camparinha

2 oz Campari
1 Lime
1/2 oz Sugar

Cut lime into eights. Muddle lime wedges and sugar in a rocks glass until most of the sugar is dissolved. Add Campari and stir. Fill with crushed ice and stir again. A lime wedge or wheel garnish might make a good addition.

Last Tuesday, I was flipping through the Big Bartender's Book and spotted the Camparinha. I found this recipe quite quirky and intriguing for it took the classic Caipirinha and subbed out the cachaça for Campari. After enjoying the Campari and lime-containing Teresa, I was definitely curious in giving this recipe a go. Clearly, the recipe is not a new one (despite the modern trend of swapping out spirits for amaros like the Anvil Bar's Campari Alexander) for I was able to find it published as long ago as 2002, but alas, that is the most I could discover about its origins.
There were no big surprises here in the Camparinha given the recipe. The Campari dominated the aroma; next, the lime provided a tart juice note on the sip and a slightly bitter peel oil that coincided with the Campari flavors on the swallow. Andrea, who had been skeptical of the concept, commented that it was rather pretty and actually tasty. Overall, the lime and sugar did a decent job of balancing the Campari; however, it was not as glorious of a softening job as the lime and crème de cassis in the Teresa.