ROCKLAND — Instead of the typical cranberry-infused holiday cocktail this year, we’ve decided to profile something a little more sophisticated for December — the Negroni, made by Ada’s Kitchen, newly opened in Rockland. This complex cocktail has roots in Italy, with its origins thought to have been invented at Caffe Casoni in Florence, Italy in 1919. According to Gin Foundry, “Legend tells that Count Camillo Negroni asked his friend, bartender Forsco Scarselli, to strengthen his favorite cocktail – the Americano – by replacing the soda water with gin.”

Justin Kinney, a bartender at Ada’s Kitchen, shows us how to make the classic cocktail. “It’s a cocktail of three components: sweet vermouth, Campari and your choice of gin, topped off with a bit of squeezed grapefruit juice,” he explained.

Watch the video to see how the cocktail is made. You’ll need:

• 1 shot of gin
• 1 shot of Campari, a liqueur
• Yzaguirre Classic Red Vermouth
• Fresh squeezed grapefruit
• Orange peel

Add a jig (or shot glass) of all three components into a shaker full of ice. Shake and pour the drink neat, into a cocktail glass. Add a jig of fresh-squeezed grapefruit and rim the glass with orange peel. The Italian cocktail fits Ada’s Italian flavor profiles and has just been added to their cocktail list.

“This is an old-school cocktail making a comeback,” said bar manager Stacy Campbell. “The Negroni, with just a squeeze of fresh grapefruit at the end, softens the flavor and rounds it off a little bit. Your nose picks up the citrus first, which goes well with the herbaceous flavor. You hit more than one sense.”

Make the cocktail yourself for your next holiday party, or have it made for you. Ada’s is introducing Negroni Night Friday, December 1, where patrons will be able to try this cocktail’s recipe–the Ada’s Negroni– along with two other “secret” versions.

Related: See some of our past stories on “What’s In That Cocktail” recipes.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com