“Moderate enjoyment is double enjoyment, and do not overlook the little things!” Nobel Prize winner Hermann Hesse wrote a century ago.
I thought about that quote the first time the bartender at No. 246 in Decatur offered me a tiny Negroni — one of those small wonders Hesse urged us not to overlook.
Since the restaurant added this Lilliputian libation as part of a reimagining of its bar menu, to match its revamped old-school Italian vibe, I’ve taken Hesse’s advice. Spend an hour exploring a single masterpiece, rather than the entire exhibition.
The Negroni is a bittersweet classic. It’s simple, yet it requires precision. Composed of equal parts gin, Campari and vermouth stirred, it usually is garnished with orange peel, and served over ice. Its booze on booze on booze mix is hefty and strong.
At No. 246, the ruby red elixir is served in an ice-cold pony glass — akin to an after-dinner cordial glass, or a wine glass fit for a squirrel. It’s adorable in your hands, but this frosty vessel holds a stiff drink showing master craftsmanship.
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Credit: Angela Hansberger
Credit: Angela Hansberger
“It’s a small pour of a perfect classic,” Beverage Manager Clarke Anderson said. In order to add to the layers and balance, without changing the overall flavor too much, the recipe splits the base, and brings forth the team’s favorite Italian and American ingredients. Instead of three equal parts, there are six.
Italian Occitan gin has the same recipe as it did in 1889. Crafted in the Occitan Alps, the gin adds orange and lemon rind essence, as well as notes of cardamom. It pairs with Bristow, a classic juniper-forward gin with herbal flavors, including aromatic hyssop.
Two vermouths are stirred in: Carpano Antica Formula is rich, with dark notes of licorice and fig; Massican is garnet-hued, with flavors of sour cherry, black pepper and ginger spice.
Credit: handout
Credit: handout
Bitter elements come from two amari: Campari has bitter orange rind undertones and a cinnamon-like sweetness; St. George Bruto Americano is made from alpine botanicals, and carries a woody bitterness from warm and dusty spices.
A coin-sized orange peel intensifies aromas and adds embellishment.
“There is balance and punch,” Anderson said. “It’s not shy about any of the flavors. You can fully get them all.”
There is beautiful complexity in this wee serving — it’s herby, a bit earthy, bittersweet from deep dark fruit, and disarmingly chill. It allows a customer to sample the drink menu, but, for me, it’s one of those little, inconspicuous joys scattered throughout everyday life. And, it is only $4.
No. 246. 122 E. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur. 678-399-8246, no246.com.
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