a bag of flour

I am not much of a bartender, not at all, really. It’s one of those things that has long been on my seemingly endless “I wish I knew how to…”-list.

To be honest, drinks are probably the last thing I think about when preparing for a dinner party. Available choices in our house are usually limited to water, coffee, beer, and wine. If you are invited over for dinner, you can count on Robert or me frantically calling and asking you to pick up something to drink on your way.

Luckily, my wonderful sister-in-law used to work as a bartender and is a total wiz when it comes to mixing cocktails. (Clearly I married very well.)

She is also the one who introduced me to this swoon-worthy concoction.

Even though my exposure to the wondrous world of sours has so far been limited to Margaritas, they have been around for a long time. In fact, they are one of the old families of original cocktails. I may be a bit late to the party, but oh boy, I am planning on enjoying it from here on out.

The Whiskey Sour is one of the most popular old school cocktails and consists of a basic mix of Bourbon, lemon juice, and sugar. Add a dash of egg white and it becomes a Boston Sour.

This not-so-sour version uses a mixture of freshly squeezed orange juice and lemon juice to make it a bit sweeter than the original. For the recipe below, I used the juice of two oranges and one lemon, but you can play around with the ratio until you find the mix that is just right for you.

Instead of using granulated sugar, most cocktail recipes call for simple syrup, which is a 1:1 mixture of regular sugar and water. You can find it at most supermarkets or your local beverage store, but it’s super easy (and a lot cheaper) to make at home.

To make the simple syrup:

1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water in a 1:1 ratio.
2. Bring to a boil, stirring occassionally. The sugar should be completely dissolved.
3. Set aside to cool and fill into a clean jar or bottle for later use.

If you don’t own a cocktail shaker, don’t worry, just grab a Mason jar. It may not make you feel like a professional bartender, but it certainly does the trick until you decide that it’s worth the investment.

The recipe below is for one glass only, but I recommend you plan on making more. Lots more. You can thank me later.

Now that I’m hooked, one of my New Year’s resolutions for 2016 is going to be to add at least five more classic cocktails to my repertoire. But for now, I am indulging in this one.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Per glass:

• 1.5 ounces (3 parts) Bourbon whiskey
• 1 ounce (2 parts) freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice
• 0.5 ounce (1 part) simple syrup
• 0.5 ounce (1 part) egg white
• 1 Maraschino cherry
• orange or lemon zest to garnish
  

1. Combine whiskey, citrus juice, simple syrup, and egg white. Shake with ice.
2. Strain into a chilled glass. (Serve in a cocktail glass or on the rocks in an old fashioned glass.)
3. Garnish with a Maraschino cherry and orange or lemon zest or a half orange orange slice.
   

Enjoy and happy New Year!