Cooking Lesson #930: Whisky-Amaretto Sour

…from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar

How you doin’? In the early 1970s we invented the Amaretto Sour at the Customs House Restaurant in Redwood City. It first originated as a promotional push from liqueur brand Disaronno, then known as Amaretto di Saronno. It's a take on the classic sour collection of drinks—those that include a spirit combined with sweet and sour elements—that's unique for a few reasons.
 
Amaretto is an Italian liqueur that’s typically flavored with almonds or apricot stones. Its distinctive profile can be incorporated into numerous cocktails, but notes of deep cherry and toasted nuts lend themselves particularly well to cocktails (like the Sour) which benefit from both depth and sweetness.
 
While most sours use a base spirit paired with syrup or a liqueur for sweetness, balanced with fresh lemon or lime juice, the original Amaretto sour only required two ingredients: Amaretto di Saronno and lemon juice. This is because Amaretto itself provided ample sugar to balance the citrus, filling the part of both base spirit and sweetener.
 
Unfortunately, as the drink aged through the 1980s and '90s, prefabricated artificial "sour mix" began to replace fresh lemon and sugar in high-volume bars across the globe. While these mixers did a disservice to many classic Sour cocktails, they were especially detrimental to the Amaretto Sour, creating a double dose of sugar that led the cocktail to be associated with a super sugary profile.
 
However, modern bartenders have since rehabilitated the drink, finding ways to keep the spirit of the original almond-and marzipan-forward cocktail, while shaping it toward more contemporary tastes.
 
To further improve the classic Amaretto Sour, a few bartenders use fresh lemon juice and high-proof bourbon to round out the cocktail, plus egg white for a dash of body and a silky texture. Egg white may seem unusual, but it’s a traditional addition to many sours, including the Whiskey Sour and Pisco Sour.

Prep time:  5 minutes
Yield:  1 cocktail

Ingredients
1-1/2 ounces amaretto liqueur (I prefer the original, Disaronno)
3/4 ounce cask-proof American bourbon
1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon simple syrup
1/2 ounce egg white
1 lemon twist for garnish
1 or 2 brandied cherries for garnish
 
Directions (it couldn’t be easier)

1. Add the amaretto, bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup and the egg white to a shaker and dry-shake (no ice) for 15 seconds.
2. Add the ice and shake again until well-chilled.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with a lemon twist and 2 skewered brandied cherries.

ChefSecret:  Do I Really Need to Dry Shake an Amaretto Sour? The short answer is “Yes.” The goal of the first shake of a sour of this type is to froth the egg white and incorporate it with the other ingredients. If you do not shake sufficiently at this stage, the egg white won’t achieve its goal becoming less of a meringue that tops your drink, and more of a slug of raw egg.

Raw Egg Warning:  Consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs poses a risk of food-borne illness. Concerned? Try packaged pasteurized egg whites, then make an omelet in the morning!

Quip of the Day:  A beautiful woman went up to the bar in a quiet rural pub. She gestured alluringly to the bartender who approached her immediately.
The woman seductively signaled that he should bring his face closer to hers. As he did, she gently caressed his full beard.
"Are you the manager?" she whispered, softly stroking his face with both hands. "Actually, no," he replied. "Can you get him for me? I need to speak to him," she said, running her hands beyond his beard and into his hair.
"I'm afraid I can't," breathed the bartender. "Is there anything I can do?" "Yes. I need for you to give him a message," she continued, running her forefinger across the bartender's lips and slyly popping a couple of her fingers into his mouth and allowing him to suck them gently.
"What should I tell him?" the flustered bartender managed to stammer.
"Tell him," she whispered, "… there's no toilet paper, hand soap, or paper towels in the ladies room.”
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.
 
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