Cocktail of the Week: Clementine Negroni

January is citrus season here in Texas. The produce section is filled with beautiful Rio Grande Ruby Red grapefruit. And there are still those cute little clementines that started to show up around Christmas time. I have my eye on a three-citrus marmalade recipe I recently found, but a cocktail is always a great way to use these delicious fruits. This one focuses on the clementine...those little seedless tangerines so many of us in the South find in our holiday stockings.

Clementine Negroni
From Bon Appetit magazine.
Makes two cocktails.

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

Place 3 whole peeled clementines and orange bitters in cocktail shaker and muddle until clementines are broken down.

(Note: I will admit that I cheated with a recent batch and simply juiced the three clementines into the shaker. While it eliminated the stress relief accomplished via muddling, the cocktail turned out just fine.)

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.