Southside Sips: the Italicus White Negroni

It’s over! Dry January — sheesh. You can practically hear every liquor store on the East End rejoice at the return of their customers.

It’s good to have a little reasonable pull-back on the excesses post-holiday; you’ll get no argument from us there. As everyone’s dad says: Everything in moderation. Now that you’re back to sipping, and doing it oh-so mindfully, may we present to you one of favorites: the White Negroni.

It’s a lovely drink anytime of year, but there’s something about its crystal-clear clarity in the winter, along with the fresh, citrusy components of a liqueur like Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto, an old Italian aperitivo recipe that was revived in recent years by Giuseppe Gallo. With its pretty notes of Calabrian bergamot, an aromatic bitter orange, along with chamomile, lavender and the like, it that feels at once refreshing and wintery, but also with an eye toward the warm weather in the near future. (It is happening soon, right? Right?)

At any rate, this recipe calls for dry vermouth, which is perfectly lovely, but we like to play around with a bianco for this — a white vermouth whose flavor profile falls somewhere in between dry and sweet. Give it a whirl. Loads of Hamptons spirits stores carry Italicus (and vermouth options, too — and remember: store yours in the ‘fridge!), but for sure we know you can grab a bottle at Park Place Wines & Liquors in East Hampton. Cheers, friends.