VittlesVamp

The Garibaldi

Whatever you do, don't simply call this drink a Campari & OJ. Technically, in terms of ingredients, you would be correct. But, this cocktail is much more than the sum of its parts.

The recipe is from Manhattan's Dante, heralded for its Negroni expertise - so I wasn't surprised that they know their way around Campari.

The recommendation came from the owners of Durham, North Carolina bar Kingfisher during one of their virtual happy hours on IG Live. I was a bit incredulous when it was suggested - but the devil is in the details. In this case, that means proportions and technique.

Are you a bit incredulous too? Don't blame you. Check out the recipe here and let me know what you think.

Have a feeling you'll be drinking Garibaldi cocktails this summer - bristling if anyone tries to simply call it a Campari & OJ!

Variations On A Theme

We often have a tendency to gild the lily when it comes to recipes. (I've seen many a sad cookie chockablock with wayward ingredients. It's painful.) So, typically, I try to keep the integrity of a recipe in check.

But that doesn't mean that variations are verboten. Sometimes something small can make it your own. Or as Ina Garten likes to say - turn up the volume!

I recently did just that with a Brown Butter-Cinnamon Crumb Cake recipe that caught my eye. The addition of fresh blueberries...

...didn't distract from the gorgeous crumb and added a sweet, summery burst of berry flavor to the cake.

And cocktail recipes also offer a chance to tweak and adapt to your taste. Case in point: a recipe for a Straw Dog cocktail from Death & Co, which called for a fresh strawberry and Scotch, among other ingredients. I had neither at hand. (Also, to be honest, I don't really care for the peaty taste of Scotch.) But, then I found a variation that appealed...

...a spin on the recipe, found on Food52...

It substituted the strawberry for a slice of ripe peach and the Scotch for Bourbon.

Oh, hellz-to-the-yes! This drink is freaking brilliant!

Soon, I'll be at it again - adapting the classic Negroni by switching out Campari for Forthave Spirits Red. Will it be delicious? Will I need to stir up a second drink with Campari to compare-and-contrast? All quite possible.

But, no gilding the lily here. Variations are one thing. Lilies belong in gardens and occasionally in vases. No gilding necessary.