No matter the neighborhood, pour the Fernet

November 15, 2009|Russ Juskalian, Globe Correspondent

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R-Bar was packed with 20- to 30-somethings of a professional tilt, a noticeable number of whom I overheard asking for Fernet with a ginger back: a shot of Fernet chased by a shot of ginger ale, the most popular way the stuff is consumed in the city. I tried a Fernet and Coca-Cola on the rocks, a more refreshing, and less cloying, cousin of rum and Coke. On the way out, I counted roughly 40 bottles of Fernet lining a small ledge over the entrance - just a fraction of what R-Bar goes through each month in pouring nearly a quarter of San Francisco’s Fernet.

Before leaving the city, there were two things left to do. The first was to try one of the few Fernet cocktails actually listed on a menu, the “606,’’ at the popular restaurant Nopa. It was a perfectly balanced combination of Bols Genever, Fernet Branca, and Dolin Sweet Vermouth.

The second was a deviation from the trendy milieu of the food and drink industry; I wanted to see how my great-uncle and -aunt, who are both in their 80s, worldly, and live across the bay on the Berkeley-Oakland line, would react to Fernet. Here, at last, I would get a more neutral reading of this storied drink.

After gorging myself on one of my great-aunt’s mouthwatering meals - the better to test Fernet’s purported virtue as a digestif - and commencing a long game of Scrabble, I broke out the bottle. My great-aunt took a nip and gave an ambiguous poker face I interpreted as politeness. My great-uncle, who likewise appeared less than enthusiastic, noted with a slight frown: “Well, it’s interesting.’’

It struck me that perhaps Fernet was destined to remain a niche drink in San Francisco’s bar scene. But as we battled on in Scrabble, I noticed my great-aunt continuing to sip the Fernet with what eventually became an expression of relish. As she reached the bottom of the small tasting glass, a mischievous smile crept across her face - and she asked me to pour her just a little more.

Russ Juskalian can be reached at rjuskalian@gmail.com.