The Mezcal Sour. (Photo courtesy of Fósforo Mezcal)
The classic construct of a sour — spirit, sweet, citrus — is a good one to remember, if only because you probably have all of these things on hand typically and can whip up a delicious, easy cocktail for guests at a moment’s notice.
But if you really want to impress them, adding that frothy crown of egg white atop the drink is taking it to a new level. Sub in über popular mezcal? Everyone will think you’re a spirited maestro.
The key to getting an impressive froth is two parts: 1. dry shaking, aka vigorously shaking an ingredient without ice for a good 30 seconds, and 2. shaking all the ingredients together with ice.
Our friends over at Fósforo Mezcal (available at Domaine Franey at 459 Pantigo Road in East Hampton) provided this lovely smoky riff on the sour that’s awfully nice to sip in front of the fire. You’ll deserve the cozy couch situation after all that shaking.
Rosemary Mezcal Sour
- 1 egg white
- 2 oz Fósforo Ensamble Mezcal
- 1 oz lime juice
- 1/2 oz simple syrup
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
Add cold egg white into a shaker. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
Add in all other liquid ingredients and ice. Shake again, for 15 to 20 seconds.
Strain into a coupe glass. Smack the rosemary sprig between your palms to gently release its oils and aromas, and garnish. Cheers!
Amy Zavatto is the Editor-in-Chief for southforker, northforker and Long Island Wine Press. She's a wine, spirits, and food journalist whose work appears in Wine Enthusiast, InsideHook.com, MarthaStewart.com, the New York Post, Liquor.com, SevenFifty Daily, Imbibe, Men’s Journal and many others. She's the author of The Big Book of Bourbon Cocktails, Prosecco Made Me Do It: 60 Seriously Sparkling Cocktails, Forager’s Cocktails: Botanical Mixology with Fresh, Natural Ingredients, and The Architecture of the Cocktail. She is a respected judge for the American Craft Spirits Association’s annual small-production spirits competition, and has moderated numerous panels on the topics of wine, spirits, cocktails, and regional foodways. She is the former Deputy Editor for the regional celebratory publications, Edible Manhattan and Edible Brooklyn, as well as the former Executive Director of the Long Island Merlot Alliance. She is a member of the New York chapter of the international organization of women leaders in food, wine, and spirits, Les Dames d’Escoffier. The proud daughter of a butcher, Amy is originally from Shelter Island, N.Y., where she developed a deep respect for the East End’s natural beauty and the importance of preserving and celebrating it and its people.
