Lazy Sunday Easter brunches – or any Sunday brunch for that matter – are made for a “morning after” that combines fruit juice, egg, cream and a little of the hair of the dog all in one easy to down combo. Add some fizz on top and you are in total heaven. This classic was invented in New Orleans in 1888 by one Henry C. Ramos, who kept the recipe secret until Prohibition, at which time he gave this treat to the world lest it be lost forever.
At the heyday of its popularity in the times when men wore handlebar moustaches unironically, Henry Ramos would employ a team of over thirty shaker boys during Carnival just to keep up with demand for this drink alone. The Kingfish himself would bring along a New Orleans bartender with him to New York to train bartenders how to make the drink just so he could have his favorite fizz whenever he was in Manhattan. Not surprisingly then, this luscious drink has survived in spite of its long list of ingredients and the amount of time needed to make one. Which is why its perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon…
1 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 oz. cream
1 egg white
3 or 4 drops orange flower water
1 Tbs. simple syrup
soda water, to top
Shake all ingredients except soda water DRY until emulsified – this will take a minute or two. Add ice and shake until cold. Strain into tall glass and top with soda water. For an extra decadent twist, add a few drops of good vanilla extract. The consistency of this drink should be very thick and foamy – which will require a LOT of shaking. Traditionalists claim shake times of upwards of 12 minutes. This is far too insane an amount of time for a drink – I think the dry shake to emulsify works just fine. You can also use an electric hand mixer.
The Barman Cometh 