Sometimes you just have to let loose if you’ve had a tough week and let’s just say this has been a doozy for me. I thought I would share a family secret drink recipe, just in case yours has been the same. You ready? 21+ only please.
What Is A Hanky Panky?
I first learned about the Hanky Panky when I was a bartender way back in college. A lady asked me to make one for her and I laughed thinking it was a joke. It’s really simple if you have the right ingredients. It is similar to a martini but with a special kick, let me explain.
Who Created The Hanky Panky?
The drink was created around 1841 by legendary bartender “Ada ‘Coley’ Coleman, the first female head bartender at the Savoy” according to spiritsbeacon.com. the story goes that she had a customer that kept asking for something with a kick to it. So tried multiple things until he tried this drink and yelled out “By Jove! That is the real hanky-panky!”
How Do You Make A Hanky Panky?
The drink is very simple if you have the right ingredients. You need your favorite gin (like Tanqueray), sweet vermouth, fernet-branca, and possible an orange. The Fernet-Branca is what most people do not have in their home bars. You can get a decent brand for around $20. It tastes bitter, sweet, herbacious and spicy all at once, so use it sparingly.
- 1 shot of Gin
- 1 shot of Sweet Vermouth
- 5 ml of Fernet-Branca
- 1 Orange
In a mixer, put 1 shot of gin with 1 shot of sweet vermouth and 5 ml of Fernet-Branca and add ice. Stir and strain into a martini glass or coupe. You can also add a splash of orange juice and an orange peel, but that was added to the recipe recently. The original recipe does not have orange.
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