Today is Repeal Day, a true drinking holiday created by Jeffrey Morgenthaler, to celebrate the end of Prohibition. That got me thinking about classic Prohibition era cocktails and none is more classic than a White Lady.
The White Lady is a sour cocktail first created either by Harry MacElhone at Harry's Bar in Paris in 1929 or by Harry Craddock of the American Bar at the Savoy, who published his recipe in the 1930 edition of The Savoy Cocktail Book. Frankly, I don't really care who created it, I just like this vintage cocktail and have to have one every so often.
Neither of the two original recipes included egg white but most modern versions do and I believe the egg really improves the quality of this drink. I'm also a huge fan of the visual of foams on top of my cocktails so that's a plus on the egg side as well. The simple syrup was also not part of those recipes but, for my palate, it balances out the citrus and I always add the sweetness.
Celebrate with us all today and enjoy one.
The
WHITE LADY
INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 Oz. London Dry Gin
3/4 Oz Triple Sec
3/4 Oz. Lemon Juice
1 Tsp. Simple Syrup*
1 Tbsp. Pasteurized Egg White
Ice
Garnish: Lemon Twist
Tools: Cocktail shaker, Jigger, Coupe glass
Glass: Coupe
DIRECTIONS:
Dry shake all the ingredients (shake without ice) in your cocktail shaker for at least one minute. Add ice then shake until chilled and strain into a chilled coupe. Express the lemon twist over the top then add it to the lip of the glass.
* If you want to play with this a bit try a flavored simple syrup or change out the lemon juice for orange or grapefruit juice. I've done variations with orange juice and tarragon simple syrup, grapefruit juice and lavender simple syrup and lime with cilantro simple syrup.
More Prohibition Cocktails here.
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY
