Cynar – Acquire the Taste
The Cyn-Cin AKA the Cin-Cyn
Who said artichoke season was over? Well who ever it was doesn’t know about Cynar (chee-NAHR.) Yes, it’s back to bitters with Adri. As much as I enjoy a sweet fruity little something, amaro centric drinks or an amaro consumed neat are satisfying, and so complex, they are on my Desert Island List.
The holidays are here, and with all the feasting, you’ll be looking for something to relieve that feeling of having overdone it at the table. The answer – Italy’s amari. The deal with amari however, is it often takes some coaxing to induce people to give them a go. Cynar, in spite of having probably the coolest label ever, was particularly rough. I mean who wants to dive into a 33 proof something made of artichokes?
The first thing I heard was “May have choked Artie, but it ain’t gonna choke me.” Everyone’s a comedian, I thought. I had to remind my guests how much they enjoyed the amari I have served over the last year. “And this is artichokes plus 12 other herbals and botanicals.” I said. “It will help your digestion.” And then I added, “It was invented in 1952 – the same year I was born.” That last bit may have taken it too far, but once the tasting began, I heard things like tobacco, herbal, green and woody, bittersweet and finally, “I like it.” Mission accomplished.
In the ongoing spirit of my articles on starts and finishes for the holidays, Cynar is also a great aperitivo, and at 33 proof, a good deal lower in alcohol than many other amari – l’amaro vero ma leggero – an authentic amaro, but light, just like the company’s ad says. Drink it neat, straight up or over ice with soda or tonic and a bit of orange or in cocktails such as Art of the Choke, Choke Your Mother, Little Italy or my favorite, Cyn-Cin (alternate spelling Cin-Cyn), a contemporary take on Italy’s famous Negroni. I think of it as Son of Negroni.
This drink is often served on the rocks in an Old fashioned (rocks) glass, but try this elegant version from Jason Wilson’s treasure of a book, Boozehound. And do search out the Hendrick’s gin – gentler than many, its vegetal and floral notes marry beautifully with the herbal notes of the Cynar.
Cyn-Cin
serves 1
1 ounce Hendrick’s gin
1 ounce sweet vermouth
1 ounce Cynar
1 dash orange bitters
2 orange wedges, sliced ½ inch thick
Fill a shaker half way with ice. Add gin, vermouth, Cynar and bitters, along with a squeeze of juice from one of the orange wedges. Shake well, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the remaining orange wedge.
from:
Boozehound
by Jason Wilson
Hardcover: 240 pages
Ten Speed Press (September 21, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1580082882
ISBN-13: 978-1580082884
recipe reprinted with permission of Ten Speed Press
For another take on the Cyn-Cin see Elizabeth Minchilli’s recent post.
And I can never resist Italian commercials. Check out this Cynar spot on YouTube. It is just one in a brilliant series. They are all available for viewing at the Cynar website. Grab a bottle of Cynar, and prepare to be amused.
CYN! CYN! AR! AR!
As always, bevi responsabilmente!
Food nerd notes:
Cynarin, the artichoke component of Cynar is a phytonutrient that actually inhibits the sweet receptors on your tongue. Cleanse your tongue of cynarin by eating or drinking something else, and suddenly your brain gets sweet messages again. That’s why things you eat after artichokes taste so sweet. This effect – of the removal of a stimulus triggering taste – is called water tastes.
Last, but surely not least, cynarin also stimulates the production and secretion of bile. Cynar is good for your digestion!
Note: You can click on any picture for a larger image, and to see a slide show!
I have no affiliation with any product, manufacturer, or site mentioned in this article.
Thursday, November 29th 2012 at 5:12 am |
I love Cynar! Glad you’re blogging about it— it deserves to be better known. And thanks about the tip on Hendrick’s, that’s a new one for me.
Thursday, November 29th 2012 at 7:02 am |
Hi Frank,
I love Cynar – and it is good to know you too are a Cynarophile (I just made that up.) Softer than Campari, yet just as refreshing, it deserves more acclaim. And thanks to today’s busy mixologists, that seems to be happening. The Hendrick’s is really interesting. Softer than many other brands and with notes of cucumber and rose, it is my kind of gin.
Thursday, November 29th 2012 at 8:24 am |
Adri, the best article I have ever read about Cynar. I love your historical and nutritional notes. The cocktail you suggest sounds delicious!Paola
Thursday, November 29th 2012 at 8:46 am |
Thank you, Paola for your kind words, and most especially for your translation assistance!
I think we ought to all set a date and time this holiday season, and although we will not be in the same room, we can raise a collective glass in celebration.
Thursday, November 29th 2012 at 8:34 am |
Thanks for the shout out! And , of course, cheers!
Thursday, November 29th 2012 at 8:47 am |
You are most welcome. Yes, cheers!
Thursday, November 29th 2012 at 10:10 am |
I want one of those right now!
Thursday, November 29th 2012 at 10:50 am |
Cheers!
Thursday, November 29th 2012 at 11:56 am |
Adri – You are quite the font of information – not just about Cynar, but everything you post. I always learn a lot from you. But I have to admit, I’m wimpy when it comes to bitters. I am just getting used to Aperol, so Cynar is a “big girl” drink I’ll hopefully grow to love.
Thursday, November 29th 2012 at 5:30 pm |
Hi Linda,
Oh, I just enjoy learning and telling people about things I like. Bart is the same way. Our friends call us “infomaniacs” – we have a file on everything.
And about the bitters – I hear you. It takes time to really develop a taste for them, but since you are enjoying Aperol, it will just be a matter of time until you move on to others. A very popular one is Amaro Montenegro. It is actually a bit sweet, and is great with orange juice or ginger ale.
Merry Christmas!
Friday, November 30th 2012 at 2:57 pm |
The timing on this is so bizarre. I just signed the deal on cookbook #2. Savory Cocktails! So I have been tasting cynar in a couple of different ways this week. Now So I have it in the house. Now I’ll try this one! GREG
Friday, November 30th 2012 at 4:15 pm |
Congratulazioni on the book deal! What positively wonderful news! My, but I envy you the recipe testing. It promises to be extraordinarily enjoyable. And no kidding about the weird timing – so were we separated at birth? I LOVE savory cocktails, and amari are perfect for them. Each year more and more brands are being imported to the U.S, which is very good news for those of us who partake of the bitters. Thanks for sharing your great news. Much success and cheers!
Saturday, December 1st 2012 at 10:10 pm |
grazie per le preziose informazioni Adri,non le conoscevo! Buona domenica…Ti ho scritto un messaggio privato su FB…
Sunday, December 2nd 2012 at 7:45 am |
E grazie a te!
Tuesday, December 4th 2012 at 10:52 pm |
Interessante e gradevole! Ahh che fascino questi spot, vero? E che informazioni curiose. Grazie, ti saluto anche qui! 🙂
Wednesday, December 5th 2012 at 7:03 pm |
Grazie Ely,
I love the Cynar spots!
Thursday, December 6th 2012 at 12:23 am |
Ciao, vengo dal blog di Chiara….piacere di conoscerti e complimenti per il blog così ricco di idee e informazioni interessanti!!!
Alla prossima
Thursday, December 6th 2012 at 7:46 am |
Ciao Laura,
E piacere di conoscerti- Grazie!