The last few seasons have witnessed the world of Mixology living a new trend in the use of Amari for innovative cocktail and aperitif recipes.
Amaro Artista has also been the protagonist in innovations and new mixes in what is now known as “authors’ recipes”, where famous cocktails and aperitifs are revisited, that, thanks to Artista, take on a completely new aroma and taste.
There are 4 great cocktail classics in the world of beverages that Artistahas found a particular mix with: the Spritz (Artista Spritz), the Americano (Un Americano a Livorno), the Negroni (Negroni dell’Artista) and the Moscow Mule (Livorno Mule).
Let’s take a closer look these 4 great classics and their history:
Spritz
It is the light cocktail par excellence, an iconof the Italian aperitif. Fresh and colourful without being too alcoholic, Spritz’s origins lie beyond the Alps. Indeed, it was born in the 19th Century in the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia during the Habsburg domination, when it was common for the soldiers of the Austrian Empire to dilute Venetian wines with their high alcohol content with seltzer or sparkling water. In fact, its name comes from the German verb “sptizen” (to spray) as they asked the local hosts to “spray” a bit of sparkling water into them to make them less boozy.
Americano (The American)
Famous as the “Father of the Negroni”, it is, without doubt, yet another timeless classical Italian apéritif. Tradition has it that it was first created by Gaspere Campari around 1860 as a variation of the cocktail “Milano Torino” (that takes its name from its main ingredients, the Milanese bitter and Turin’s vermouth). It was only in the ‘30s, that it became known as The American in honour of Primo Carnera, the first Italian boxer to rise to fame in America, when he was affectionately nicknamed the American “L’Americano”.
The Negroni
More than a century old, the Negroni resists over time and remains one of the most popular cocktails in Italy and the world over. It originated in Florence in 1919, when Count Camillo Negroni, the cosmopolitan nobleman of Italian origin the drink was later named after, wanted a version of the Americano he had tasted in New York with a bit more kick to it. Legend has it that he asked his own bartender to switch the soda water for gin and to garnish it with a slice of orange distinguishing it from all the others.
Moscow Mule
Strange though it may seem, the original Moscow Mule recipe has nothing to do with either Moscow or Russia! Indeed, this cocktail was invented in bar in Los Angeles, California in 1941. The two owners were having problems introducing Ginger Beer ( a soft ginger-based drink) and Vodka onto the American market, so they hit on the idea of mixing them together. In fact, the name of this cocktail comes from its vodka content and not a particular relationship with Russia itself!
