When I first moved to New York City in the late '90s, I lived in Little Italy. New York, particularly those first few months, was a strange, in-between experience for me. I'd just gotten back from two years in Japan and probably should have waited a little longer before jumping into a new adventure. I hadn't yet met my wife which, of course, changed everything. As such, my associations with the neighborhood are filtered through memories of uncertainty and reverse culture shock. On a basic level, I enjoyed the area, particularly the Feast of San Gennaro in September.
I got the drink recipe from The Joy of Mixology by Gary Regan. It combines rye, sweet vermouth and Cynar. Actually, it's just one ingredient shy of the Bensonhurst, another cocktail from the same book. Regan credits bartender Audrey Saunders with creating the Little Italy. Regan's adaptation involves specifics on the ingredients including Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond for the rye and Martini & Rossi for the vermouth. I didn't have the Rittenhouse but I did have a small bottle of M&R, usually not my favorite but it was fine here.
Like the Bensonhurst, the Little Italy is on the bitter side for a Manhattan-type drink. Our favorite bit: the recipe calls for 3 Luxardo cherries to garnish.
Sounds like an interesting drink and an interesting place for you to have lived. I don't generally associate liquors with Italy so I learn something every day.
ReplyDeleteBear in mind, the drink is named for the NYC neighborhood, not the country. That said, it's interesting that the recipe calls for a specific, Italian vermouth brand. My usual preferred brand, Boissiere, is French.
DeleteI have never had this one before- but it sounds interesting. I can imagine living in Little Italy after being in Japan for two years was quite a shock. So many differences between the two and both unique places. Thanks for sharing. :) ~Jess
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely a shock and that was the problem. I didn't have any NYC experience before deciding to move there and was not at all prepared for it, definitely a unique culture in its own right. In a sense it wasn't reverse culture shock so much as initial culture shock or a combination of both - definitely a mind bend.
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