Cyn-Cyn

Recipe from Elizabeth Minchilli

Adapted by Rosie Schaap

Cyn-Cyn
Gentl and Hyers for The New York Times. Food stylist: Hadas Smirnoff. Prop stylist: Rebecca Bartoshesky.
Rating
4(210)
Comments
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I’ll admit it: I have a mild case of Negroni fatigue. It’s a good drink, for sure — and when it’s beautifully made, I readily succumb to its charms — but its ubiquity in recent years has become a tiny bit tiresome. So I welcome its rarer, lighter cocktail cousin, the Cyn Cyn, in which Cynar — the wonderful, mysterious, arguably underappreciated amaro made with artichoke — replaces Campari. It’s a favorite aperitivo of the author Elizabeth Minchilli, whose elegant, straightforward recipe this is. —Rosie Schaap

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Ingredients

  • 1oz. Cynar
  • 1oz. gin
  • 1oz. red vermouth
  • Meyer lemon (if possible — if not, regular lemon will suffice)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pour liquids into a rocks glass, and add a squeeze of Meyer lemon. Add as much ice as will fit. Optional garnish: a twist of lemon peel.

Ratings

4 out of 5
210 user ratings
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Comments

Sarah

My husband has perfected the negroni so we make them often, and as the writer suggests, this was a very nice yet similar departure. Though not as pretty (more brown than red), it is in fact lighter, a tad bit less bitter, and smooth. Very enjoyable.

KU

“Cynar” is pronounced CHEE-nar. I think the NYT wants “Cyn-Cyn” said like “chin chin”—which people (especially Italians) say when raising their beverages and tapping the glassware together—rather than “cheen cheen.”

JN

Nice drink. On the second round, I amped up the gin to 1.5oz, dialed back the Cynar to .75, and the sweet vermouth to .50. I prefer the more gin forward taste, with Cynar in the background! Cheers!

Jim W

I"ve been drinking Cynar on ice with a splash of soda for years as a digestivo, and Negronis as a pre-dinner cocktail, so this was immediately appealing. Added a modest squeeze of fresh lemon juice and was very pleased with the result -- will definitely put this in regular rotation. Seems like a good candidate to introduce friends to the various amari where even a Negroni would be too bitter.

CKE

Was looking for a Negroni alternative and was into the cynar twist. Upped the gin to 1.5 oz. Cheers

Sonia

This drink is lovely. I was out of lemons and oranges so added just a splash of oj. Lovely although it made the brown drink a tad cloudy. Still delish and lighter than the already light Negroni

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Credits

Adapted from Elizabeth Minchilli

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