crown of thorns

Rye
Cynar
Lemon Juice
(Simple Syrup?)
Smoking Ban Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Last Thursday, I had a hankering for Rendezvous' Bolito Miso, a hearty vegetable stew on top of a mound of polenta, so Andrea and I made the trip over there. For my before dinner drink, Scott Holliday wanted me to try out one of his creations in the works (hence no proportions in the recipe above). He had named the drink the Crown of Thorns in part for the holiday approaching and for its use of the artichoke liqueur Cynar.

The bitters provided hints of vanilla on the nose, as well as allspice and clove flavors which worked rather well with and intensified parts of the Cynar. The drink had a nice sharpness to it from the rye and lemon juice so the thorns of the drink were not just in the artichoke spines. Overall, the drink made for a good aperitif that also worked well with the food once it arrived.