Cheerful Cynar: Cocktail Recipes
Cyanara Sucker at Pedalers Fork in Calabasas
Cynar (pronounced "CHEE-nar") is an Italian bittersweet liqueur, or amaro, made from many different plants but is made mostly from artichokes! Sure, you could try your hand at making your own artichoke liqueur at home, but the existing concoction is pretty near perfection if you ask us. Grab a bottle and shake (or stir) these up tonight!
MERO MERO
makes one cocktail
Jason Eisner, beverage director at plant-based favorite Gracias Madre (graciasmadreweho.com) in West Hollywood, makes his own artichoke liqueur and cherry liqueur for this cocktail, but both can easily be substituted with popular store-bought varieties.
INGREDIENTS
1 oz Mezcal Espadin
1/2 oz Tequila Reposado
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Luxardo Cherry Liqueur
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
2 dashes orange bitters
orange peel, for garnish
METHOD
1Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, add ice, and stir very well.
2Strain into a single rocks glass over one large rock of ice.
3To garnish, cut a swath of orange peel and twist to express the orange oil over the top of the cocktail.
THE NIGHT MANAGER
makes one cocktail
Laurel Hardware (laurelhardware.com) recently opened a new Mezcal Bar within their existing West Hollywood location and bartender Dustin Shaw's bittersweet mezcal concoction sure hits the spot after a long day!
INGREDIENTS
1 oz Los Nahuales reposado mezcal
1 oz Four Roses Small-Batch bourbon
1/2 oz Modern Times Black House Blend cold brew coffee
1/2 oz Fernet-Branca
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz agave nectar
1/4 oz St George absinthe
3 drops Cocktailpunk Alpino bitters
fresh lemon peel, for garnish
sprig of fresh thyme, for garnish
METHOD
1Add all ingredients to an ice-filled mixing glass, stir well, and fine strain into a Nick & Nora glass.
2Twist lemon peel over the top of the cocktail, then garnish with burnt thyme and lemon peel.
CYANARA SUCKER
makes one cocktail
Eliza Till, bar manager and mixologist at Pedalers Fork (pedalersfork.com) in Calabasas, crafted this simple and dangerously refreshing cocktail, perfect for springtime sipping on their patio!
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2oz Barr Hill gin
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Aperol
lemon wheel, for garnish
sprig of fresh thyme, for garnish
METHOD
1Add all ingredients to a highball glass, fill with ice, and top with a splash of soda water.
2Garnish with a lemon wheel and thyme sprig.
CARCIOFO SPRITZ
makes one cocktail
A play on the traditional spritz, but just slightly more bitter. A great, easy cocktail for entertaining and a great way to use up a bottle of Cynar sitting around the house.
INGREDIENTS
1 oz Cynar
4 oz Prosecco or sparkling wine
1 oz soda water
orange wheel
METHOD
1Pour Cynar into a wine glass, then fill with ice. Add sparkling wine, stir well, then top with sparkling water and drop the orange wheel right into the glass.