What’s Up, Doc
Originally created by lead bartender Eduardo “Eddy” Rocha for SaltRock Southwest Kitchen Amara Resort and Spa in Sedona, Arizona, this bright, fresh bourbon cocktail incorporates freshly-juiced carrot and ginger with bitter, herbal Fernet-Branca, fresh lemon, and an aromatic herb garnish. While Rocha gravitates to the Robot Coupe juicer for his juicing endeavors, you can certainly use a more economical version at home—whatever gets the job done. In a pinch, if you can find fresh carrot juice and fresh ginger juice at your local grocery store, that works too. “Nature has made a perfect cocktail in most fruits [and vegetables], so you only need to extract that essence and allow the drink to balance itself,” he says. “For example, a shot of bourbon and a freshly juiced apple is a favorite of mine—so simple yet so complete.” The taste of a cocktail made with freshly-juiced produce (versus pre-made) generally tastes brighter and more vibrant, and is far more expressive and true to form than any bottled juice, the main differences being in the absence of stabilizers, oxidation and the presence of packaging. This goes for some of the most common juices used in cocktails, i.e. lemon and lime juice—fresh is always best as nothing else really compares. Once you've mastered the What's Up, Doc, you can put your juicer to use for a number of other cocktails, like the Cucumber Cleanse or the Beet Rose, or you can experiment with your own recipes. Until then, raise a glass to your new favorite Vitamin D supplement. This recipe originally appeared as part of “Cheat a Little During Dry January with These 3 Pressed Juice Cocktails.”

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 ounces bourbon
  • 1/4 ounce Fernet-Branca
  • 1 1/4 ounces fresh carrot-ginger juice*
  • 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
  • Garnish: rosemary or thyme sprig

Directions

  1. Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
  2. Double-strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
  3. Garnish with rosemary or thyme sprig.