Our food delivery this week was less than perfect and included a few items we didn’t order, including a pint of strawberries. We used this surprise ingredient to try our hand at making a Strawberry Negroni, a refreshing cocktail created by bartender Julie Reiner.
The cocktail follows the standard Negroni recipe (equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and Campari), but instead infuses the Campari with strawberries. We used the sous vide to make the strawberry-infused Campari, but you can also add the strawberries to the Campari and leave in the refrigerator for three to five days.
Whichever method you use, the strawberry-infused Campari gives the Negroni a fruity bouquet. The addition of the strawberries mellows out the bitterness of the Campari and brings out the sweetness of the vermouth.
We’ll definitely be making more of these in the weeks ahead, especially as strawberries reach peak season.
Ingredients 1 oz London Dry gin 1 oz sweet-vermouth 1 oz strawberry-infused Campari
Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir. Strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. Garnish with a strawberry.
To make the infused Campari, add 300 grams (approximately 2 cups) of washed and hulled strawberries to 12.5 oz of Campari. Place in a sous vide bath at 140 degrees Fahrenheit for two hours.