Dubonnet Cocktail Recipe

In a post about aperitif wines such as vermouth and quinquinas, I grumbled that the beauty of appetite-enhancing drinks is largely overlooked in the U.S. But while light, bitter aperitifs aren't quite in vogue in these parts, during the 20th century a somewhat more potent aperitif cocktail enjoyed a good degree of popularity.

Sometimes known as "the Zaza," the Dubonnet Cocktail dates to around 1914, when it appeared in a book called Drinks, by Jacques Straub. An incredibly easy-to-prepare mixture of dry gin and Dubonnet, a French quinquina, the Dubonnet Cocktail has a mild, palate-prompting bitterness and a satisfying complexity of flavor that makes it perfect as a pre-prandial drink, while still bearing enough alcoholic oomph to rub the edges off a long work week.