(photo: Scordoni awaits grapefruit juice and a quick stir) I didn’t always like Campari; in fact, I thought the liquor was bitter, fowl, and just unappetizing.  I remember ordering a Negroni (made with gin, sweet/red vermouth, Campari, and bitters) at a fancy New York restaurant and thinking this drink is strong, but it’s really not doing much for me on […]

As a young kid, I used to marvel at how sophisticated our Genoa-born neighbor Amelia used to appear as she sipped her pre-dinner drink on the back porch.  Amelia would often put together a bitter aperitif (usually red vermouth and Campari), along with a few toasted pieces of bread and Italian cheese, and sit elegantly waiting for her pasta water […]