It’s Negroni Week, a fundraising event since 2013, and the internet is going wild for this Italian specialty. A simple drink with 3 ingredients, no shaking needed, the Negroni is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of cocktail.

This funny article by Fiona Beckett sums up the attitudes toward this drink quite nicely. Drinking Negronis puts you in an exclusive club of sophisticated sippers with cultivated palates. This strong drink is an acquired taste, and apparently it’s being acquired at a rapid pace.

If you want to join in the fun, here’s the basic recipe.

The Noble Negroni

• 1 oz. Gin
• 1 oz. Sweet Vermouth
• 1 oz. Campari
• Orange twist for garnish

Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled glass (or a rocks-filled glass, if you prefer). Add garnish.

Pairing Food with a Negroni

What food do you pair with a Negroni? Because the cocktail has a distinct bitterness from the Campari, it needs strongly-flavored foods, like salty, bacony dishes, and bold cheeses.

For Negronis at a party, a charcuterie plate will do quite nicely. Choose a few strong cheeses to accompany the saucisson sec, jambon de bayonne, duck rillettes, and smoked duck breast – we like aged Parmesan, Romano or blue cheese of any kind. Read our post on creating an epic cheese and charcuterie board (useful even without a Negroni).

And here are a few more recipes we like for pairing with the powerful Negroni.

French Ham & Pear Crostini with Truffle Honey

Bacon Mac and Cheese

Bacon Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese

Grilled Ribeye Steak with Bleu Cheese & Crispy Shallots

If you try a Negroni this week, or anytime, and pair it with something particularly tasty, let us know! Tag #negroniweek and @dartagnanfoods on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Pinterest so we can chat about food and drinks.