Red Straws & Black Ties
Campari shined last Friday with flowing, ruby-hued cocktails at the exuberant Gala at The New York Public Library as the 2012 Manhattan Cocktail Classic kicked off in a grand way. The Gala’s Campari Bar proved irresistible to many attendees who lined up for three versions of the venerable Negroni, Campari’s signature tipple made with Campari, sweet vermouth and gin. Pre-bottled carbonated Negronis by Theo Lieberman (Milk & Honey and Lantern’s Keep, New York) were a major hit, being stylish, neatly sippable and eminently portable. The New York Negroni, which incorporated Brooklyn-made Dorothy Parker Gin, made its world debut and the classic Negroni showed why this drink ascended to the cocktail pantheon nearly a century ago and never left. The mixologists slinging the drinks were Allen Katz (The Shanty, Williamsburg) and Jacques Bezuidenhout (Jasper’s Corner, San Francisco). The sophisticated cocktails in their various forms and shades lent a certain glow to the evening and were the ultimate fashion accessory for the chic guests.
The Campari Bar was one of the highlights of the Gala, at which thousands of libations devotees donned their snazziest black-tie outfits and glamorous gowns and filled four floors of the palatial and historic 42nd St. main branch of the library with their Dionysian revelries. An estimated 25,000 drinks were hand-stirred or shaken by scores of mixology’s most talented practitioners from around the country for the ever-thirsty guests. Live music, high spirited socializing and even some booty shaking graced the hallowed corridors that are ordinarily the realm of quiet scholars and students.
The Birthday Bash
Count Negroni’s Birthday Bash in Brooklyn Graced with Oceans of Campari, DJ Questlove and Crowning of Top Aperitivo Bartender in America
Last weekend, 200 of the country’s top craft bartenders celebrated the birthday of the legendary Count Camillo Negroni at a spirited bash hosted by Campari during the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. The high-flying Italian aristocrat is credited with creating the eponymous drink (aptly named the Negroni) in the early 1900’s that went on to become Campari’s signature cocktail and one especially beloved by bartenders. The party was held at the New York Distilling Company and its adjacent bar, The Shanty, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. To honor the natty Count, guests donned their finest mustaches and top hats, reminiscent of his heydays.
Revelers enjoyed Negronis and Negroni top trend variations made with ruby red Campari throughout the evening. They were mixed by fellow “members of the bar”:
•Classic New York Negronis: Kenta Goto, Pegu Club & Franky Marshall, Monkey Bar
•Carbonated Bottled Negronis: Theo Lieberman, Lantern’s Keep
•Barrel Aged Negronis: Allen Katz, The Shanty
•Negroni Sbagliatos: Frank Cisneros, Dram
•Negronis on Tap: Naren Young, Saxon & Parole
•Boulevardiers: Maxwell Britten, Maison Premiere
The event was highlighted by a dramatic stage moment that celebrated the newly-crowned winner of Campari’s “Best Aperitivo” Cocktail Competition, which was held among 29 finalists in conjunction with the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild (USBG) immediately prior to the bash. The cocktail prepared by Morgan Schick of San Francisco convinced the judges, who awarded him a towering trophy and a trip to Beijing to compete at the International Bartenders Association’s 2012 World Cocktail Championship Finals. Master mixologist Francesco Lafranconi also received the USBG’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
DJ Questlove spun his mythical musical stylings on the turntables, while food truck fare from Morris Grilled Cheese, Korilla BBQ and Rickshaw Dumplings complemented the evening’s festivities.
It wouldn’t be a proper birthday without a cake, this one replete with a stylishly clad Campari muse who popped out of it and sang “Happy Birthday” to Count Negroni. Jane Danger of Jane’s Sweet Buns served the real deal—a white lemon gin cake with Campari strawberry frosting, making for a perfect sweet treat to cap the night.
