Transportive Pisco Sours

A unique libation, like a certain smell, can be completely transportive. There are few cocktails as unique as the pisco sour, a Peruvian concoction made from egg whites, lime juice, simple syrup, bitters and, the key ingredient, pisco. Just the smell of pisco takes me back to a candle-lit tavern in Pisco, Peru, with rough-hewn, wooden tables and American rock playing from a time-worn jukebox, a bustling mix of turistas and locales savoring the local specialty over animated conversation. My friend, Heidi, and I had traveled hundreds of miles in rickety buses to get here, drawn by the promise of a perfect pisco sour, more or less on our way to the mysterious Nazca lines. The pisco sour did not disappoint. Pisco has a flavor unlike anything I’ve had before. Pisco is a fermented wine, made from grapes, and then distilled until the alcohol content is between 38% and 48%--about the same proof as tequila. The flavor is sharp, fruity, and utterly unique.

Last night, I had the distinct pleasure of sharing pisco sours with my cousin and her husband in my living room, not quite tavern, lit by salt crystal lamps and a dying fire, not candles, with no jukebox playing American rock but lots of animated conversation. The kids Kung-fu danced on the Wii and snuck espresso-chocolate caramels, while we caught up on our busy lives, reminisced about old times, and schemed futures involving less work, more play, and more frequent visits, please. I miss you!

Pisco sours are not for everyday drinking. For one, pisco is not so easy to come by in the States. (We’d brought back a few bottles from Peru). For two, pisco sours include egg whites, requiring the additional step of separating an egg, which in my mind elevates this cocktail to “special occasion fare.” For three, pisco sours are sneaky. They go down easy, a little too easy, especially in good company, potentially leading to next-morning regrets. No regrets here, though. Sharing one of my favorite cocktails with a few of my favorite people was the perfect way to transition into the new year.

Just in case you have occasion to transport yourself with a few good friends, here’s a basic recipe (perfected last night) to get you started:

Pisco Sour

INGREDIENTS

2 oz. Pisco

1 egg white

1 oz. simple syrup

1 oz. fresh lime juice

1 cup ice

Bitters

PREPARATION

Put everything into a cocktail shaker and shake until cold and frothy. Strain into glasses, top with a few dashes of bitters, and enjoy.

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