Okay, so there was that one incident involving too many shots, a nauseous sprint to the porch railing, and the next-door neighbor’s car. And, yes, the stuff does taste a little like a worn baseball glove (though kind of in a good way) and smell like something your doctor might force you to swallow. None of that is stopping the popularity of Fernet Branca from surging ever higher. The Italian bitters, made with dozens of herbs and spices including cardamom, aloe, saffron, and chamomile, has been the drink of choice among many local restaurant staff and insiders for some time. But as with all things cool, eventually the mainstream catches on. Eastern Standard (528 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.532.9100) reports going through a whopping 143 cases of Fernet last year.
