Quick one here and I will start with a story to demonstrate what a dumb ass I used to be. Please note, I am still a dumb ass, just less of a dumb ass than before…Anyway, I worked at this truly terrible place in Dorchester once upon a time. A sloooooooooow Italian joint. I was the GM, also depressed, going through a break up, yeesh, totally aimless, a bit out of shape even more so than now. A bunch of great qualities all rolled into one…Also…I hated Cynar! I know, I know, what a jackass! In my defense, I mostly drank beer in those days, cans of Naraganssett (RI!) and a 40 of Colt 45 at gatherings. Yeah, there is nothing more classy than showing up at a BBQ with a 40 in a brown paper bag…Young ones, take note…

…The chef at the place did an artichoke dinner event thingy and used Cynar for the dessert…One of those ice scraper things. Damn, can’t think of the name. You know what I’m talking about. The frozen thing where you rake sugary ice with a fork and everyone tells you they like it but meh. Granita, granita! That’s it! (Don’t get it twisted, I had to google “Italian dessert fork scrape”)

There was this old, dusty bottle of Cynar behind the bar and we all tasted it and I wanted to gag. Now, I had been aware of Fernet Branca for some time due to Fergus Henderson having it in the back of his book Nose to Tail Eating and although was less fond of it than Scotch, still tolerated it, especially in Boston where many places had it on draft. Not sure if that is still a thing, but anyway, yeah, not so much the Cynar which is a cross between battery acid and vegetal sadness but you eventually get used to it, grow to enjoy it, even crave it and then you find out about Cynar 70 and the whole world opens up. It’s just soooooo fucking good, man. The 70 version was Cynar’s answer to Fernet Branca as the rumor mill swirls. Anyway, 70 never took off but it works quite swell in cocktails unlike Fernet which just ruins everything.

I built up one of these puppies the other day to see if it still kicks ass…Survey says? Yes. It’s chocolatey, boozy, bitter, and best of all–easy to construct.

Okie Dokie Artichokie

1 oz. Bonded Rye

1 oz. Cynar

1 oz. Cynar 70

2 Dashes Orange Bitters

Stir, small coupe, express orange peel.

Also goes smashingly with gin. Smashingly. Gynar. You’re welcome.

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