The Spirits #37: The Watermelon Negroni

~ I Carried a Watermelon ~

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~ THE WATERMELON NEGRONI ~

A handful of watermelon cubes
A mint sprig
25ml gin
25ml Italian vermouth
25ml Campari

Cut off a slice of watermelon, peel and dice it and and add to a shaker with the mint. Muddle awhile. Now add the booze and shake - no particular need for ice cubes at this point, you just want to get all the juice out of that watermelon and the freshness from the mint. Fine-strain (through a sieve) into a tumbler absolutely full with ice cubes and stir to ensure maximum chill. Garnish with mint and watermelon. Maybe a black olive if you’re feeling bold?

A couple of Watermelon Negroni pointers:

1) I reckon this would be just as good served over crushed ice, churned about a bit? Or maybe even liquidised into a sort of Watermelon-Campari slushie?

2) The recipe is a loose adaptation of a drink by Monica Berg that whetted my appetite in this paean to Campari by friend-of-the-newsletter, Alice Lascelles. Hers involves steeping; this one is for the impatient. I find that I cannot quite consume enough watermelon at the moment. Particularly as they now come in such convenient sizes.

3) One of my favourite recipes in own my book is the Campari Smash which is not a million miles away from this, only with strawberries as opposed to watermelon - plus a dash of rose in addition to the mint. The point is: Campari goes extremely well with luscious red fruits - raspberries, cherries, pomegranates… So experiment.

4) It’s actually my birthday today! Quite an existentially challenging one actually! Yes my friends as you read this I am weeping into a glass of Passoa, wondering how it came to pass that I should be 40 Earth years old. This (plus the football) means no long post this week - but I didn’t want to leave you thirsty. You can always, you know, subscribe to the Cabinet if you desire more and I’ll be drinking via the usual social channels I expect. And the shopping list for next week is, as ever, at the bottom. Shout out to my birthday mates George Orwell and George Michael and solidarity with my fellow Cancer Sun/Aires Moons, Pamela Anderson and Georges Sand 🦀🐏🌞🌘.

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I am Richard Godwin and this is the Spirits. You will find instructions for making sugar syrup, grenadine, orgeat ice, etc here and my 10 RULES FOR MAKING COCKTAILS here. I have also assembled some bottle recommendations for a cabinet here - and this here is the full archive of weekly specials. Do please share the Spirits with anyone who might like it - and feel free to tag me with your creations on Instagram or Twitter. Also scroll to the bottom for what to get in for next week! 👇

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PLAYLIST

Some Songs I Have Been Enjoying Lately. That’s all!

THIS PLAYLIST UPDATES AUTOMATICALLY EACH WEEK. Here is an ongoing archive of past songs.

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SHOPPING LIST

Gin, bourbon, lime, ginger beer (spicy please!), Angostura bitters.

🥳

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