Americano (cocktail)

Americano (cocktail)

The Americano is a popular cocktail that originated in Italy. It is known for its distinctive bitter flavor, which is derived from its two main ingredients: Campari and vermouth. The Americano is often served as an aperitif, a drink intended to stimulate the appetite before a meal.

History

The Americano was first served in the 1860s at Gaspare Campari's bar in Milan, Italy. It was originally named "Milano-Torino" because of its ingredients: Campari, the bitter liqueur, is from Milan (Milano) and vermouth, the sweet, is from Turin (Torino). The cocktail was later renamed "Americano" due to its popularity among American tourists during the Prohibition era in the United States.

Preparation

The Americano is made by mixing equal parts of Campari and sweet red vermouth over ice in a lowball glass. The drink is then topped off with a splash of soda water and garnished with a slice of lemon or orange. The resulting cocktail is a balance of bitter and sweet flavors, with a light effervescence from the soda water.

Variations

There are several variations of the Americano cocktail. The most well-known is the Negroni, which substitutes the soda water with gin. Another variation is the Boulevardier, which replaces the gin with bourbon.

In popular culture

The Americano is mentioned in several works of popular culture. It is the first drink ordered by James Bond in the first novel of the series, Casino Royale. The cocktail is also featured in the film The Big Lebowski.

See also

• List of cocktails
• Campari
• Vermouth
• Negroni
• Boulevardier