Next Monday marks the beginning of the 3rd annual National Negroni Week, held by Imbibe magazine and Campari America. Columbus will be partaking for the second year in a row, with around 60 establishments on board. June 1 though the June 7, bars and restaurants across Columbus will be serving up classic and creative Negroni cocktails. It was said that Mouton will be serving Negroni Jello Shots, Oddfellows has the Negroni slushie we tried last week and there are even rumors of Negroni cotton candy, according to Rebecca Monday, Bar Manager of Curio and “Director of Fun, for a cause” for the Columbus USBG.
“There are so many variations of a Negroni,” she said. “You can do rum or tequila and they always have their own fun names.”
Negroni Week is a great chance to build awareness of a classic cocktail thats been around since the 1920’s, said Monday.
“It’s bitter, it’s boozy, it’s balanced and has a sweetness to it-it’s a universal drink,” she said. “If you mention that have a love for Negroni it’s like a secret handshake, it just brings conversation.”
In addition to broadening people’s cocktail horizons, Negroni Week is a chance for bars and restaurants to give back to their favorite causes. All participating organizations give a portion of the Negroni proceeds to a charity of their choice. For the second year in a row, Columbus USBG members have decided to benefit the Jack Roth Fund, which supports lung cancer research at the James Cancer Hospital and Camp Netaim, a program in Israel for children with special needs.
The list of participating venues has yet to be finalized but so far this includes:
- Bar 145, Basi Italia, Curio, DeepWood, Denmark, G. Michaels Bistro, Harvest Pizzeria, Lindey’s Restaurant, Little Rock, Mouton, Rigsby’s Kitchen, The Sycamore, The Table, The Tree Bar, Till Dynamic Fare.
The Negroni Passport will allow participants to track their libations throughout the week and will be made available at participating locations. Check the Columbus Negroni Week Facebook Page for updates and additional information.
