Getting back from vacation is rough, isn’t it? We spent last week in California exploring Sonoma, Yosemite, and Highway 1. It’s an amazing road trip. Especially if you stock up on great bottles of wine to drink while you’re gazing at those beautiful views. Now that we’re home, I guess the view from our balcony will have to do. Maybe with a cocktail.
Since I bought my bottle of Amaro Averna, I’ve been looking for recipes to use it in. I love ginger, so the Witty Comeback immediately caught my eye. A cocktail with just rye, lemon juice, and ginger simple syrup would probably still be really delicious, but the Averna makes this one particularly special. It adds a lovely spice and bitterness, perfectly rounding out the recipe. The flavor is sweet and tart, with a subtle bite.
So far it seems like the Averna works well with whiskey, but I’m looking forward to experimenting with some other spirits. If you’ve got any Averna recipes, let me know!
History: The Witty Comeback was created by New York Times editor Dan Saltzstein. He wrote a great piece about its conception and perfecting it with Jim Meehan at PDT.
Witty Comeback
2 oz. rye
1/2 oz. Amaro Averna
1/2 oz. lemon juice
1/2 oz. ginger syrup*
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake until well chilled. Strain into a coupe glass.
*For ginger syrup, combine 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 water, and 1/4 cup chopped, peeled ginger in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain and let cool completely before using.
Recipe from Bon Appetit.