Have you heard of a cocktail called the Negroni? I first discovered it in Germany a couple of years ago when I saw easy Negroni mix in organic stores, and then I began drinking it.
It’s a classic Italian cocktail made by mixing gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth in a 1:1:1 ratio. Its appeal lies in its bittersweet harmony and delicate herbal aromas. And I especially love it when the citrus scent of an orange garnish drifts from nose to mind.
And, because of Negroni, I’m in the U.S. right now!
Negroni Week and the Negroni Fund
There is a worldwide movement called Negroni Week, in which bars, restaurants, cafés, and other venues participate to raise funds for the beverage industry.
During that week, bars offer Negroni-themed drinks and donate part of their sales. The movement was started in 2013 by Imbibe magazine and Campari.
The Negroni Fund is used to support initiatives in drink field. Slow Food is one of the beneficiaries. Thanks to support from this fund, the cost of my travel and stay for attending Terra Madre Americas is being covered. There is a program called the Educational Scholarship that supports small-scale operators in the beverage sector who align with the Slow Food philosophy.
I believe there will be a call for applications next year. If you’re interested, you should check it out!
https://www.slowfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/EDUCATIONAL-SCHOLARSHIPS-2025.pdf
It’s amazing to me that simply enjoying a cocktail can help support sustainable beverage industries and cultures.
By the way, today, September 28, is the final day of Negroni Week. If there’s still time, perhaps going out for a drink could be fun. Here is the list of bars!
https://www.negroniweek.com/find/
The Perspective of “Slow Drink”
Slow Food’s philosophy of Good · Clean · Fair aims for food that is delicious and culturally meaningful (Good), produced in environmentally sustainable ways (Clean), and that ensures fair treatment and dignified compensation for producers and workers (Fair). This philosophy is now expanding into the realm of beverages.
As for me, I truly love my three meals a day, and I want what goes into my body to be good, and to eat with delight and care. I feel that the same applies to the drinks that accompany meals.
From the “Good” perspective, besides savoring flavor and culture, I hope to think about drinks in terms of what is also good for the body. Specifically, as I feel my ability to process sugar and alcohol diminishing a little with age, rather than insisting on only sugar-free or non-alcoholic options, I’m thinking about how to cultivate healthier relationships with those ingredients and create good products.
Now I’m starting to think, could I participate in Negroni Week next year as someone on the business side? Then I even joined a workshop about Negroni 😉
Today is the final day of Terra Madre Americas. I hope Negroni is known not just as a classic cocktail but as a one glass that supports the future of slow drink. With that feeling, I wrote this post.
Cheers! 🥃 🍊
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ネグロニというイタリア生まれのカクテルのおかげで今アメリカにいますという話を書きました。日本語版はnoteにあります。よかったら覗いてみてください☺️