One of the most important things to do upon landing in an area is to explore the culinary landscape as much as the geographic landscape. Outlining both famous and unique and unheard of local dishes and specialities to try out is key to any vacation. If you have found a
vacation rental in Barcelona, for example, you will find no shortage of delicious things to eat and drink. However, if you are planning on spending time in the Gothic Quarter of the city, then you should head to the Carrer de la Mercè, a street that runs through this lovely, historic, and scenic part of the city, and find yourself a Panther’s Milk.
Panther’s Milk, or Leche de Pantera in Spanish, is a popular cocktail made of condensed milk, gin, and water or ice, and was said to have been invented by the elite military unit, the
Spanish Foreign Legion, in the 1920s. There are several origin tales, one that says that the unit’s head and founder, General José Millán-Astray asked a local bartender to create a simple and cheap cocktail recipe that his men could make readily no matter where they were stationed, and another that claims injured soldiers birthed the drink by mixing medical-grade alcohol with condensed milk while confined to infirmaries, swapping the medical-grade alcohol out for gin or whatever alcohol they had on hand upon being released.
vacation rental in Barcelona, for example, you will find no shortage of delicious things to eat and drink. However, if you are planning on spending time in the Gothic Quarter of the city, then you should head to the Carrer de la Mercè, a street that runs through this lovely, historic, and scenic part of the city, and find yourself a Panther’s Milk.
Panther’s Milk, or Leche de Pantera in Spanish, is a popular cocktail made of condensed milk, gin, and water or ice, and was said to have been invented by the elite military unit, the
Spanish Foreign Legion, in the 1920s. There are several origin tales, one that says that the unit’s head and founder, General José Millán-Astray asked a local bartender to create a simple and cheap cocktail recipe that his men could make readily no matter where they were stationed, and another that claims injured soldiers birthed the drink by mixing medical-grade alcohol with condensed milk while confined to infirmaries, swapping the medical-grade alcohol out for gin or whatever alcohol they had on hand upon being released.
No matter the origins, this now-popular cocktail actually disappeared for decades before being revived by college students in the 1970s. In the mid-1970s, a former Spanish Legionnaire opened a bar called La Barretina in an alley along Carrer de la Mercè and it quickly became popular among college kids as it was cheap and pre-made. Other bars started making the drink too, with a bar across the street called Tasca El Corral making a less potent pink version called Leche de Pantera Rosa (Pink Panther Milk) as the owner, Cayetano Casco, thought the original was far too strong and wanted to make something more pleasant and less vomit-inducing. La Barretina closed years ago but Tasca El Corral remains popular and you can still drop by to try their famous pink iteration of the drink to this day. Exactly what makes it pink is a closely guarded secret but the basic recipe for the original cocktail is readily found online so, if you want to make a batch while you plan your getaway in Spain, then check it out below!
Ingredients:
1 part Gin
1 part White rum
1 part Condensed milk
5 Parts Milk
A dash of Cinnamon
Method:
1. Mix the gin, rum, condensed milk, and milk in a blender.
2. Pour the mixture into glasses and then served with a garnish of cinnamon sprinkled on top of each portion.
3. Enjoy as you plan your trip to Spain!
