Cocktails

Fancy a Gin Fizz – Here’s a couple of winners

A Fizz is basically a base spirit – usually Gin- citrus and sugar made to fizz with a soda and sometimes an egg white to give a luxurious creamy head.   I have a complicated relationship with eggs on the whole, fried and runny NO, mayonnaise YES, soft boiled or poached NO, lemon meringue YES.  Putting egg white into my cocktails seemed disgusting and so I have always opted out, until I was introduced to Miss Sloe Gin Fizz. Her velvet pink dress and white feather boa utterly seduced me.  Sugar and egg white are, after all meringue, I argued as I shook like a pro waiting for the magic to happen.

 Why hello Miss Fizz so very nice to drink you.  For you I will grit my teeth and put egg white into my shaker.

I remember sloe gin from the Slow Comfortable Screw days of the 80’s and it has lurked in the back of the cocktail cabinet ever since.  Now it sits proudly at the front because I LOVE Slow Gin Fizz and put the egg white in quickly before I can think about it too much.  Give it a try, or at least order one at a cocktail bar.  The below recipe will give you two delicious cocktails and the fluffy loveliness will wait for the next pour if it is just you partaking.

SLOE GIN FIZZ serves 2

• 60ml soda water
• 45ml Sloe Gin
• 45ml Gin
• 45ml Lemon juice
• 30ml Simple syrup see note
• 1 egg white

measurement table if you are used to ounces

Divide the soda into two glass and put everything else into your cocktail shaker and shake.  I have had two occasions when the whole thing exploded – no idea why – so I now am not so theatrical and cover my shaker with a tea towel.  Add ice to your cocktail shaker and shake again until the outside of the shaker is frosty and cold. Stain into the glasses containing the soda.

Cheers

Add cream and serious shaking for the famous Ramos Gin Fizz

RAMOS GIN FIZZ serves 1

• 60ml Gin
• 15ml lemon Juice
• 15ml Lime Juice
• 15ml simple syrup
• 3 dashes orange flower water
• 30ml cream
• 1 egg white
• 60ml soda water

Add everything EXCEPT THE SODA WATER to a cocktail shaker and shake for 60 seconds.  Add ice to your cocktail shaker and shake again until the outside of the shaker is frosty and cold. Stain into a tall glass and top with the soda.

Or just go classic for a refreshing long drink.  No egg required! Below will make one serve.

CLASSIC GIN FIZZ serves 1

• 60ml gin
• 30ml lemon juice
• 20ml simple syrup
• 120ml soda water

Add the gin, lemon juice, syrup and ice into your shaker.  Shake until frosty and cold, stain into a tall glass and top with the soda.  Garnish with a lemon wedge if you wish.

No Sloe Gin in the house, get a good gin fizz with raspberries.

CLOVER CLUB FIZZ serves 1

 

The secret of a good Gin Fizz the first dry shake.  You need to build the air into the egg white to get a lasting soft meringue like foam.

Sugar syrup is simply dissolved sugar.  You can not put sugar straight into your cocktail mix, as it will not dissolve in cold liquid, so cocktails employ a syrup instead.  Simply fill a heatproof container with granulated/caster sugar and fill with boiling water, stir to dissolve, allow to cool and then store in an airtight container.  As long as you use equal parts water to sugar you can not go wrong.  Some recipes ask you to dissolve on the stove and others give different quantities, but I have always used  1 for 1 and stirred.   I make 2 cups at a time, in theory, it should last forever in the fridge.

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