The Negroni
Last year, around Christmastime, Bill and I visited family in Dallas. His nephew made a Negroni* and asked if we’d like one. A what? A Negroni, he explained, is an old Italian cocktail made with gin. I’m not a fan of gin so I decline. Bill accepts. I’m captivated by the look of it – bright red with an orange twist – it looks Christmassy. I ask for a sip and say, “Hmmmm….” Then Bill reminds me it takes two sips to know if you like a cocktail. I take a second sip and a few minutes later I’m holding my own Negroni.
Like I said, I’m not a gin drinker. I’m a wine gal (or beer if there’s a good IPA on draft). So, it surprises me that I’ve taken a liking to this concoction of one part gin, one part sweet vermouth, and one part Campari. But after that visit in Dallas, Bill and I find ourselves ordering Negronis as a pre-dinner cocktail. When we can, that is. Not all bars carry Campari. So we indulge when it’s available and when it isn’t, we’ll order a nice glass of wine so no big deal, right?
No big deal that is, until we couldn’t find a Negroni anywhere in southern Michigan during an extended stay. It’s a long story why we were in this part of the country for an indefinite period of time but it has something to do with remodeling a lake house. And, for those of you who have ever remodeled anything, you know there are evenings, after a day of remodeling, that a cocktail is in order. And there have been many evenings when a Negroni would have been a fantastic treat after a long. hard day of work. But, after a month in Michigan, we started to wonder if we’d ever find that pretty red cocktail during our stay.
Do You Have Campari?
We eat out a few times a week and enjoy finding different places to dine. Our stay in Michigan is no different. We hit a long list of restaurants and pubs asking, “Do you have Campari?” and “What’s Campari?” has been the response. We even visited a few places in northern Indiana with no luck.
There’s an Italian restaurant in Angola called Caruso’s. They pride themselves on authentic Italian cuisine, an extensive wine list, and a full service bar. So we drove down to Caruso’s one evening, certain they would have the classic Italian cocktail. It was a Friday evening with a waiting list for the dining room (always a good sign). We decided to forego the wait and sit at the bar, asked the usual question, and got the usual response. No Campari. Once again, we meet disappointment. But we did enjoy Caruso’s food, along with a nice chianti.
The following Friday, after a trip to Home Depot, Bill decided to check out the local liquor store in hopes of making Negronis while grilling at home that evening. We stopped at Super Liquor II which has aisles and aisles of beer, wine, liquor and liqueurs. “Do you have Campari?” we asked. “What’s that?” says the guy behind the counter. We explain. “Never heard of it,” he says. That was the day we gave up on Negronis. “They just don’t exist here,” Bill said as we left Super Liquor II.
Schuler’s Restaurant and Pub
The following day we decided to eat out for a Saturday date night. I suggested Winston’s Pub in Marshall**. Winston’s is adjoined to Schuler’s Restaurant, an icon of Marshall’s history. The same family has owned and operated Schuler’s for over a hundred years. The history, old architecture, and decor are certainly notable but what keeps them in business is the service and food. Bill and I dined at Schuler’s before we were introduced to the Negroni. But we had not been to the pub yet which is why it was an easy sell.
We arrived in Marshall around seven that evening and Michigan’s summer sun was still bright. Entering a dark pub from the intense light blinded us. As my rods and cones adjust to the darkness, the first thing I see is a bright red bottle of Campari behind the bar. It was glowing from the bar lights and I think I heard angelic music in the background like people hear in the movies. “Look,” I said grabbing Bill by the arm, “Campari!” His face glowed with a smile as shiny as that bottle. The next thing we see is two empty seats right there at the bar in front of that glowing red liquid.
We take our places at the bar and are welcomed by the regulars as well as the bartender Sara. We explain our excitement over the Campari. Sara tells us they just started carrying it because customers are asking for it. (Thank you customers!) Sara makes a perfect Negroni and provides excellent service throughout our meal.
Great Food, Drinks and Service
As we sipped our Negronis and pondered the menu, we chatted with two couples sitting near us who frequent the place. They made suggestions from the menu and recommended we save room for dessert, touting the pecan ball as the best dessert in Marshall.
It soon became evident why these folks and others are regular patrons. Winston’s is a comfortable setting, much smaller than Schuler’s but still big on service. Patrons are greeted by name and served their “usual” within a minute of sitting at the bar.
Bill and I took the suggestions of those around us and started with a Caprese salad followed by a mug of meatballs and a side of Brussel sprouts.
Everything was delicious. The Caprese salad tasted garden fresh. The meatballs and Brussel sprouts go together marvelously with perfect combinations of tangy, salty, and sweet. We shared the three items to save room for the highly acclaimed pecan ball and ordered our dessert with little hesitation. Candied pecans cover a softball-size scoop of ice-cream which sits in a bed of chocolate with extra chocolate sauce on the side. So mouth-wateringly beautiful, we shovel spoonfuls into our mouths as soon as it’s delivered. We were half-way through that big ball of sweetness when I realized I didn’t take a picture of it. I mentioned my faux pas to Bill. He smiles because he knows what it means when I forget to take a picture of something delicious. “We’ll have to come back,” he said. And we did.
We returned to Winston’s two weeks later and enjoyed another delicious Negroni. We ordered the meatballs and Brussel sprouts again because we just couldn’t resist. But, rather than a Caprese salad we ordered the crispy shrimp with spicy tartar sauce and it was a splendid dish. Again, we shared everything to save room for that special dessert. I remembered to get a picture before we bore into it but I’m sure we’ll return again anyway. With a great starter cocktail, a sweet finish, and exquisite food in-between, there’s no reason not to return. Truth be told, the Negronis are reason enough for our return. The excellent food and fine service is a perk.
A Couple of Side Notes
*Legend has it that the Negroni was born in Florence, Italy in 1919. According to tales told, Count Camillo Negroni patronized Caffe Casoni where he asked the bartender to strengthen his favorite cocktail, the Americano. An Americano is a mix of sweet vermouth, Campari, and soda with a lemon twist. Apparently the bartender, Fosco Scarselli, obliged Count Negroni by adding gin to the Americano and leaving out the soda. He then gave it an orange twist to set it apart from the Americano.
**Marshall, Michigan is also the home of Velocity Baseball Academy (plug intended). Mark and Emily Katz are the owners of VBA, a training facility for travel league baseball and softball players. They train athletes from the very young to college prep. There will be future posts about their business but I want to give them a plug in this Marshall post because they are doing great things for children and for the community of southern Michigan.
When in Marshall, check out Velocity Baseball Academy before your visit to Winston’s Pub or Schuler’s Restaurant.
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