Bitter Handshake
One of the amusing parts of the cocktail adventure I’ve been on since March is that it’s been mostly for my own enjoyment. I’ve had a few socially distanced cocktail hours but for the most part, I’m in the company of myself! Literal spiritual meditation! The past six months have been hard. I’m an extrovert by nature but also a rule follower. These qualities have been in conflict as the months have dragged on. I’d love to be gathering with all of my friends and say “screw Covid!” Yet the other part of me says, “listen to experts and do your part to prevent the spread.” Anyhow, we find ways to cope and making myself a lovely beverage at the end of the day is helpful.
Many years ago, I bought Brad Thomas Parsons’ book, Bitters, a Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, at the recommendation of a friend. As a gardener, I’ve always been fascinated by bitters and how plants are used medicinally and in cocktails. The book has so many recipes and for years I’ve wanted to make the drinks but never had any of the ingredients. Since March, I’ve been slowly adding to my bar and my collection of bitters. I keep a list of interesting beverages to make and what citrus or seasonal ingredient they need. The other day, I spied a display of blood oranges on sale at the market and remembered that there was a cocktail in Parsons’ book that called for them. Yesterday morning, I opened the book and prepared the syrups I needed for my evening beverage. As a side note, this act alone generates an energy that so many of us need right now. There is so much going on in life that can drag us down. It’s important to make an effort to raise your spirits- it’s not only a gift to yourself but a gift to anyone who spends time with you. I have a few things in my self-love toolbox, but sitting down with my cocktail books is one of my favorites. So while making a blood orange reduction and a whiskey syrup might sound like work, it made me happy to be doing something for no other reason than I wanted to make The Bitter Handshake.
The Bitter Handshake is a cocktail created by Andrew Bohrer of Seattle. He was experimenting with Fernet Branca and one of the chefs at the restaurant he was working in gave him some blood orange reduction juice. He created a spin on the old-fashioned by combining those two ingredients with a rye whiskey syrup. It’s a very curious drink. Fernet has a minty flavor combined with other herbal notes. The blood orange juice is both bitter and sweet. Instead of making a simple syrup, he actually combined equal parts sugar and rye as its own syrup. It all strangely works even though you’re constantly asking yourself, “is this good?” It’s a funky drink but I enjoyed it. Now that I’ve got a little leftover Rye syrup, I’m looking forward to playing with that over the next couple of weeks. I hope you are doing something to care for yourselves. Maybe you’ll make this drink or maybe not, but I hope it inspires you to try something else you’ve been curious about for no other reason than you want to. Cheers!
The Bitter Handshake
Ingredients:
1 ounce Fernet Branca
1 ounce Blood Orange Reduction (recipe below)
1 ounce Rye Whiskey Syrup (recipe below)
Peel of blood orange, as garnish
Method:
Combine all ingredients except for the garnish in a mixing glass filled with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into an old fashioned glass with one large ice cube or sphere. Garnish by placing the orange peel over the ice.
Blood Orange Reduction:
In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice to a boil over medium heat and reduce by a third. Remove from heat and let cool.
Rye Whiskey Syrup:
In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of rye, and slowly bring to a simmer while stirring to dissolve the sugar. As soon as the mixture starts to boil, remove from heat. Let cool completely. This syrup can keep refrigerated for several months.
