Flash in the Pan

Jason Wilson's Spirits column in the Washington Post discusses Cynar (pronounced CHEE-nar), an Italian drink made of artichokes. The author waxes about the liquid:

I won't lie. Cynar -- like anchovies and modern jazz -- takes a bit of effort, at first, to love. But I implore you: Make the effort.

I'll offer different advice: don't bother. I sampled this drink a few years ago from a sample a PR person sent me for a newspaper column version of this column I used to write. I'm game to try almost anything, but found this drink entirely unappetizing. Although not of the same flavor, to me it had the same effect as tossing back some milk that has gone bad. One sip is enough. Just in case I was off, I asked my wife, whose taste buds are far more acute than mine, to try it. She had the same reaction, though maybe a touch faster. The article then goes on about combining Cynar with other ingredients as part of a mixed drink and how people like the results, which only goes to show that if you concentrate enough alcohol in a glass, it's surprising what you can get away with.