A few months ago, we talked about apéritifs, the family of preprandial drinks intended to “open” your appetite and prepare you to enjoy your food. We promised to follow up with an article about one particular aperitif, the Americano.
So let’s do it!
Origins of the Americano
First of all, let’s be clear that the Americano we’re talking about here is a cocktail. Do not confuse it with the coffee drink of the same name.
The Americano (the cocktail) is a very simple recipe that belongs to the family of apéritifs known as quinquinas. It dates back to the 1860s when it was invented in Milan, Italy. Originally, it was called the Milano-Torino because of its two main ingredients. (Campari was made in Milan and sweet vermouth came from Torino.) The name gradually changed because the drink became so popular with Americans visiting Europe, especially during the period of Prohibition when good cocktails were hard to come by in the U.S.
But it wasn’t only Americans who loved the cocktail. It became popular all over Europe and much of the world. In fact, when the fictional spy James Bond was introduced in the first book in the Bond series, Casino Royale, what is the first cocktail we see the iconic drinker order? It’s not Mr. Bond’s famous Vesper martini. It’s an Americano.
What makes the Americano special?
The reason we chose to highlight the Americano is that it’s a terrific introduction to the world of aperitifs, and to the family of quinquinas in particular. If you haven’t already developed a palate for bitter cocktails like Negronis, Napoleans, and Boulevardiers, they can be a bit overwhelming. The Americano is a much smoother, milder drink than other cocktails with Campari in them. It’s a delicious way to dip your foot in the ocean of apéritifs.
Americano Cocktail
(serves one)
Ingredients
1 ½ ounces Campari
1 ½ ounces sweet vermouth
Soda water, chilled
Orange peel twist
Instructions
Fill a glass with ice. Add Campari and vermouth. Stir well.
Top with the soda water and give it another gently stir. (Don’t stir too much or you’ll lose the fizz.)
Express an orange peel twist over the drink and add as a garnish.
Pro Tips:
James Bond preferred a lemon twist instead of orange in his Americano, but if you are training your palate to enjoy bitter cocktails, the orange is very helpful. Its sweet, citrusy aroma and flavor balances the bitter Campari beautifully.
This is one cocktail where it pays to use quality ingredients. The Campari, of course, is standard, but don’t skimp on the vermouth. Make sure it’s fresh and a good quality brand since it makes up almost half of the drink. Even the quality of the soda water can make a big difference in this drink. You can substitute a mineral water or seltzer, but club soda is generally used.
Once you’ve mastered the Americano, it only takes slight tweaks to the recipe to venture into a whole family of other aperitifs, including the Boulevardier, Rosita, Negroni, Campari Spritz, Aperol Spritz. Enzoni, and Old Pal.
Don’t go overboard on the soda water. Start with just enough to give your drink a nice fizz, then give it a taste. If it’s too strong, you can always add a little more soda, but you can’t take it away.
Cin cin!