Emanuele mixes specialty cocktails at the Niji Cafe in Rome, Italy. The cafe has the feel of an old bookstore, mixed with an eclectic and fun hipster bar. There are paintings on the ceiling, old leather sofas around the perimeter of the rooms, and an amusing array of modern pop music in the air. When we met him on a Tuesday, we were the only customers in the cafe. He explained to us that during the week, they rarely have any customers, and that he spends the majority of his time “studying” different types of beverage ingredients, and experimenting with new drink concoctions. During our visit, he was in the process of infusing vodka with an array of different crushed spices. He was very intent on explaining to us that he doesn’t really have a job, because he loves what he does for a living. He has no desire to own his own bar one day, because he doesn’t care for all of the “problems” associated with that. His ideal job would be mixing drinks in an upscale hotel, where he could pour roughly a mere 10 specialty cocktails a night, but of the highest quality. If you’re ever in Rome, don’t pass up the opportunity to stop by the Niji Cafe and see Emanuele! His twist on the traditional Italian “Negrito” cocktail is a must-try!

Musically,

MV