Franklin Cape Ann’s Lost Barrel Martini is sweet, tart, and effortlessly stylish. By, Lindsay Lambert
Gloucester might be famous for its ties to the fishing industry, but the town also boasts its fair share of stylish shops, restaurants, and watering holes. On Main Street alone there’s a sufficient number of such businesses to sustain a weekend’s worth of revelry. And while warm weather here begs for all things al fresco, there’s something to be said for ducking into the occasional pub for a little relief from the summer sun.
The Franklin Cape Ann is just such a place-a cavernous, cool (in both senses), two-story space that is both a restaurant and a bar, where patrons are as much at home with a burger and a hearty European brew as they are snacking on freshly shucked oysters and sipping cocktails.
The Franklin’s cocktail menu, created by Bar Manager Joy Richardson, changes periodically, with a few signature mainstays. One summer staple that’s likely to remain in demand is the Lost Barrel Martini, a tart and refreshing combination of Jameson, Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup that’s served in a chilled martini glass. A lemon-wedge garnish is a pretty complement and a seasonally appropriate punctuation mark.
The Franklin’s owner and general manager Maria Seniti says that guests are drawn to the drink (whose name was inspired by a myth about John Jameson in which he rescued a barrel of his beloved whiskey that had fallen overboard from his ship during the great storm of 1781) by its unusual combination of spirits-in particular, its use of Jameson.
“Patrons like the Lost Barrel Martini because they wouldn’t necessarily order Jameson otherwise,” Seniti says, adding that “they like the twist of the Canton ginger liqueur,” which gives the cocktail a crisp, clean bite.
That ginger-citrus combination, says bartender Stefano D’Amico, makes the Lost Barrel perfect for pairing with savory plates from The Franklin’s dinner menu-duck quesadillas, mussels, or fried calamari-or fresh oysters from its raw bar. It’s a combination that’ll have you cozied up to the bar until the sun goes down. 118 Main St., Gloucester, 978-283-7888, franklincafe.com.
The Lost Barrel: makes one serving
11/2Â Â Â oz. Jameson
3/4 Â Â Â oz. Domaine de Canton
1/2 Â Â Â oz. fresh lemon juice
1/2 Â Â Â oz. demerara syrup
lemon wedge for garnish
Mix ingredients in a shaker tin filled with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.