We asked bartenders around the world to relate a cocktail to their first love! This is the cocktail that reminds Alessia Bellafante of a first love kind of love.
If my first love were a cocktail, it would be a variation of the “Shaken Campari.
I discovered the existence of this cocktail when I was only 18 years old. I was very young, my palate perhaps a little too inexperienced for such a strong and bitter taste. But you know, the heart is not controlled (in this case on the palate I dare say), and after a thousand tastings, between a “no, it’s not for me” and a “yes, I want another” a lot of time has passed and finally head and heart decided in unison that the shaken Campari was the cocktail made just for me. It is also true that over time it has changed. It understood what my needs were and it has turned into a more rounded and harmonious cocktail for my palate: it replaced gin with dark rum, added butter (he knows I love cakes) and even acquired the aroma of coffee. I hope this story never ends!
This is the unofficial aperitif cocktail in Milan so every self-respecting Milanese has drunk one at least once. I personally fell in love with this cocktail serving it to my customers. Its taste is strong and decisive. Many people add some gin, but I find this variant too pungent for my palate. For anyone who loves round and strong flavors at the same time, I have the solution for them.
Shaken Campari Cocktail
Ingredients
Internal border of orange blossom butter
1 1/2 oz of coffee Campari
1 / 2oz of dark rum
Orange essential oils
Orange peel
Type of glass: wine glass
Garnish: orange peel
Method: shake and double strain
How to make it:
1. Flavor a knob of butter with the essence of orange blossom. Heat the butter until it melts and pour it into an iced cup, in this way you will create a thin layer of orange blossom butter inside the cup.
2. Pour into a shaker: the coffee Campari and dark rum with ice.
3. Shake and double strain
4. Flavor the cup with orange essential oils
5. Use an orange peel to garnish
Salute!
Alessia is a bartender at Mema Milano bar, in Milan, Italy. You can follow Alessia Bellafante on Instagram for more cocktails! @gin.gerale
Don’t drink and drive. Enjoy responsibly.