The last weeks and months were not really easy for me, which is also reflected in the frequency of published articles here. Sometimes there are simply occurrences in life when a few things change and smaller upheavals sometimes grow into bigger changes than one originally assumed. But I don’t want to be too abstract here, because there is no general reason to worry. However, at the moment I’m forced to put the blog activity on the back burner and accordingly I can’t offer the frequency of publications I’m used to during the last years. But that should not stop me today from introducing a very fantastic drink here.
This drink is nothing more and nothing less than my highlight of the year 2023, and I write this in February of the year. Sure, that’s a bold statement, because of course I don’t know what’s to come, but I’ve fallen in love with this drink so much that I’m daring to make this statement.
The Perfecto Fernet Cola was introduced by Imbibe magazine back in 2020 and is the creatrion of Pablo Pignatta from Aldo’s in Buenos Aires. That a drink of this name comes from the Argentine capital is not really surprising, after all, the Fernet Cola is something like the national long drink of Argentina. Per capita consumption of Fernet Branca in Argentina is the highest in the world, and that’s also where the only production facility outside of Italy is located.
However, I myself learned about the drink on social media through Christian (the operator of the Instagram page Homebartenders). It takes a little effort up front, but is worth all that! Fresh, spicy, earthy, bitter, minty, and sparkling, it’s perfect for summer and winter, and just completely fantastic. I would serve it even to people who tend to be afraid of bitter spirits, as its flavor comes across as wonderfully balanced.
Recipe “Perfecto Fernet Cola” (from Pablo Pignatta, Buenos Aires):
6 cl Fernet Branca infused with cocoa nibs (see below)
1 slice of ginger
1 slice of cucumber
6 mint leaves
approx. 12 cl cola
Fernet Branca infused with cocoa nibs: Simply add about 30g of cocoa nibs to a bottle of Fernet Branca and let it infuse for at least 48 hours. Then strain through a filter cloth or coffee filter. (The original recipe specifies a 2-hour sous-vide bath at 60 degrees, but if you don’t have a chamber vacuumizer, you’ll have trouble doing this).
Preparation: muddle all ingredients except cola in a shaker with a bar pestle (add mint a little later and don’t shred it), then shake on ice and double strain into glass filled with fresh ice. Top with cola and garnish.
Glass: red wine / Copa Balon
Garnish: fresh mint sprig