 | |
| Type | Mixed drink |
|---|---|
| Ingredients |
|
| Standard drinkware | Old fashioned glass |
| Standard garnish | half anorange slice,lemon twist |
| Served | On the rocks: poured over ice |
| Preparation | Pour the Campari and vermouth over ice into an old fashioned glass, add a splash of soda water and garnish with half an orange slice and a lemon twist. |
TheAmericano is anIBA official cocktail[1] composed ofCampari,sweet vermouth, and for the sparkling version,club soda and garnished with a slice of lemon or an orange twist.[2][3]
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The cocktail was first served in creatorGaspare Campari'sbar, Caffè Campari inMilan. In the 1860s, anAmerican man, who was under the impression that Campari was along drink, ordered it, hated it, and said it would be better served iced andfizzy. He ordered a Campari andsoda which became toobitter; after a few iterations he and the esteemed bartender decided onVermouth as the perfect blend.[4] It is the direct descendant of the "Milano-Torino" which consisted of Campari, the bitterliqueur fromMilan (Milano) andPunt e Mes, the vermouth fromTurin (Torino) but lacked soda water. This drink was itself a descendant of the "Torino-Milano", a concoction consisting of equal parts Campari and Amaro Cora.[5]
It is the first drink ordered byJames Bond in thefirst novel inIan Fleming's series,Casino Royale. InFrom Russia With Love, Bond drinks "two excellent Americanos" inRome during his flight toIstanbul. In theshort story "From a View to a Kill", Bond chooses an Americano as an appropriate drink for a mere café; suggesting that "in cafés you have to drink the least offensive of the musical comedy drinks that go with them."[6] Bond always stipulatesPerrier, for, in his opinion, expensive soda water was the cheapest way to improve a poor drink.
InThe Tourist, Elise and Fred, each had an Americano (or two) before their fancy dinner at aVenetian restaurant, and resumed drinking that post-dinner back in their hotel room.
InThe Talented Mr. Ripley, Tom and Dickie drink americanos on theVia Veneto in Rome.
