This month we’re going to continue with the trend of using semi unusual cocktail ingredients and we’ll be building a drink around the humble kiwi.
Now, while kiwis are a great fruit that are little sweet, slightly sour, and completely delicious, they do have a more delicate flavor that is easy to overwhelm if not approached carefully. Personally, I think this drink strikes a good balance of embracing the flavor of the kiwi itself and enhancing it with other vegetables and herbs to bring out more complexity and depth.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Tools
- Boston Shaker
- Muddler
- Hawthorne Strainer
- Fine Strainer
- Coupe / Cocktail Glass of your choosing
Ingredients
- 2 Kiqi
- 1 Medium Egg White
- 1oz Fresh Sqeezed Lime Juice
- 0.5oz Simple Syrup (Recipe)
- 1oz Fresh Lime Juice
- 2oz London Dry Gin
- Lemon (For Garnish)
First off let’s address the elephant in the room. Yes, this drink has raw egg white in it. I understand that may give some people pause but I can assure you that the addition of egg whites in your cocktail is both safe, and drastically enhances that flavor / texture of the drink. Here’s a great article on the use of eggs in your drinks and the risks (or really lack thereof) associated with them. All that being said, if you’re still uneasy about using raw egg in your drink, powdered egg whites can work as a decent alternative to fresh ingredient.
With that out of the way, let’s get into the drink itself. I developed this drink as a spin on the classic Clover Club. (Which is an amazing drink in its own right. How to Drink did a great video about it here that you should definitely check out.) I wanted a light refreshing drink that celebrated the soft, delicate flavors of the kiwi while adding in some complexity to give a more full, rounded drink and I think I achieved that.
Make
Step 1: Muddle the Kiwis
Remove the skin from the kiwis and add the fruit to the small side of your shaker. Then muddle until they are broken up into a chunky paste.
Step 2: Egg Whites
Next add the white of 1 medium egg the large side of your cocktail shaker. We’re keeping this separate from the other ingredients for now because you don’t want to potentially waste your more expensive ingredients if you accidentally get some yolk in your drink.
Step 3: Add the Rest of the Liquids
Now we’ll add in the rest of the liquids to the small side of the shaker in this order:
- .5oz Simple Syrup
- 1oz Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
- 2oz Botanical Gin
Step 4: Shake, shake, Shake
Pour the liquids from the small tin into the larger one and shake vigorously for about a minute until the tin feels pressurized and the mixture has become frothy
This process is called dry shaking. We’re shaking the mixture without ice in order to emulsify the egg white and created a thicker, creamier texture for our drink.
Step 5: Add the Ice
Open your shaker and add in your ice. Shake again until the shaker is cold to the touch and it has developed a layer of frost on the outside
Step 6: Double Strain
Open your shaker again and, using our Hawthorne and fine strainers, double strain your drink into your cocktail glass of choice.
Step 7: Double Strain
Lastly take your basil leaf and place it in the palm of your hand. Use your other hand to slap the basil, expressing some of the aromatics and oils from it. Then nest it in the egg white on the edge of your drink as garnish.
And that’s it! You’ve made “The Flightless Bird”! Let us know if you tried it, if you liked it, or if you have your own cocktail that you’d like for us to try. Until next time friends.
Salud!