Anthony Bourdain's Favorite Cocktail Was A Classic
When it comes to drinks, it's safe to say Anthony Bourdain knew what he was talking about. From Cachaca in Brazil to Avery in Madrid, the late celebrity chef taste-tested more types of alcohol in the hit food travel show "Parts Unknown" than most people probably do in their entire lifetime. You might assume that his favorite cocktail would be one of the unique libations he tried abroad, but truthfully, as he told Barron's in an interview in 2016, Bourdain was a self-described "classic cocktail guy." His drink of choice was a Negroni.
A Negroni is an Italian cocktail consisting of one part each gin, red vermouth, and Campari. It's garnished with an orange peel or slice, resulting in a unique sweet yet bitter flavor. Interestingly enough, Bourdain told Barron's that he doesn't actually enjoy the liquors that make up the drink. "I'm not really a gin drinker, don't like Campari, straight vermouth leaves me cold — but put them together with a slice of orange? It works," Bourdain explained. "It's a real grown-up drink. That first sip is confusing and not particularly pleasant, but man it grows on you."
How Anthony Bourdain made his Negronis
Although Bourdain may have considered himself a "classic cocktail guy," he actually strayed from tradition when making his Negronis. Bourdain didn't switch the gin for prosecco — that would've turned it into a Negroni sbagliato — but as he demonstrated on a "Late Night Eats" special of the "Tonight Show," he did change up the ratio of liquors. Instead of an equal amount of gin, Campari, and vermouth, Bourdain nearly doubled the amount of the gin. For a finishing touch to this gin-forward Negroni, Bourdain also added an orange slice to the glass.
Bourdain shared in the TV segment that he often enjoyed Negronis before making public appearances and before meals as an aperitif, but advised viewers to consume no more than two glasses of it, likely due to the doubled gin. "Around number three, it's 'Where'd my pants go?, and 'Who the hell are you?'" Bourdain joked.
Anthony Bourdain wasn't a fan of most cocktails
Though Anthony Bourdain had plenty of positive things to say about Negronis, he wasn't the biggest fan of cocktails. In his Barron's interview, he did admit to indulging in the occasional Manhattan, and said he'd have a sazerac every once in a while. But in his downtime, Bourdain preferred straight Scotch and Bourbon.
Bourdain was a beer person too, but wasn't the type to put craft or artisanal varieties on a pedestal; his only requirement for beer was that it was cold. He had similar thoughts about rosé, describing it as a cliche, but one that was sometimes worth taking part in, especially when summering in the Hamptons or eating red meat.
But while Bourdain could appreciate trendy drinks like rosé and craft beer, he couldn't stand shots of tequila. He told Refinery 29 that he would rather take a drink from an "old Pepsi bottle, particles floating in it." A Negroni probably would've been more ideal though.