Some years back when I was a college dean in New York City, some colleagues and I walked into one of our usual haunts, the since-closed Salute Italian restaurant on 39th and Madison in Midtown Manhattan.

After a long night of good food and plenty of drinking, I sat with one of my good friends at the bar for a nightcap. “I want something sweet, you pick,” he told the bartender, who returned with an apertif glass of Faretti biscotti liqueur.

This delicious concoction since became the go-to choice – to put the finishing touches on savory food and potent cocktails.

At only 56 proof, it’s got just enough of a punch to let you know it’s spiked, but hardly enough to twist you into a bender – you’d probably get a sugar high before that happened.

And now, for the first time anywhere, I’ll share my own Faretti-based cocktail: The Dino

THE DINO

2 parts vodka (my favorite, Smirnoff 100 proof)
1 part Faretti Biscotti Liqueur

Chill the vodka in a martini shaker filled with ice

Pour into a martini glass

Add the Faretti and slowly stir

Garnish with an italian (almond) biscotto – resting on top of the glass, not inside the drink (dipping optional)