""Warm, nasty, measured by the eye, in a Cognac glass"-so goes the cheeky, rhyming recipe for the Piedra , a Mexican cantina cocktail that's known as a hangover cure. Whoever invented the forceful blend of equal parts tequila, fernet and anis (aka anisette or anise liqueur) could clearly drink. Eschewing dilution and exactitude, the Piedra, or "rock," is an unflinching blow."
"The Piedra, whose inventor is lost to time, is of an era that believed in the illusory benefits of alcohol consumption. The tequila is there, to warm the heart. The anis, for health. The fernet, for digestion-it was the ultimate cure-all. And sipping one, sweet as it is, allows you to feel the full length of the esophagus, like warm gravel pouring down the throat."
The Piedra combines equal parts tequila, fernet and anis (anisette or anise liqueur) served in a Cognac glass and measured by eye. The drink is potent, undiluted and sweet, delivering a warm, gravel-like sensation down the esophagus. Piedras gained popularity in mid-19th-century Mexican cantinas, venues that shaped regional drinking customs and remain central to Mexico City social life. The cocktail reflects historical beliefs in alcohol's restorative properties: tequila to warm, anis for health, and fernet for digestion. Fernet-Vallet, a Mexican amaro-style spirit from the 1860s, contributes a pronounced cardamom note distinct from Fernet-Branca.
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