Fashionista--Aquavit, Creme de Cacao, Fernet

For this post, we venture into the "I can't believe you tried that category." You see, there is one liqueur that I generally dislike, and that is creme de cacao. Something about that liqueur just makes everything bad. A close second in aquavit. I can just never decide what to do with it so it tastes good. And then there is Fernet Branca, that crazy liqueur that I love and hate at the same time. A dash is amazing but more than that takes over everything. And yet I still enjoy its medicinal nature.

So I pulled out these three ingredients, and decided that I had to make a drink.To make the Fashionista, begin like an Old Fashioned. In a mixing glass, muddle

• 1 sugar cube
• 1 orange slice
• 1 maraschino cherry
• 1/2 oz creme de cacao

and then add

• 1 1/2 oz aquavit
• 1/4 oz Fernet Branca

Add ice, shake, and then double strain into a glass with ice and garnish with an orange peel.

The result is something beyond its parts. There is a hint of chocolate and a hint of mint, but the total is sweet and orangy, almost like a cross between an Andes mint and the orange chocolate candy out of the Whitman's Sampler. You know what I'm talking about. Don't pretend you don't. There is even the hint of herbal from the aquavit.

While it's not quite refreshing, it's still tasty. The creme de cacao makes it slightly more wintery to my palate, so it's not a refreshing summer drink. But for a cool evening, it's nice. And it gives me something to do with that aquavit and creme de cacao. Sheesh.