The Cure...

I'm sure I don't need to tell any of who live in Boise about our recent media event, but for the sake of any out-of-state readers, I'll give you a little background on the Penicillin...

Last Winter, a server of ours went to Nicaragua to surf and unwind for three months. After having returned and worked for three weeks, she fell terribly ill. Two days later, Central District Health called and informed me that she had hep A. To make a long story-- which I am still living-- very short, the media got a hold of it and made news of a fluke. The news media in Idaho can be likened to a flatulent old dog dressed in drag; bored and stinky with bad hair and makeup. Sooooo, with morale at an all-time low, the Penicillin is helping us have a some fun with our bad press. Its medicinal flavor is sure to scare the hysteria from any hypochondriac-- of which, we have learned, there are many in our little city. We're entering the Penicillin in the May Martini Mixoff, and its less-than-universal flavor profile leads me to believe it may win the competition the day that I'm seen wearing a pair of beige dockers... which, of course, is never.

Penicillin
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
1/4 oz Brown Sugar Cordial*
2 oz Bourbon (We use MM for the competition)
1 dash of Angostura Bitters
Stir gently and garnish with a smacked mint leaf.

*Make a very thick simple syrup out of brown sugar and add 1 ounce of Lemon Hart 151 for every cup of sugar used.

The Penicillin is bitter and aromatic with an almost syrupy finish. Placing the mint leaf on your palm and giving it a good smack before placing it on the drink's surface creates an herbal aroma that is surreal and compliments the flavor of the Fernet quite well. The smacked mint leaf is a favorite garnish of ours-- thanks, Audrey.

The flavor of bourbon breaks down rather quickly when poured over ice and stirred. If you're using room temperature bourbon, don't go nuts with the stirring. You want this drink to be strong and hot so you can skip the vaccination. If you have big ice, stir with that. It will chill the drink without watering it down too much.

Oh, and for those of you wondering... there has not been a single case of hep associated with Red Feather. It's amazing what a small town will do on a slow news day...