Seasonal, fresh ingredients taste best. The folks at Carnevino live by this adage- which is why Mixologist Superstar Jeremy Taylor (JT, to his friends and followers) recently crafted a super seasonal cocktail for me: his Farmer’s Market Seville Sour.
Due to its unusually high pectin content, this wintery fruit is most commonly used in orange marmalade recipes, but if JT’s tasty creation is any indication, the Seville Orange has higher aspirations… in a cocktail glass.
JT is one of mixology’s wunderkind– a bright, shining star in the sea of cocktail sameness. It comes as no surprise to me he chooses Carnevino, a legendary steakhouse with a bar team of mythic proportions, from which to practice his craft. JT and the rest of the crew at Carnevino are the new wave of bartending professionals- all have in common an unerring attention to service, creativity and unique cocktail excellence.
JT gave me his recipe for the Seville Sour… he encourages you to try this at home!
- 1/2 oz. Campari
- 1/2 oz. Amaro Montenegro
- 1 1/2 oz. Gin (JT selected New Amsterdam Gin)
- 1 oz. Farmer’s Market Seville Orange Juice
- 1/4 oz. simple syrup (optional, to taste)
Combine all of the above with ice in a shaker, shake, then strain over ice and garnish with an orange peel “disk” or twist.
JT’s Seville Sour was bright, balanced, super aromatic and finished with a clean, elegant bitterness. I never would have thought to combine the Campari with the Montenegro, it must be true: if one Italian amaro is good, two are better. Genius! I would enjoy this before a meal as an aperitivo– especially while sitting in a Venetian Piazza during the evening passeggiata. It was equally refreshing in a crowded Las Vegas bar scene- the mark of a truly enjoyable cocktail.
The beauty of this concoction is that it is fleetingly seasonal. If you see those Seville Oranges in your local market now, grab a couple, and try it for yourself. It’s a lot less work than making marmalade- and in my opinion, more enjoyable too.
Thanks JT!