From brightly painted hardboiled eggs to over-sized chocolate versions to decadent brunch omelets, Easter is, of course, all about enjoying eggs.
But if you’re too old to be participating in an egg hunt we suggest you squirrel away half a carton for yourself to make some delicious and thoroughly adult cocktails.
While this might sound a bit odd, there’s actually a long history of using egg whites in mixed drinks. Yes, egg whites. (And some recipes even call for the yolk, as well!)
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But why go through all the trouble of cracking eggs into your shaker? Well, the protein-rich ingredient lends an elegant richness to a concoction. While some of these drinks certainly could work without adding an egg white, I’d suggest that you not leave it out. After all, would you make lemon meringue pie without the meringue?
No doubt you’re wondering whether this is safe. Well, health departments around the country generally approve of the ingredient as long as a bar’s patrons understand that the concoctions include raw egg whites.
One of the most classic egg cocktails is the Ramos Gin Fizz created by bartending legend Henry Ramos in New Orleans at the turn of the century.
It’s enduringly popular because it’s a delicious mix of gin, both lemon and lime juice, egg whites and heavy cream. A jigger of seltzer gives it a bit of needed effervescence and a few drops of rose water adds a subtle flowery note. Be warned: You need to really shake this drink; no need to go to the gym after you have made a couple.
Our recipe comes from the swanky Sazerac Bar in The Roosevelt Hotel New Orleans. After a few sips you’ll understand why it was a favorite of infamous Louisiana governor Huey Long.
Ramos Gin Fizz
Contributed by Henry Ramos
Ingredients:
1 oz Simple syrup (1 part sugar, 1 part water)3—4 drops Orange flower water.5 oz Lemon Juice.5 oz Lime Juice1.5 oz Gin (Old Tom is preferable)1 Egg white2 oz Heavy creamSeltzerGlass: Collins
Directions:
Fill a Collins glass with ice and set aside to chill. (Once chilled dump out the ice.) Add all the ingredients except the seltzer to a shaker. Fill with ice and shake vigorously 50 times. Strain into the chilled Collins glass and top with Seltzer until it froths just above the top of the glass.
Another classic eggy concoction is the Pisco Sour, which is both the Peruvian and Chilean national drink and naturally showcases local spirit pisco (a type of grape brandy).
Many bartenders have also played around with the basic recipe to create their own version of the drink.
One of our favorite variations is the Murphy Sour created by talented San Francisco barman H. Joseph Ehrmann, who own Mission District institution Elixir.
The addition of clementine, honey syrup, and cilantro makes it a natural Easter brunch drink.
Murphy Sour
Contributed by H. Joseph Ehrmann
Ingredients:
1.5 oz BarSol Pisco Acholado1 Clementine.5 oz Lime juice1 oz Clover Honey Syrup (one part honey, one part hot water)1 Tbsp (or a 3 finger pinch) of fresh chopped cilantro1 oz Egg whiteGarnish: Cilantro leafGlass: Cocktail
Directions:
Muddle the cilantro and the clementine in a shaker. Add the rest of the ingredients and shake without ice for 5 seconds. Fill with ice and shake again. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a cilantro leaf.
Another modern twist on a classic that you should try is the Insanely Good Midori Sour.
Chaim Dauermann, head bartender at Greenwich Village watering hole the Up & Up, created the concoction because he was tired of people putting down the Japanese melon liqueur Midori.
You just may never look at the neon-green spirit the same way again.
Insanely Good Midori Sour
Contributed by Chaim Dauermann
Ingredients:
1 oz Midori1 oz Martin Miller’s Westbourne Strength Gin.75 oz Lemon juice.5 oz Lime Cordial*Egg whiteGlass: CoupeGarnish: Orange peel
Directions:
Add all the ingredients to a shaker and shake without ice. Add ice and shake again. Strain slowly into a chilled coupe glass. Squeeze an orange peel over the drink and then discard it.
Lime Cordial*
Ingredients:
Peels of 16 limes1.5 cups Lime juice1 cup Peruvian Pisco (unaged)2.5 cups of sugar
Directions:
Combine the pisco with half of the lime peels. Cover tightly. In a separate container, combine 1 cup of sugar with the rest of the lime peels. Cover tightly. Shake the mixture until the peels are coated and the sugar is evenly distributed all around them. Let the two mixtures sit for 24 hours at room temperature.
Combine the pisco mixture with the sugar mixture. Add the lime juice. Remove most of the peels, if you can, and then add the rest of the sugar. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. (Should take about 10 minutes.) Pour through a fine strainer (a cheesecloth is best) to remove remaining peels and other debris. The recipe yields one quart and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two months.
If you’re looking for an Easter treat to give your guests try shaking up the aptly named Peep This, which calls for tequila, lemon, blueberries and is garnished with, of course, a Yellow Peep.
Peep This
Contributed by Kristin Clark
Ingredients:
Sugar and salt mix2.5 oz Casamigos Blanco Tequila1 oz Fresh lemon juice2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters1 oz Simple syrup (one part sugar, one part water)8-10 Blueberries1 Egg whiteGarnish: Yellow PeepGlass: Cocktail
Directions:
Rim a cocktail glass with a mix of 50-percent sugar and 50-percent salt and set aside. Add the rest of the ingredients to a shaker and muddle. Shake without ice. Add ice and shake again vigorously. Strain into the prepared cocktail glass and garnish with a yellow Peep.
