Josiah Kopp
Photos by Hillary Ehlen
A classic on the cocktail menu is the Negroni, made from with equal parts gin, Campari and sweet vermouth. Mezzaluna mixologist Max Parker takes this timeless and refreshing cocktail and elevates it with a carbonated twist. This recipe produces a single serving, but feel free to multiply ingredients and bottle up multiple servings to keep all summer long.
Carbonated Negroni Fragola
- 1 oz Bluecoat Gin
- 1 oz Strawberry-infused Campari
- 1 oz Sweet vermouth
- 2 oz Water
Combine gin, Campari, sweet vermouth and water. Before the next step of carbonation, make sure to chill the mixture. The CO2 of carbonation reacts to a chilled mixture much better. Once appropriately chilled, use a home carbonator (like a SodaStream) and follow its instructions for adding carbonation. Once bubbly, bottle and cap it right away. If you’re pouring into a glass to enjoy, garnish with a sliced strawberry and an orange twist.
- “Fragola” is Italian for strawberry. In North Dakota, strawberries are in season mid-June through early-August (approximately), making this the prime time to start thinking about incorporating strawberries in your foods and drinks.
- To make the Strawberry-infused Campari, soak 4 cups of hulled and sliced strawberries in one bottle’s worth of Campari. After about 24 hours, strain the strawberries out and you are left with a sweet batch of Campari to use for this recipe or any other fruit-infused drink your heart desires.
- Bottling the drinks up in individual, capped bottles allows for an easy drink to grab out of the fridge. Enjoy on the patio, take to the lake in a cooler or spice up the local block party. Make a large batch all at once and be set for your next few festivities.
- Carbonation from a SodaStream adds an extra summery touch. “I think negronis are great summer cocktails, and I wanted to make it even more summery with the carbonation. The end result is really fun,” said Parker.
Meet the Mixologist: Max Parker
Mixologist Max Parker is the bar manager at Downtown Fargo’s upscale dining staple, Mezzaluna. At Mezzaluna, everything served is mindfully crafted and intentionally produced, beverages included.
