November 9th, 2009
The net net on Fernet Night
Bankers, you know what I’m talking about: the bottom line is that Fernet Night at the Franklin Southie last Thursday was a good time. As I made my way through the crowd handing out Fernet Branca swag — shirts, aprons, posters — I clinked glasses with a mix of old acquaintances and drinkbostonians I’d never met before, sprinkled with a few bar industry folk. Joy Richard and Peter Cipriani kept the six Fernet cocktails on the evening’s menu coming, along with shots in iced ponies that Joy spent days painstakingly freezing.
This was the first of several upcoming “industry” nights at the Franklin Southie. Generally, the second Thursday of every month will feature drinks with a certain ingredient. Coming up — St. Germain and Chartreuse. See the Franklin’s calendar or connect with them on Facebook for updates.
You asked for recipes? You got ’em.
Work in Progress
Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli – Craigie on Main
3/4 oz Fernet Branca
1 oz Bols Genever
1 oz St. Germain
3 dashes orange bitters
Stir over ice, serve down, flamed orange peel.
Bonita Applebum
Emma Hollander – Trina’s Starlite Lounge
1 oz Applejack
3/4 oz Fernet Branca
3/4 oz Drambuie
Stir over ice, serve down, orange peel.
Jackson’s Night Cap
Jackson Cannon – Eastern Standard
1 oz Rittenhouse Rye
1 oz yellow Chartreuse
1 oz Fernet Branca
Dash of chocolate mole bitters if you have them; whiskey barrel-aged work as well.
Stir over ice, strain into a chilled glass, garnish with lemon twist.
Casey Brown
Josey Packard – Drink
1 1/2 oz Sazerac Rye
1 oz green Chartreuse
1/2 oz Fernet Branca
Dash Angostura bitters
Stir over ice and strain into a chilled glass with a lemon twist.
Improved Toxic Moxie
Joy Richard – The Franklin
1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse Rye
3/4 oz Fernet Branca
3 dashes whiskey barrel-aged bitters
Build in a highball glass, fill with ice. Top with Moxie. Garnish with an orange peel.
Villa de Verano
Misty Kalkofen – Drink
2 1/4 oz El Tesoro Platinum tequila
3/4 oz Jarabe de Cacao Ahumado*
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
Stir over ice, serve straight up. Garnish with grated coffee bean.
*Jarabe de Cacao Ahumado
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 cinnamon sticks
1/4 cup cocoa nibs
1/4 tsp Mexican smoked salt
Make a “tea” with the water, cinnamon, cocoa nibs and salt by bringing to a simmer over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Allow to cool and strain.
Permalink | Filed under Bitters, Cocktails | Tags: Fernet Branca, Franklin Southie
November 10th, 2009 at 12:15 am
There’s a drink nearly identical to Jackson’s Night Cap (sub in orange for the bitters, ditto the twist) that once upon a time was called the Goodnight, Chris. Great drink. I look forward to trying Jackson’s version with my newly acquired mole bitters.
http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?/topic/50905-fernet-branca-branca-menta-recipes/page__view__findpost__p__1597570
November 11th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Man, am I pissed I missed this.
I’ve looked around for quality Fernet swag before.
Any idea where to score a shirt?
November 11th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Sorry you missed it, too, Nick! Your best bet is to ask Joy Richard at the Franklin if she can give you contact info for the company that provided the swag. Good luck.
November 12th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Tried Tom S-G’s Work in Progress last night — love the way the Fernet cut the sweetness of the St Germain — really drew out the steely mint flavor of the FB Tonight the Bonita Applebum 🙂
November 13th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
So great to see people excited about Fernet! Such a good addition to cocktails, and a tasty beverage in its own right. And I’m glad to see Misty is still mixing up some mean tequila cocktails.
November 16th, 2009 at 12:40 am
Excuse the stupid question, but what does “serve down” mean, and how does this differ from “serve straight up”?
Love your blog, and I’m glad that you had a good time at the Zig Zag here in Seattle. Murray’s the best.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Not stupid at all. Down means served in rocks glass rather than a martini glass.
November 17th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
It’s too bad the Boston Globe wasn’t in on the Fernet night action. They appear under the impression that all the Fernet that’s fit to drink exists in San Francisco. To wit:
“Ask for Fernet at most bars in New York, Chicago, or Boston, and be prepared for blank stares. But in the 49 square miles of San Francisco, where over 50 percent of the country’s Fernet consumption occurs, ordering the drink gives one automatic insider status.”[*]
On the other hand, I wouldn’t want anyone from the Globe at my parties either.
[*] http://www.boston.com/travel/getaways/us/articles/2009/11/15/no_matter_the_neighborhood_pour_the_fernet?mode=PF
December 23rd, 2010 at 2:02 pm
[…] Fernet Branca has traditionally (and mysteriously) been the fetish of the San Francisco set. But sales jumped 50 percent in New York during 2009, and there’s been a similar bump in Boston. […]