Meet the lovely Wendy Lowden! Wendy is a founding partner and Creative Director at Atlanta ad agency
House of Current as well as the Creative Guru Master at its sister company,
Whimsy Press. When she’s not in the office or on a plane, Wendy is constantly on the go around the Poncey-Highlands neighborhood with her photographer husband, Scott, and their dog Sophie. Take it away, Wendy!
My inspiration for this cocktail comes from the Italian custom of aperitivo – the ritual of going out for a drink to socialize and relax while snacking before dinner. I discovered both the aperitivo and the Americano on a summer trip to Italy last year. Before that, I never liked the bitter taste of Campari. But there’s something about sipping it slow with great food on relaxed summer evenings that just clicked. Plus, it’s super easy to make - as a relaxing drink should be.The Americano is a truly classic cocktail, and was first served in the 1860's at Garspare Campari's bar in Milan, Italy. The Americano was originally name the Milano-Torino because of the origins of it's ingredients, but was later renamed because of its popularity amongst American tourists during Prohibition. And another bit of trivia - the Americano was the first cocktail ordered by 007 in the first James Bond novel, Casino Royale.
The AmericanoIngredients:
1 oz Campari
1 oz sweet vermouth
club soda
orange slice for garnishPreparation:
Fill an old-fashioned glass with ice cubes.
Build with the Campari and vermouth
Top off with club soda.
Garnish with orange sliceIf you like, you can switch to a highball glass and add more club soda for a tall thirst quencher.photography by scott lowdenThanks, Wendy!As Creative Director for House of Current, Wendy creates custom marketing campaigns for a variety of clients nationwide, specializing in fashion, retail and luxury branding. Clients include some of the nation’s leading shopping destinations including Glendale Galleria in LA, Fashion Show and The Shoppes at The Palazzo in Las Vegas, Natick Mall in Boston, Chicago’s Water Tower Place and the Von Maur department stores. Wendy also designs gift wrap, cards and other items for sister company, Whimsy Press.
