Shelling Out

Eggnog isn’t the only reason to get cracking this holiday season.

The egg has been called nature’s near perfect food, but few realize that it’s also nature’s most perfect cocktail ingredient: A raw egg white in the shaker can turn a drink into a wispy, frothy joy, while the richness of the yolk is what continues to make eggnog sinful.

Egg whites have long been used in old-fashioned cocktails, such as flips (comprising a spirit, egg and sugar) and sours (a spirit, egg, sugar and citrus). The most famous of these are probably the pisco sour and New Orleans’ gin fizz. Should you want to try making either at home, go to cocktaildb.com, a comprehensive cocktail database, which has 216 recipes that call for egg whites. The options are nearly endless.

Finding an eggy cocktail at a bar these days, however, is more difficult. In SF, there are only a few bars, such as Bourbon & Branch and the Alembic, where eggs make an appearance on the drinks menu. (Try B&B’s Marmalade Whisky Sour.) You can blame some of this caution on the often-overprotective FDA, which warns against consuming raw eggs because of the risk of salmonella poisoning, while admitting that only “one egg in 20,000 may be contaminated.” But take solace in the fact that food-safety specialist Dr. Michael Hansen, of Consumers Union in New York, tells me that eating (or, in this case, drinking) egg whites in the presence of a high-proof spirit—which means just about every cocktail there is—should reduce any danger.

Not everyone knows this. Before opening his Union Square bar, Cantina (where I bartend a few days a week), in May, Duggan McDonnell had planned to use egg whites in many of his drinks. “I’m not even necessarily that into my cocktails looking like a latte,” he told me. “But the egg whites just bring a mouthfeel that you can’t find with any other ingredient.” McDonnell had devised a sour mix containing egg whites to be used in several of his drinks, but scrapped it when he discovered how many people were leery of the concept. Still, he keeps a carton of eggs handy for when people order pisco sours, which they do quite often. Because once you’re converted, you’ll be willing to take the risk. Just ask for it strong.

Check out Jordan's tips on mastering the art of the eggy cocktail.

The Best Eggnog
Yolks, not whites, are what make this holiday favorite so rich (and delicious). You’ll never go back to syrupy store-bought stuff again.

Makes 2 servings.

2 whole eggs
6 ounces half-and-half
6 ounces brandy, amber rum or Madeira (or an equal mix of the three)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 or 3 dashes of ground cardamom
sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg

Fill a tall cocktail shaker half-full with ice. Crack the eggs directly into the shaker and add all of the remaining ingredients, except the nutmeg. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain into two old-fashioned glasses, dividing the mixture evenly, and sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve at once.

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