This year, Negroni toasts turning 100, and London restaurant St. John rings in its 25th year. To celebrate these landmarks, the two stalwarts have joined forces to create chef and St. John co-founder Fergus Henderson’s favourite Negroni.
The ‘Fergroni’ – a special mix developed by Henderson – isn’t on the menu at the London restaurant, only available to those in the know. Until now, of course. Pre-bottled to purchase online for patrons who can’t make it to the original Spitalfields location, St. John and Campari UK have made the Fergroni available for all, conveniently pre-mixed using premium gin from Tanqueray, Punt e Mes vermouth and classic Campari bitters, naturally.
Chef and St John co-founder Fergus Henderson, and the graphic logo depicting him, that appears on the ’Fergroni’ bottle. Photography: Sam A Harris
‘A couple of years ago I won the Quo Vadis Negroni competition with this very recipe, which I called Negroni as it Should Be,’ Henderson explains. ‘The competition was stiff and the panel was illustrious, but all seemed to be in agreement with me – this is indeed Negroni as it should be. Gin-heavy, always served with a twist of lemon (never orange)...’
This classic mix is dressed up in a no-frills bottle with a graphic label that captures Henderson’s character, while channeling St. John’s monochrome aesthetic, which it has retained throughout its quarter-century history. Despite expansion (to date, St. John has three restaurants, a bakery, a winery and a wine company) the restaurant stays true to its ethos of pure and simple quality. A sip or two of ‘Fergroni’ attests. §