemon Juice
3 oz Tonic Water

Mix juices, Rometti Limoncello and cachaça in a shaker with some ice cubes. Shake well until chilled and pour over a glass with some crushed ice. Add Campari, stir gently. Fill up with Tonic Water and add a slice of orange to garnish.

~Enjoy!

Happy Hour Tuesday: Rometti Sidecar

Happy Hour Tuesday!

There is a drink that talks about the 1920s, about an effervescent Parisian life that after World War I, started to transform into a modern, emancipated and more enjoyable lifestyle especially for the middle class, who for the first time was finally able to have fun and gather in places such as Music-halls, circuses and operettas as much as the aristocrats. Although the War with the lost of the beloved ones had a deep moral impact on the French, becoming in contact with different cultures helped the French society to open their mind and embrace a great variety of lifestyles.

It is in the middle of this social and cultural revolution that in Paris, at the Ritz Hotel (where Ritz is often associated to the term ritzy, “sumptuous, luxurious”), a drink called Sidecar in honor of an American Captain who used to ride a motorcycle with sidecar seems to have originated.

There are other theories that link the origin of this drink to the Buck’s Club in London, what is sure is that it appears for the first time in 1922 Harry MacElhone’s Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails and later on in 1948 David A. Embury’s The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. In this last work the author mentions the American Captain, although it refers to the Harry’s Bar in Paris rather than to the Hotel Ritz.

Whatever the trusty is, Sidecar eventually became incredibly popular in England and France. It appears to be usually made in Paris with  equal parts of Cognac, Cointreau and Lemon Juice, while in England Cognac is used in two parts, Cointreau and Lemon in one. We at Rometti decided to give it a try and add a splash of Rometti Limocello instead of lemon juice, and lemon zest to top it off.

Every sip of Rometti Sidecar enlightens us with a taste of fanciness and joy accompanied by the glory of a hero of another time and place. And if you close your eyes, you might still hear the sound of the American Captain’s motorcycle cruising down the avenue.

Ingredients: 

1/3 oz Cognac 

1/3 oz Cointreau

1/3 oz Rometti Limoncello

Lemon Zest to garnish

In a shaker filled with ice combine Cognac, Cointreau, Lemon Juice and Rometti Limoncello. Shake well and pour into a martini cocktail, garnish with lemon zest or lemon peel.

~Enjoy!

Image from http://www.mylusciouslife.com

Happy Hour Tuesday: Limoncello Negroni

Happy Hour Tuesday!

Back in 1919 Count Camillo Negroni asked Caffe’ Casoni (now Caffe’ Cavalli)’s bartender, Fosco Scarselli, to prepare him a cocktail similar to the Americano but with more gin than soda water. They didn’t know right away that in the bar in Florence would have become the birthplace of a popular drink called Negroni, in honor of the homonymous Count. Almost a century later, here we are introducing a variation of the cocktail called Limoncello Negroni.
The traditional Negroni, still very popular in Italy, is an aperitif made with gin, vermouth rosso and bitter, usually Campari. Vermouth and dry wine are often common ingredients of aperitifs as they are served before a meal in order to stimulate one’s appetite.
The addition of Rometti Limoncello to the traditional ingredients for Negroni subdues the bitterness of Campari, while it increases the sweetness of vermouth and smoothens its taste. Also, limoncello combined with the sharp flavor of gin increases the refreshing taste yet it adds warmth to every sip.
Ordered straight up in a Martini glass, Limoncello Negroni is the perfect fancy drink to savor till the last drop before a tasty, Italian style dinner.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz sweet vermouth
1 1/2 oz Campari
1 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz Rometti Limoncello
Orance slice or twist for garnish

Pour vermouth, Campari, gin and Rometti Limoncello in a mixer half filled with ice. Shake until well chilled and strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

~Enjoy!