Vintage Italian Long Drink Glasses

I spent a good portion of my weekend trolling antique shops up in the Skagit Valley with some friends for a project we have in the works, and I seem to have caught the thrifting bug. So on the way home from a mundane trip to the drug store, I couldn't resist popping into the antique shop down the street from my house.

I picked up a few exciting finds, including a set of five vintage Italian long drink glasses with an unusual tear drop shape. To take my new glasswear for a spin, I mixed up an Americano, an aperitif of equal parts Campari and sweet vermouth topped with club soda. For the vermouth I used Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, a recipe first made in 1891 and recently resurrected for the 120th anniversarry of House of Cocchi. The complex vermouth uses the Moscato wine as a base, with a variety of notes including orange, vanilla and tobacco, and is deeply reminiscent of earthy botanicals.

While an Americano is traditionally served over ice in an old fashioned glass, I love the way the deep red stunned in the extruded form of the long drink glass.

Americano
1 ounce Campari
1 ounce sweet vermouth
club soda
lemon or orange for garnish

Combine the Campari and vermouth in a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir until chilled, and strain into a long drink glass. Top with club soda and garnish with a lemon twist or orange slice. Cheers!