Have an Affair With Gloria
Congratulations. You have moved on to the drinking phase where you can confidently say that Negroni is one of your favorite cocktails. The path to full recognition of this most perfect drink has not always been easy, but once you are addicted to bitter ambrosia, you can no longer get enough! You ordered it from any establishment that had a dusty bottle of Campari on its shelves, and looked after it in all the countless forms in which it was served – agitated; shake and then poured onto ice; shocked a la Tucci ; and built on stone in a glass (hopefully your now preferred format). Now you make Negronis rain at home , realizing that cooking your own meal is actually one of the few indisputable pleasures in life.
But sometimes a novelty beckons. Not because you doubt your adoration of Negroni, but because you realize that an accidental detour makes the final return home so much more enjoyable. (And because true love sets you free or something, etc.) A very reasonable desire for something new and different is confirmation that you really have a pulse.
If you’re lucky, you risk taking part in this shuffle from the bar at Attaboy, and if you’re still lucky, Pepper will be at the counter that evening, and when she asks you what you’re in for, you’ll bend over. … and say – shyly, but with some delight – “Negroni, but it seems, not Negroni, do you understand?” She nods and you know you’re in good hands. When she reappears, she pushes the most beautiful and alluring coupe towards you: “This is Gloria.” You take a sip and your eyes widen as you look gratefully at Pepper. The risk was rewarded.
Gloria’s cocktail is often referred to as the child of Negroni and Martini, but she’s also completely her own person, okay? I think she is Libra. The fact is that it is delicious and very, very beautiful, with a translucent red sheen, reminiscent of a rare ruby. Her origin story is also quite interesting, and she sent me down the rabbit hole.
The Gloria cocktail is most commonly credited to trader Vic around 1947 and is described in one of his bartender’s manuals. However, the Cointreau website claims that it was created by Marie Glory – a French dumb-era actress with a penchant for aperitifs – for a cocktail competition in 1929. I could not find anything that would explicitly confirmed this statement, but I found a picture Marie Glory at a cocktail party, which she made, and, apparently, she is depicted on the posters advertising Campari campaign in the 1930s. The intrigue continues! I think this mystery actually suits Gloria quite well.
To get to know her you will need:
- 1 ½ ounce Gin (dry, London)
- ½ ounce Campari
- ½ ounce dry vermouth
- ½ ounce Cointreau
- Lemon twist for garnish
This is a whimsical cocktail, and in the world of libation, there is no greater injustice than a shaken cocktail that is not cold enough, or too diluted, or worst of all, both. It is imperative that your compartment and mixing glass are as chilled as possible and that you have plenty of fresh dry ice to work with – ideally in different sizes.
First, pour the ingredients into a chilled mixing glass (you don’t need anything fancy, a Boston glass or something similar), then fill with cracked ice, first the larger pieces and then the smaller pieces. Stir well by pressing a bar spoon against the glass and adding ice if necessary. The wetter the ice, the less time you have to work, so keep that in mind. You usually need to stir until the mixing glass is frozen again, about 30 seconds. After mixing well, remove the freezer jumper (not before) and strain into a glass. Place lemon zest over a glass and garnish.