
In today's SF Chronicle, Gary Regan
writes about the Hanky Panky cocktail, created by Ada Coleman, a legendary bartender from the Savoy.
The drink interests me because it contains Fernet-Branca, the incredibly bitter Italian amaro that all the bar/restaurant industry workers in San Francisco drink by the gallon both to cause and cure hangovers. I've really, really tried hard to like Fernet, and am afraid that I'll get kicked out of the city if I don't learn to love it.
So I whipped up this cocktail but was stuck on "two dashes" of Fernet the recipe calls for. Fernet is a bitter liqueur rather than an aromatic bitters, which means (technically) you can drink it on its own. So it doesn't come with the little dasher plug on it like your standard Angostura or Peychaud's bitters. So I used about 1/4 ounce of Fernet in the drink and now the drink tastes like Fernet. Not loving it. I'll use less next time.
I have had one Fernet cocktail that freaks me out how much I love it; served at
Beretta and I believe created by Thad Vogler. It's the Fiskadoro, made with Fernet, Grand Marnier, lemon juice, and Tia Maria. There is nothing in the ingredient list that screams "yummy" to me, but somehow the balance of the drink brings out the mint element of Fernet but not so much the dry bitter barky element. Lordy it's delicious.
Now I just made myself thirsty, and I already have a drink in front of me.
Labels: amaros, recipes
6 Comments:
Uh, yeah, about 2/3 of a teaspoon to a teaspoon would be plenty of Fernet for a Hanky Panky, especially if you aren't a Fernet fan.
Though, also be sure to pick a strong enough flavored gin that it can duke it out with that much sweet vermouth. Regular old Tanqueray or Junipero would be good choices.
But I want to like it, I really really want to! Thanks for the tips- I should have gone to the Savoy Savant (I just made that up) in the first place.
Would love to have a recipe for the Fiskadoro. I don't love Fernet Branca (or Campari), but really enjoy Kevin Kelpe's Penicillin, which tastes like an old fashioned crossed with a manhattan: fernet branca, simple syrup, bourbon ,and angostura bitters. His recipe is here: http://www.savethedrinkers.com/2008/05/penicillin.html
I would love to have the recipe too. I'll do my best to get one of the bartenders to spill the beans.
I've had a different cocktail called the Penicillin (that doesn't have the great backstory that Kevin's does), made with scotch:
http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=116949
and no Fernet.
Maybe see you at Beretta tonight?
If not, I'll ask about Fiskadoro. Grand Marnier, Fernet, Lemon, and Tia Maria has always seemed too unlikely for me to order. Doesn't even have any booze!
If I hit Beretta tonight, it will likely be very late, though I wouldn't mind being there right now.
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