This week I read an askreddit post about female things men like. One of the answers in the thread was regarding cocktails where they prefer girly drinks over manly. I would categorise the “girly” drinks in two categories, pink pretty cocktails and cocktails with so much sugar that you cannot taste the alcohol. This is perhaps one of those “girly” cocktails, it is pink it is pretty; however, it is strong and complex when it comes to flavours. The cocktail has its roots in a club for intellectual men in Philadelphia. This, today “girly” cocktail was originally a cocktail for men. In the end what I think is important when it comes to drinking is that one should always drink something they enjoy. Pink cocktails can be fantastic as can be seen in this cocktail.

The cocktail is fundamentally a gin sour. Traditionally the raspberry was added in the syrup. Using raspberry syrup instead of simple syrup, or gomme syrup which would be used in the 1910’s when the cocktail originated, is a simple way of making a simple cocktail more interesting. Adding egg white is, and was, a common way to change the texture in a cocktail of the sour category. The egg white makes the cocktail silkier in the texture and adds the foam on top. These changes are in line with the traditional or classic version of the cocktail. In the version I made, I added some Cocchi Americano and used raspberry jam and simple syrup instead of raspberry syrup. The cocktail balances the flavours nicely, it is sour, sweet, fruity and slightly bitter at the same time. For those liking smooth or fruity cocktails this cocktail is brilliant. It is, on the surface, easy to drink, if you do not want to challenge the flavour of the cocktail, then this cocktail will be nice to you. On the other hand, if you decide for yourself that you want to challenge the cocktail, then there are layers of complexity beneath the seemingly simple surface. The interesting dynamics previously mentioned marries together in perfect harmony, yet they stand out on their own creating a mix that the one searching for complex cocktails will find satisfying. To conclude this is definitely a cocktail I would recommend.

My Recipe:

• 1.5 oz (4.5 cl) Gin
• 1 oz (3 cl) Cocchi Americano
• 0.75 oz (2.25 cl) Lemon Juice
• 0.5 oz (1.5 cl) Simple Syrup
• 1 barspoon/teaspoon Raspberry Jam
• 1 Egg White

Add the ingredients to a shaker without ice, dry shake to get the egg white to become foamy. Add ice to the shake and shake to chill and dilute the cocktail. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a lemon twist or a raspberry.