Red, Hot, Cool, and Cozy.
As August wraps up, here’s a recap of what happened on Tastefully this month
Issue #11
Summer is over in American retail world. It’s back-to-school season, and Halloween is nipping at your heels. Down in the Southern hemisphere it’s parka season.
Over here in the Southern Med, summer marches on. There’s a drowsy quality to the air around Rome—at least in my residential neighborhood—that makes every day feel like Sunday. I’m all for it, but that should be no surprise.
I’m in the “still summer” camp. I’m also in the “Campari Soda over Aperol Spritz” camp. We’re not as rare you may think.
Love it or hate it, Campari is here to stay.
Embraced by bartenders and cocktail connoisseurs alike, Campari is most famous outside of Italy for its starring role in the Negroni—a drink so popular that some places now keep it on tap.
Learn more about Campari and grab some classic recipes and origin stories here.
The bright red bitter has held court in my heart for more than two decades.
The first time I saw Campari replays in my mind with crystalline clarity. It was love at first sight, but not at first sip. It was a taste I willed myself to acquire.
The journey of making Campari “my drink” mirrors the larger journey of moving to Rome, and in the grandest scheme of all, of falling in love.
What begins as the faintest glimmer of an idea unfurls into something worth fighting for. We wrap ourselves up an identity of associations. We are what we like, where we live, who we love.
Everything beyond basic physiological existence is ours to accessorize.
The concept is both fun and frightening and fascinating (for extra alliteration). We have the power to craft an identity, but when aspects of it start to crumble, how do we remain intact?
On a Lighter “Note”
A few issues ago I interviewed perfumer Zisis Kapsalis, a Greek transplant who fell in love with Florence and never looked back (except for beach vacations).
One of his most recent exclusive scents for Acquaflor Firenze was a created in collaboration with Polimoda Fashion and Design Institute. The concept was an homage to the Negroni, and the energy and innovation of early 19th-century Florence.
The perfume doesn’t smell like you’ve spilled a cocktail over yourself (I’d know). Instead, it’s conceptual, a top-to-bottom olfactory portrait of the recipe. A bright burst of citrus on top as a garnish, heart notes of spices and juniper for the gin, vermouth, and Campari, and a warm exotic base reminiscent of a vintage bar and dark wood.
Speaking of bars and identity, I caught up with Giacomo Malavolti, a bar manager I met in Rome at the W Lounge.
He’s since returned to his (nearly) native Florence, to oversee the opening the next W Lounge, within the well-known hotel franchise.
As part of the ongoing series, Crown Jewels of Florence, Giacomo takes us behind the scenes on what goes into opening a bar with its own personality within the parameters of an existing brand. He also discusses the importance of travel and cultural collision to the evolution of cocktail culture.
Lastly, he highlights five places in Florence to drink the Negroni, the city’s iconic cocktail, including the spot where it first appeared.
*NB If you hit the paywall on this one, you can always use your one-time trial period for premium content and perks.
Do you love or hate Campari? Do you have a signature drink of your own? Deep thoughts on identity crafting?
Whether you put it in the comments or pour one out and chat with someone you love (or strangers while traveling), I hope I gave you something to think about.
See you in September.
XOXO,
Annie
PS - If you’re planning a trip to Rome anytime soon, check out The Rome Dreamer Suite. It’s a cozy apartment with a garden terrace in the heart of Trastevere. I’ve been building it for years, and cannot wait to welcome you! Paid subscribers also receive 25% off! I appreciate your support. All of you. Always.