Stanley Tucci's Perfect Negroni Up #CooktheBooks

I just finished reading the memoir Taste by Stanley Tucci for our Cook the Books Club.  This memoir had me laughing out loud from the first page.  I so enjoyed getting to know Stanley Tucci and really, really want to join him for dinner, drinks and conversation.

This selection was chosen by Deb of Kahakai Kitchen and I just want to say....Thank you, thank you, thank you.  You can read Deb's invitation and join in the fun.  You have until the end of May to read this memoir and create a dish inspired by it. 

Food inspiration comes easily while reading this memoir but, just in case you don't get bowled over by Stanley's food descriptions, there are numerous recipes interspersed throughout, starting with the cocktail that I am sharing with you today.

Stanley Tucci was not even on my radar before Deb chose this book.  Well, as I think I have mentioned a time or two....I live under a rock.  A google search of Stanley Tucci shows him everywhere with famous people...hell, he even was on the cover of People.  He is a long time actor with films like Hunger Games and Transformers under his belt.  Of course, I have never seen those films because.....yes, I live under a rock.

But he has been in films that I have seen and loved, like Captain America, The Devil Wears Prada and The Terminal.  He was also the creepy bad guy in Lovely Bones.  I did recognize him when I looked at images from the films but never had put a name to his face.

This means that now I have a lot of catching up to do.  As I read this memoir and discovered he had a foodimentary called Searching for Italy.  I am watching it now on demand and enjoying it.  I also found out that he had made a foodie film called The Big Night.  This film is available on NetFlix and is on my to watch list.

Stanley Tucci unashamedly name drops throughout the memoir.  He writes just as he speaks and if you watch Searching for Italy you will get a very good idea of the content of the memoir.  Many of the recipes he shares are also documented in this foodimentary.

As for the cocktail?  I did think it was pretty perfect.  Of course, I love Campari and have an affinity for bitter.  Frank hated this cocktail and after one sip poured himself a Crown on the Rocks.  Tucci acknowledges that most people do not serve this cocktail straight up preferring it over ice.   I haven't tried it over ice nor any other versions but I will the next time we are having apertifs and see if I agree with Stanley that this is the correct way to enjoy a Negroni.  

Here is Stanley's recipe......

Serves 1

50 milliliters gin

25 milliliters Campari

25 milliliters good sweet vermouth

Ice

Orange Slice

• Pour all the booze into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
• Shake it well
• Strain it into a coupe.
• Garnish with a slice of orange
• Sit down.
• Drink it.

The sun is now in your stomach.

And that, my friends, pretty much gives you not only a good cocktail recipe but a taste of what Taste is like.  Pick up the book.  You will enjoy it.  Make the cocktail.....you may or may not enjoy it but you will be able to say you tried it.