Throughout two seasons of Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy on CNN, the actor has traveled across the country discovering the hidden culinary gems of its various cultures and regional cuisines. And while Tucci has long held a passion for food and drink that is perhaps only rivaled by his love for acting—he published two cookbooks in 2012 and 2014, and his memoir, released last year, was titled Taste: My Life Through Food—the experience of making the documentary series has only served to further deepen his fascination with the history and variety of Italian cooking. “It confirmed my belief that Italy’s regions are distinctly different,” says Tucci. “If you go to Sardinia then Piedmont and then Sicily, it’s almost as though you’re in different countries and eras. In the south, you’ll have African, Middle Eastern, and Greek influences, but in the north, you’ll have Germanic and French influences.”
Ahead of the holiday season, then, Vogue thought it appropriate to ask Tucci some of his dos-and-don’ts for holiday hosting—more specifically, we wanted his take on how to make a classic cocktail. In 2020, you’ll remember he went viral for an Instagram video in which he made a Negroni. “Some people took umbrage that I made a Negroni up as opposed to on the rocks, but I thought it was nice,” Tucci says of his unorthodox approach. “That’s the way I like them: You’re not fighting through the ice, like a seal.” This holiday season, however, Tucci’s drink of choice is the martini; conveniently, he’s also now a brand partner for Tanqueray’s No. Ten gin. “They approached me, and how could I say no,” says Tucci.
For Tucci, the martini is a favorite not because of its strong alcohol content, but instead due to the art involved in making it. “Part of it is the ceremony,” says Tucci. “You watch somebody make a martini properly, and it’s really beautiful. It’s ceremonial and elegant—it elevates a moment. Your whole day gets better. And it’s not the booze, a huge part of it is the gesture of it.” As the Christmas season approaches, you can catch him making a martini or two at home in London, where he plans to stay put and catch up on some R&R. “I like to be home for Christmas,” says Tucci. “I like to decorate the house with the kids. Christmas is all about kids, and to see my older kids get excited about Christmas again, now that they have younger siblings—that’s the greatest thing.”
Below, find Tucci’s steps to making the perfect martini, just in time for the holiday season.
A martini will taste different in different glasses—but don’t ask me why. I suppose it does a different thing to the flow of the aroma. The glass really depends on your mood: Sometimes you want a proper triangular glass, and other times you want a gorgeous Nick & Nora glass. Or a coupe. A coupe is really nice. You can then chill the glass. I don’t do that home, though—I don’t have room in my fridge.
You start with a soft half-ounce of dry vermouth in a cocktail shaker, and add ice. Stirring, not shaking them together. You can do it shaken, but you’re diluting it a lot, and you’re going to get those little shards of ice no matter what you’re straining it through. Then, dump out the vermouth and keep the ice—or, you can keep the vermouth. Add in your 1.5 to 2 ounces of gin. Stir it again, let it sit, then add it to the chilled glass.
Because there are so many citrus notes in the Tanqueray No. Ten gin, I add a grapefruit peel. It’s gorgeous, and not what you would normally think. You could also do a lemon twist or olives, too—it changes the taste distinctly. It depends on your tastes.
I’d serve a martini with substantial canapes, finger sandwiches, and stuff like that. Oysters are ideal. I had Oysters Rockefeller with a martini a couple of weeks ago, and that was really good.
You need music. Good music. I like jazz. I love Paolo Nutini. He’s a Scottish singer, and he’s extraordinary. And Diana Krall I listen to a lot.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(493x146:495x148)/stanley-tucci-debd6e73481e47269a96aa8c53741b3f.jpg)
Whether it’s the way his character Secondo makes an omelet for brother Primo in the last scene of Big Night, how he tackles family recipes and stories in The Tucci Cookbook, The Tucci Table and Taste, or eating through Italy on CNN, it’s clear Stanley Tucci has a passion for all things food and drink. But an early pandemic-era Instagram video of him making a Negroni pushed the award-winning actor to true culinary star status. Now Stanleys known as the Negroni guy, and we’re OK with that. Because if there’s anything the world needs right now its Stanley Tucci being Stanley Tucci elegantly making us a cocktail. While he stirs more than just Negronis at home—he loves a good martini, too, so much so he’s known for taking a travel martini set on filming locations—Stanley is a consummate host. So we asked him for a few entertainment tips for the holidays, from setting up a bar cart to mixing batches of the perfect Negroni for guests and what to serve with them.
I’d serve a martini with substantial canapes, finger sandwiches, and stuff like that. Oysters are ideal. I had Oysters Rockefeller with a martini a couple of weeks ago, and that was really good.
For Tucci, the martini is a favorite not because of its strong alcohol content, but instead due to the art involved in making it. “Part of it is the ceremony,” says Tucci. “You watch somebody make a martini properly, and it’s really beautiful. It’s ceremonial and elegant—it elevates a moment. Your whole day gets better. And it’s not the booze, a huge part of it is the gesture of it.” As the Christmas season approaches, you can catch him making a martini or two at home in London, where he plans to stay put and catch up on some R&R. “I like to be home for Christmas,” says Tucci. “I like to decorate the house with the kids. Christmas is all about kids, and to see my older kids get excited about Christmas again, now that they have younger siblings—that’s the greatest thing.”
Throughout two seasons of Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy on CNN, the actor has traveled across the country discovering the hidden culinary gems of its various cultures and regional cuisines. And while Tucci has long held a passion for food and drink that is perhaps only rivaled by his love for acting—he published two cookbooks in 2012 and 2014, and his memoir, released last year, was titled Taste: My Life Through Food—the experience of making the documentary series has only served to further deepen his fascination with the history and variety of Italian cooking. “It confirmed my belief that Italy’s regions are distinctly different,” says Tucci. “If you go to Sardinia then Piedmont and then Sicily, it’s almost as though you’re in different countries and eras. In the south, you’ll have African, Middle Eastern, and Greek influences, but in the north, you’ll have Germanic and French influences.”
Because there are so many citrus notes in the Tanqueray No. Ten gin, I add a grapefruit peel. It’s gorgeous, and not what you would normally think. You could also do a lemon twist or olives, too—it changes the taste distinctly. It depends on your tastes.
Ahead of the holiday season, then, Vogue thought it appropriate to ask Tucci some of his dos-and-don’ts for holiday hosting—more specifically, we wanted his take on how to make a classic cocktail. In 2020, you’ll remember he went viral for an Instagram video in which he made a Negroni. “Some people took umbrage that I made a Negroni up as opposed to on the rocks, but I thought it was nice,” Tucci says of his unorthodox approach. “That’s the way I like them: You’re not fighting through the ice, like a seal.” This holiday season, however, Tucci’s drink of choice is the martini; conveniently, he’s also now a brand partner for Tanqueray’s No. Ten gin. “They approached me, and how could I say no,” says Tucci.
Stanley Tucci shows how to make a perfect Negroni cocktail at home l GMA Digital
FAQ
What is Stanley Tucci’s cocktail?
How do you make Stanley Tucci Negroni?
Does Stanley Tucci make a martini?
Actor Stanley Tucci’s martini recipe can be made with vodka or gin (there’s a time and place for both) and has just a whisper of vermouth.
Which gin should a Tucci drink?
Rather than adding a splash of olive juice, Tucci prefers a twist of citrus. Lemon is classic but grapefruit is his preferred twist, playing on the citrusy, floral notes in the gin. With so few ingredients, he recommends splurging for the good stuff — meaning your favorites. If it’s gin, go for gin. If it’s vodka, more power to you.
What gin does Tom Tucci drink?
This holiday season, however, Tucci’s drink of choice is the martini; conveniently, he’s also now a brand partner for Tanqueray’s No. Ten gin. “They approached me, and how could I say no,” says Tucci. For Tucci, the martini is a favorite not because of its strong alcohol content, but instead due to the art involved in making it.
Is Tucci’s Twinkle a good drink?
We love Tucci’s take on the Twinkle — a drink that is “very refreshing, delicate, effervescent,” he says, playfully adding, “Gosh, it reminds me of myself.” Things get good around the halfway mark, when the bloopers begin after his first attempt at making the cocktail goes awry.