Apple Blow Fizz

Is it just me, or is that a really unfortunate name?

Apple Blow Fizz:

• 2 oz. Applejack (Lairds)
• juice of 1/2 of a lemon
• 1 tsp. sugar (2 tsp. simple syrup)
• 1 egg white

Shake and strain into 8 oz. highball glass. Fill with carbonated water.

The effect of egg in a cocktail imparts a really smooth, creamy texture that's just wonderful. There's a lot to be said about the benefits, but some people will say that raw egg is bad for you, be it Salmonella or what have you. For one, since the Salmonella scare of the last few years, standards have been tightened up at egg farms. The odds of getting Salmonella from a bad egg were pretty slim to begin with, but with some extra care given to the screening process, the odds are now statistically insignificant. If that's not enough to convince you, then I'll also say that both alcohol and lemon juice are powerful antiseptics. I'm not worried. You can do the drink without it, it doesn't alter the taste, but the texture really is awesome, so I highly recommend it.

Also, a note on technique. In order to get a rich foam on top like you see in the picture, you have to shake really, really well, because egg isn't accustomed to being separated. There's a neat trick that I'll pass along: take the spring off of a hawthorne strainer and put it into the shaker, along with everything but the ice, and shake it everything pretty hard for a while first. This is called a dry shake, which would be advised in any egg cocktail, but the addition of the spring really helps to emulsify the egg and helps hold off on the wear and tear on your arm.

After you've done the dry shake, open the shaker, add the ice, and shake it to chill. I double-strained it, and the foam comes through fine. And it's pretty delicious. The apple and the lemon make it like an Appletini, which I abhor, but it's delicious regardless, and the soda water makes it so refreshing. It's a keeper.