Hey, hey, it’s Negroni Week!
This annual tradition, started by Portland, Ore.’s Imbibe magazine back in 2013, was created not only to celebrate one of the best cocktails known to human kind, but also to raise funds for worthy causes (this year: Slow Food!). Currently, there are over 120 participating venues all over the country and with over $5 million raised to help organizations and causes like U.S. Bartender’s Guild emergency fund to help uninsured restaurant and bar workers with healthcare, the Arbor Day Foundation and Water for People. What do you have to do? Go to one of them and order a Negroni.
‘Round these parts, the wonderful Eric Lemonides and Jason Weiner have thrown their hat in the ring at Almond, and will be offering their very awesome barrel-aged Negroni for the cause, which runs from Sept. 22 to Sept. 28. During this time, Almond will donate $2 to Slow Food East End for every Negroni they sell, in addition to the one-time donation they already made to Slow Food as well.
“We’re a Slow Food household and we’re a Negroni household, so it’s a no-brainer for us,” says Weiner.
“One-stop shopping for things we love.”
And you know what the super fun thing is? If you go there and you dig that Negroni, the very generous Weiner has offered up his barrel-aged Negroni hack (because, well, most of us don’t have barrels sitting around). Head to Almond (1 Ocean Road, Bridgehampton, 631-537-5665) and support the cause, and then give the chef’s recipe a try at home — and raise a glass to being a good neighbor and great cocktails, two things that will outlast any nonsense the world can throw at us. Cheers, friends.
Almond’s Barrel-aged Negroni
Ingredients
- 1 liter Carpano Antica sweet vermouth
- 1 liter Campari
- 1 liter Ford's Gin
Directions
- In a glass or plastic vessel large enough to hold 110 oz of liquid, combine the vermouth, Campari and gin.
- Add a handful of cedar chips (readily available at your local hardware store, typically used for meat smoking).
- Allow to sit for 30 days in a dry, dark cool place.
- When ready, pour out 3 to 4 ounces of the mixture into an ice-filled rocks glass. Stir 32 times (yes, really — Weiner insists on it!).
- Garnish with an orange peel. Cheers!
