Words by Julia Momosé and Emma Janzen. Photo by Kevin Miyazaki.
One of the more unexpected hot drinks enjoyed during the winter in Japan is a hot Campari: a mix of lemon, honey, hot water, Campari, and various liqueurs— the choice setting one apart from the other. It is a fantastic cocktail with enticing orange notes that blossom as the Campari warms. With a perky rosy hue, the drink is a playful version of the normally stoic winter toddy—a provocative cocktail that oscillates between a somewhat medicinal bitterness and bountiful bouquets of citrus and spice. Lower in proof, the bitter liqueur with the rich honey makes for a drink that lingers like a comforting embrace long after the last sip.
The Way of the Cocktail: Japanese Traditions, Techniques, and Recipes by Julia Momosé and Emma Janzen is now available.
You also make like these:
Hot Campari Winter Cocktail: Hotto Campari
Ingredients
- 1 ounce Campari
- ¾ ounce Awa No Kaori Sudachi Chū
- 1 barspoon Combier Kümmel liqueur
- ¼ ounce fresh lemon juice
- ½ ounce Rich Honey Syrup, see below
- 3 to 4 ounces hot water
- lemon peel
- 2 part honey to 1 part hot water
Instructions
- In a teacup, combine the Campari, Sudachi Chū, Kümmel, lemon juice, and honey syrup. Add hot water, 3 ounces if you prefer a stronger, more boozytasting cocktail or 4 ounces if you like a drink that tastes a little lighter in body and character. Stir briefly to combine. Express lemon oils over the top of the drink and garnish with a manicured twist of lemon.
- Combine 2 parts honey to 1 part hot water by weight. Stir until the honey has fully dissolved. Store refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.
Reprinted from The Way of the Cocktail: Japanese Traditions, Techniques, and Recipes by Julia Momosé and Emma Janzen. Copyright © 2021 by Julia Momosé. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.