Milan has always been a bridge balancing tradition and modernity. Its greatest symbol is the cathedral, the Duomo di Milano. When construction started in 1386, it became a place where dust and devotion met innovation, vision, and timeless beauty, attracting 300 skilled artisans and laborers from across Europe. Marble blocks were cut in the Candoglia quarry and shipped by boat to the Laghetto wet dock, close to the cathedral. In this area, the “tencitt,” the coal-stained workers, were confined, together with the stonemasons. When the Great Plague struck Milan in 1629 and spared their lives, the Milanese believed them to be sorcerers. A superstition that concealed the fact that coal, with its antibacterial properties, truly protected them.

Another element of Milan’s history is spices. The city was a crossroads of merchants and flavors, making saffron an essential part of its cuisine, tinting the iconic Risotto alla Milanese with gold.

When American actor Stanley Tucci arrived in Milan, for his CNN food show Searching for Italy, he was looking for a cocktail that told the story of the city. To create a new cocktail for the Martini-loving Tucci, he picked one of the most sought-after mixologists in Milan, Maurizio Maramaldi, known as Morris Maramaldi or simply Morris Mau. Thus, the Black Saffron Martini was born, a meeting of past and present. Coal dust became flavor through coal-infused gin, adding anti-microbal agents to the drink as an homage to the “tencitt.” Modernity was expressed through saffron-infused vermouth and a spray of cardamom, “an ancient spice with a contemporary soul.”

Maramaldi sculpted a sensory experience capable of narrating the history of Milan in a single sip. The Black Saffron Martini became an instant success and this is, to my knowledge, the first time it is immortalized in a cocktail book.

The Alchemica Martini Glass is a piece from the Alchemica Collection (2018), an ironic reinterpretation of chemical laboratory glassware.

Product information

This is one in a series of illustrations of classic cocktail recipes with a selection of the most beautifully designed glasses.

The size 40x50 cm (approx 16x20”) are signed and printed on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Bright White 310g archival paper and are sold in a limited edition of 50 prints.

The size 30x40 cm (approx 12x16”) are printed on Hahnemühle Fine Art Studio Enhanced 210g archival paper.