 Ginjinha or simply Ginja, is a liqueur
made by infusing ginja berries, (sour cherry) (Prunus cerasus austera, the Morello cherry) with
alcohol (aguardente) and sugar. Ginjinha is served as a shot with a a single cherry in the bottom of the cup. It is a
drink in Lisbon, Alcobaca, and Obidos, Portugal.The Ginjinha of the Praça de São Domingos
in Lisbon was the first
establishment to commercialize the drink. A friar of the Church of
Santo António, Francisco Espinheira, had experimented by leaving ginja berries in aguardente (the Portuguese
brandy), and adding sugar, water and cinnamon. The success was immediate
and Ginginha became the typical drink of Lisbon.  A Ginjinha do
Rossio is perhaps the most famous ginjinha establishment, where locals
queue up in a tiny bar carved into a wall just north of the Baixa
district in Lisbon. For €1, locals and tourists line up to sip this
sweet, sticky concoction. Older Portuguese men drink their shot in one
gulp, then suck on the cherry for awhile before spitting the pit into the street. While traveling to Lisbon to taste this
awesome liqueur may not be in your budget, there are several importers
where you may be able to find it. Try HGC Imports
Inc., (contact them and ask them where they distribute in your area -
they distribute in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, new Mexico,
Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.) There is also a very
good
chance The Spanish Table in Seattle, Santa Fe, Berkeley or Mill Valley,
CA may carry it. |
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