Beauregard Gin Fizz

The Ramos Gin Fizz is one of those well-regarded classic cocktails that you will never see on any cocktail menus (except maybe in its hometown of New Orleans). Reason being, it's a damn tasty drink but it is also a horrific pain in the ass. Egg is finicky enough to integrate that it takes its own technique to properly emulsify; add cream, and you've got a drink that takes at least a minute of sustained shaking to get right. That's troublesome even at home (after every round, I swear my arms are going to fall off) but I can't even imagine cranking out dozens each night.

Still, every now and again a floral, refreshing, richly textured cocktail is worth it.  Winter must be eroding my brain again.

2 oz gin (I'd have used Old Tom if I had any)
1 oz lemon juice
3/4 oz blueberry syrup
3/4 oz half-and-half
3 drops rose water
1 small egg white (or 1/2 a large egg white)

Dry shake (as in, combine everything and shake without ice) until you can't take it anymore, then add ice and shake some more. Keep shaking. Do your arms hurt yet? Keep shaking. You're not done. Keep shaking. Curse eggs and dairy, curse yourself for choosing such a beverage, curse your cruel and capricious God. Keep shaking.

After a subjective eternity, strain into a tall, footed fizz glass if you've got one (or your thinnest, tallest glass if you don't) and top off with 2-3 oz of chilled soda water. Stir gently, garnish with a little drizzle of extra blueberry syrup for super-fanciness. Such a difficult cocktail should not go undecorated.

Glorious Evening Fizz

Here's a somewhat random variation on the "Morning Glory Fizz", a curiously tasty cocktail that I stumbled across in Imbibe! and which has become a personal favorite hangover helper.  I made this one on a warm summer evening, hence the name, and it was just too tasty not to write down.

2 oz scotch

3/4 oz ginger syrup (a nice spicy version created by combining juiced ginger and sugar)

3/4 oz lime juice

3 dashes celery bitters

1 egg yolk

Rinse the inside of a fizz glass with absinthe and place in the freezer to chill.  Combine the above over ice, shake well, and strain into the prepared glass.  Top with 3-4 oz of chilled, carbonated cucumber water to taste, then twist a lemon peel over the top and discard.

Oveja Negra Fizz

Here's a drink that was even more essential the morning after New Year's.  The name comes from Spanish for "black sheep", and from a bar in Costa Rica that was also a welcome respite in my time of need.

2 oz rye whiskey (I like Bulleit)

3/4 oz blackberry syrup (homemade per the standard process)

1 medium egg (use the smallest you can find)

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Shake very well, strain into a chilled fizz glass, and top up with 2-3 oz of soda water to taste.  Garnish with a lemon twist if you like, or drink straight away if you need.

Yes, this drink makes use of a whole chicken berry - if you're squeamish, use pasteurized eggs.  If all you can find are large or extra-large eggs (as might be the case with pasteurized) then make 2 drinks per whole egg.