The Unexpected Rosé Negroni

The #Negroniweek is the perfect moment to experiment with some variations on the iconic Negroni-recipe. You always need a tasty spirit, a wine-based aperitif and bitters. You need to balance the flavors to get the right result. In most cases, like the recipe below, even parts will be fine. In some cases you need a bit extra spirit, or a spirit with a slightly higher ABV to get things right. 

Today I’m mixing up a rum-based Negroni-style drink that’s light and very fruity.

The Unexpected Rosé Negroni

Ingredients
30 ml Matusalem Rum Insolito (aged rosé rum)
30 ml Leonce Vermouth
30 ml Aperol

Method
Do it like the Italians, add everything to a tumbler with icecubes and stir for 15 seconds. Garnish with orange peel or dehydrated orange.

Disclaimer : All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations. 

Matusalem (3/3) - Orange is the new dark

It’s time for my second and last entry for the Matusalem friendly Foodpairing Competition. My first entry was a welcome-drink, this time I’ve created a very simple after-dinner drink. To complete the bar-serve I paired it with orangettes. Optional this drink also matches very well with a good quality Cuban cigar. 

Orangettes are candied orange peels covered in dark chocolate. These days you can find them in the candy-section of any supermarket, or you can level up and buy premium orangettes at Leonidas or Neuhaus chocolate stores 😉 

Orange is the new dark

Ingredients
60 ml Matusalem Gran Reserva 15
10 ml Gonzalez Byass Nectar (PX Sherry)
2 dashes Angostura cocoa bitters

Method
Add everything to a mixing glass with lots of ice. Stir for 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled tumbler with a fresh block of ice. Garnish with a dehydrated orange wheel and pair with orangettes. 

Disclaimer : All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.

Matusalem (2/3) - Welcome to the party

As promised a couple of days ago, I’m creating two bar-serves with Matusalem rum, both are entries for round two of the Matusalem Friendly Foodpairing Competition. (Competition entry = Instagram story). 

With this first entry I wanted to create the idea of a welcoming drink. It’s not a real aperitif, it’s really a “Welcome to the party” drink, probably served a couple of hours before food is offered. I paired the cocktail with a delicious macaron with cherry flavor. 

Welcome to the party

Ingredients
50 ml Matusalem Rum Insólito Wine Cask
20 ml Cointreau Noir
7 ml Honey Syrup
Crémant de Bourgogne (or another sparkling wine)
Macaron

Method
Add the rum, Cointreau and syrup to a tumbler with lots of ice. Stir for 15 seconds. Strain into your favourite Champagne glass. No garnish needed, serve with a Cherry macaron.  

Tip
If you don’t have Cointreau Noir, use 15 ml of “normal” Cointreau and 5 ml of Cognac. 
If you can’t find cherry macarons, try other red fruit flavors. 

Disclaimer : All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.

Matusalem (1/3) - Cuba Libre Royale

I’m often invited to participate in online tastings, but a few weeks ago I attended one that was kind of special. The main idea of the webinar was “foodpairings with Matusalem rum”, based on a scientific analysis by a Belgian lab. Very intriguing. 

Matusalem was founded in Cuba in 1872, but when Castro came in charge, they fled the island and moved to the Dominican Republic. The tasting featured two bottles : Ron Matusalem Gran Reserva 15 and the limited edition Ron Matusalem Insólito Wine Cask (which is actually a rosé rum!)

We all know our Rum & Coke or Cuba Libre, but Matusalem also takes this a step further. I’m sharing their modern edition of the Cuba Libre in this article. But first there’s a bit more to tell…

As a participant in this webinar, I was also invited to take part in a ‘friendly competition’ and enter foodpairing ideas for both rums. I was surprised to hear I made it to the second round. I received a box with both bottles and some extra stuff… and can now create both of my cocktail ideas and share them in the second round. You’ll see them both appear in the next days. But for now, let’s have a nice Cuba Libre Royale. Cheers!

P.S. The winner of the competition will receive a big bottle and nice stuff for the bar. Since I’m a blogger and don’t own a bar or restaurant, I’m actually participating just for fun 😉. My recipes for this content are cocktail serves paired with matching sweets, which you could actually serve in any cocktailbar. Keep your eye on this blog and sociale media. 

Cuba Libre Royale

Ingredients
50 ml Matusalem Gran Reserva 15
15 ml Fabri Cola Syrup
30 ml Club Soda
50 ml Crémant de Bourgogne (Or another good quality sparkling wine)

Method
Build the drink in a glass with enough ice and give it just a couple of gentle stirs. Garnish with lime or lemon. 

P.S. This nice glass was also a gift from Matusalem. It’s a design of Luigi Bormioli (Italy)

Disclaimer : All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.