This two-ingredient cocktail, nicknamed the Mi-To, is the predecessor to the famed Negroni.

Before the Negroni, and even before the Aperol spritz, there was the Milano-Torino. Named after the location each of the ingredients comes from - Campari from Milan, and sweet Vermouth from Turin - this simple cocktail is said to have originated in Milan’s Caffe Camparino in the 1860s.

The Milano-Torino is sometimes referred to as the Vintage Negroni, as it was the blueprint for the contemporary Negroni cocktail. The Mi-To is simple comprised of equal parts Campari and sweet Vermouth, usually on ice, and almost always with a wedge of orange. It has a syrupy and slightly bitter flavor, intended to be sipped on before a meal - like any classic aperitivo.

From the Mi-To came the Negroni - the simple addition of a gin shot is all that separates the two. However, the Negroni wasn’t the only drink it morphed into. During the years of Prohibition, many US citizens fled to European countries to freely imbibe. Upon tasting the Milano-Torino, many Americans requested for it to be diluted with soda water - the strong sweet and bitter flavor was likely too intense for their palettes. Thus, the Americano cocktail was born.

Next time you sip on a Negroni or an Americano, you’ll have the Mi-To to thank - and Caffe Camparino!

Make The Milano-Torino Cocktail