I’m a relative new comer to Mixology Monday, having contributed for only about a year. So my twelve entries are a modest offering when one considers that this monthly online cocktail party is now 100 months old! This month’s theme comes from MxMo’s dedicated leader Frederic Yarm at the cocktail virgin slut. It is “Cocktail Chronicles” and is a tribute to Mixology Monday’s founder Paul Clarke. Paul has written at the Cocktail Chronicles blog since 2005, and has now authored a book The Cocktail Chronicles: Navigating the Cocktail Renaissance with Jigger, Shaker & Glass. The book is an insider’s look at the cocktail “revolution” of the past decade. While it is not really a history, it does give insight into where we were and where we are today. He also highlights the classic yet simple cocktails that form the backbone of what we call “mixology.”
The theme, “Cocktail Chronicles” for this month’s Mixology Monday is, as described in the announcement post, “what is timeless (or potentially timeless) and elegant in its simplicity.” Wonderful yet uncomplicated. I have interpreted this to mean, “highlight a cocktail that is an essential part of the current cocktail renaissance.”
In selecting our contribution for this month, I have focused on “timeless,” “simple” and “malleability,” (a cocktail that can easily be made into something else). In our focus on home entertainment, these three criteria: elegant, simple and easily modified are huge. Cocktails that have these qualities enable the host to entertain with ease.
I think that a cocktail that has been around for 200 years meets the “timeless” threshold, and if it has three ingredients, it qualifies as “simple.” Now if that cocktail can be, and has been, easily turned into a myriad of famous drinks, it’s a winner. So I have selected the Sour: spirit, juice and sweetener. The Sour has been around since at least the early 1800’s, (check the sidebar for a brief history of the Sour), and it is the forbear of numerous cocktails. From the humble Whiskey Sour has come Daiquiris, Margaritas, the Sidecar, The Aviation, the Pisco Sour, Ward Eight, the Cosmopolitan and many more.
One of my favorite Whiskey Sours is our Belle Meade Sour. It does not follow the usual Sour Ratio of 2:1:1, (Spirit:Sour:Sweet), but I like my whiskey sours 1:1 bourbon and lemon sour. For the lemon sour, I prefer 2:1 lemon to simple syrup. This makes the ratio more like 2:1:2/3 or so. I also like the mouth feel of egg white. So here is our recipe:
- 1 1/2 oz. Belle Meade Bourbon
- 1 oz. Fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 oz. Simple syrup
- 1 large egg white (can use 3 Tbl. pasteurized egg whites but it will not be the same)
- Add all ingredients, in order to a shaker and shake for 30 sec without ice to emulsify the egg white.
- Add 3 regular sized ice cubes plus one large cube (1 1/2 – 2 inches)* to the shaker and shake to chill 10 – 15 sec.
- Double strain into a chilled coup and serve
* using a large ice cube creates a silky finish that complements the egg white. The effect lasts for only a minute or two, so serve it quickly. You can omit this and use regular ice but you should get a large ice cube tray!
Cheers!
