An Afternoon in Naples at Pulino's

I'm starting to become a regular at the latest Bowery hot spot restaurant: Pulino's. So far I have been for brunch, dinner, and cocktails. I've picked a couple of favorite items, and I can't wait to end my next big night out by heading over there for burgers (they're only available after midnight). Two of my top things there so far are the sweet breakfast pizza topped with only a bit of extra virgin olive oil and sea salt, and served with a side of apple butter for dipping, and the Afternoon in Naples cocktail, which I enjoyed this afternoon here in NYC. It's a Campari cocktail (I am a huge fan of the apéritif and Pulino's devotes an entire section of its cocktail menu to it) and perfect for daytime - refreshing, not too strong, and completely delicious with a nice, tart finish. The recipe is:

Afternoon in Naples:

1 ½ oz Campari
3 ½ oz fresh pink grapefruit juice
½ oz simple syrup (ginger infused)
½ oz lime juice

Garnish: Lime peel
Glassware: White wine glass

Salute!

Clementines

One of my favorite signals of the holiday season's arrival is the sudden appearance of clementines in the market. Sold loose, in bags, or in flats, these little oranges are beautiful and bring a little sun to this dark time of year. They pack a lot of vitamin C, are perfectly sweet, and easy to peel - all in all a great and healthy treat that's just as delicious as the decadent goodies available this season, minus the calories. However, if you want to take them to another level, this December's Bon Appétit has an incredible clementine negroni recipe. Negronis are an apéretif with Mediterranean origins and this cocktail is a pretty amazing way to start any holiday meal.

Clementine Negroni

• 3 clementines, peeled
• 1/4 cup Hendrick's Gin*
• 1/4 cup Campari
• 3 tablespoons sweet vermouth
• Ice cubes
• 2 clementine slices (for garnish)

Special equipment: cocktail shaker

Place 3 whole peeled clementines and orange bitters in cocktail shaker and muddle until clementines are broken down. Add gin, Campari, and vermouth. Fill shaker 3/4 full with ice. Shake vigorously 30 seconds. Strain into 2 Martini glasses, dividing equally. Garnish each with clementine slice.

Source: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Clementine-Negroni-356332