Ginjinha
Photo: Christine Zenino from Chicago, US · CC BY 2.0

History

Ginjinha was first commercialised in 1840 by Francisco Espinheira, a Galician who set up a small counter on Largo de Sao Domingos in Lisbon and infused sour ginja cherries in aguardente with sugar and cinnamon. The original A Ginjinha still operates from that same location, 1.50 euros a shot, with or without a cherry in the glass.

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Make it at home

Yield 1Hands-on 15 minTotal P30DDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 500g fresh ginja or morello cherries, stems off
  • 1L 60-proof aguardente (or vodka)
  • 300g caster sugar
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 strip lemon peel

Method

  1. Wash and dry the cherries. Prick each with a needle to release the juice.
  2. Combine cherries, sugar, cinnamon and lemon peel in a large jar.
  3. Pour over the aguardente, seal tight.
  4. Store in a cool dark place for 30 days, shaking gently every few days.
  5. Strain through muslin into a clean bottle. Keep the soaked cherries for adding to glasses.
  6. Serve at room temperature in small shot glasses, one cherry per glass optional.

Tip from the editors. Use morello cherries (sour) not sweet cherries. The traditional ginja is more sour than syrupy, and sweet cherries flatten the spirit.

Where to eat ginjinha

Ginjinha in Lisbon

A Ginjinha ★ 4.3

€€€ Cocktail barGinjinha hole in the wallBaixa

A Ginjinha in Lisbon's Baixa: a hole-in-the-wall on Largo de Sao Domingos, sour-cherry liqueur served standing for 1.50 euros, open since 1840.

DrinkGinjinha sour cherry liqueur, served standing

FoodNone

Directions

O Bom, O Mau e O Vilao ★ 4.4

€€€ Cocktail barCocktail and ginjinha barCais Do Sodre

O Bom, O Mau e O Vilao in Cais do Sodre, Lisbon: a velvet-armchair cocktail and ginjinha bar named for the spaghetti western, open late seven nights.

DrinkGinjinha or a Negroni in a 1960s spaghetti-western room

FoodSnacks

Directions

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