Members get FREE Delivery on metro orders $149+ (T&Cs apply*)
The beloved home cook shows us how to make this playful, slightly sweeter twist on the classic Negroni.
About the cocktail
And we’re back at it again, this time with our super-talented friend, Julia Busuttil Nishimura. The Melbourne-based cook and celebrated author swung by to show us how to make a MonteNegroni cocktail. Inspired by the Japanese influences of her husband Nori’s heritage, her own Maltese background and her time living in Tuscany (jealous), Julia creates delicious seasonal dishes bursting with flavour and creativity – exactly why she’s the perfect person to mix up a MonteNegroni. There’s only one difference between this and the much-loved Negroni it’s based on, and that’s the inclusion of Amaro Montenegro in place of the original Campari – albeit with slightly different measurements. Gin and sweet vermouth still make up the remaining members of this famous cocktail trifecta, with an added dash of orange bitters to pump up the citrus flavours. The resulting drink is a sweeter, herbier twist perfect for Negroni lovers, or those who find the original a little too bitter for their liking. Amaro Montenegro is an amaro – a bittersweet Italian liqueur – made in Bologna with an elaborate blend of more than 40 botanicals, including vanilla, orange, eucalyptus, coriander seeds and cinnamon. It’s a recipe that hasn’t changed since 1885, with sweet, rich and approachable flavours that make it a bartender’s favourite. “I love the combination of bitter, sweet and herbaceous,” Julia says. “I love bitterness in my cooking, so I tend to gravitate towards cocktails that have some sort of bitter element, whether it’s from citrus or the alcohol.” Despite her love for all things bitter, if Julia were a cocktail (one of our favourite questions), she says she’d be a Bellini: “Peachy and sweet!” Seeing in her action, we reckon that’s pretty spot on.
Watch: How to make the Montenegroni
Ingredients
40mL Amaro Montenegro 20mL gin 20mL sweet vermouth 2 dashes orange bitters Garnish: wedge of grapefruit, ruby red grapefruit or orange
Method
Add all ingredients and a handful of ice to a mixing glass Stir until chilled and perfectly diluted (around 20 stirs) Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube Garnish with a wedge of grapefruit, ruby red grapefruit or orange
Julia’s top tips
The MonteNegroni is a super-delish and super-easy cocktail to make. But if you need some Julia-approved suggestions on how and when to make them, we’ve got you covered. A versatile drink, it plays the role of pre-meal aperitif just as perfectly as it does after-dinner tipple. “I would make this for my sister,” Julia says. “We drank a lot of Spritzes, Negronis and Americanos when we were in Italy together, so it feels a bit nostalgic.” Julia favours this cocktail pre-meal, but agrees it’s great for any occasion. “That being said, I think the drink needs some prosciutto or anchovies on toast. Something salty to counteract the bitterness.” Some pre-dinner snacks never go astray. Whenever you’re working with so few ingredients, your choice of product becomes especially important. As Julia says, “It’s such a simple cocktail, so I think just choosing the best-quality products you can afford is key here.”
