Campari is an unusual drink. It's a throwback to a time when local apothecaries would mix curative elixirs to fortify the body and mind.
These local apothecaries knew a thing or two about marketing. They knew that people expect their medicines to taste bad - it they tasted nice they couldn't be any good. They also knew that if you made them alcoholic then you would feel better, even if they didn't actually cure you of anything.
In the nineteenth century you could buy nostrums based on all sorts of weird and vile tasting substances. Most of these have disappeared, but some survive, although in different forms. Pimms used to be sold as a tonic. The juniper in gin promised all sorts of healthy benefits. Hops in beer were almost life-giving if you believed the blurb.
Campari - flavoured with chinotto, a small, bitter citrus fruit - is a good example. Initially marketed as a tonic in Milan, it is now a global brand. Its bitter flavour is softened with sugar and smoothed with alcohol. It is often used as a base for cocktails, where its bitter flavour and vibrant colour make it distinctive and striking.
Having sampled the range of Campari-based cocktails. my personal favourite is the Campari Mojito. Although the official recipe starts starts with sugar, I find the Campari is sweet enough.
Campari Mojito
Crush 1/2 lime with a couple of sprigs of mint in a tall glass to release the juices of the lime and the flavours of the mint. Add some crushed ice, a generous glug of Campari and top with soda water.
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