While traveling through Peru we became quite enamoured with the local beverage, the Pisco Sour. My husband is a beer connoisseur and prefers to taste all the local brews while I prefer a tart cocktail that hits my toes almost as fast as I can blink. But we both liked this foamy drink made with fresh lime and frothed egg while. Unfortunately, due to the fact that Peru was not the last stop on our world backpacking tour, we did not buy any to bring back out of fear of customs and it smashing in our backpacks. And we sorely disappointed to find it was a difficult purchase back home (hopefully you don't have this dilemma). However, the booze gods heard our pleas and sent my husband to Chile for work only a few years later where he brought back a big beautiful bottle of Pisco and various mix kits -- including purple corn and mango (though in my opinion the original lime is the best). Now, you can make virgin Pisco sours, and I have imbibed in these whilst pregnant, but there is nothing quite like a true Pisco sour, the booze really does make the drink. And the drink is spectacular.
Excerpt
Elissa
had been right; it was a party hostel. No matter what time of day it was, bass, loud
and heavy, beat around the building, and
it was no different up on the pool deck.
“Did
you know that Lima is home to one of the oldest
higher-learning institutions in the New World? The National University of
San Marcos,
which was founded in 1551 during the Spanish colonial regime, is the oldest
continuously functioning university in the Americas.”
He tipped back his beer and lifted his aviator-clad
eyes up to meet mine. All I saw was my own
reflection, and I was giving him an amused half-smirk. “What?” he asked.
I giggled. “I can’t figure you out. Beast in the sack. Bossy as fuck, but then you’re also this adorable, fact-spewing nerd.”
Even though I couldn’t see his eyes I didn’t need to to read
his body language, and suddenly I found myself beneath him, in front of
everyone on the pool deck.
He stretched himself on top of me. “I’ll show you who’s a
nerd, woman.” He went to grab my hand, and I can only assume, whisk me back to
the bedroom, when our plan of more naughtiness was suddenly interrupted.
“There
you are,” Elissa sang, coming up beside us, looking incredible in her hot-pink
bikini. Matt was in her wake, board shorts hanging low and a towel draped
around his neck.
“How
were the caves? Or were they tunnels?” I asked. Derrick
moved back over to his own lounger and took a swig of his beer. I followed suit
and took a sip of my pisco sour, this drink that Elissa had introduced to me
the night before and had quickly become an addictive favorite. Pisco was a
clear brandy local to Peru and Chile, and bartenders
added fresh-squeezed lemon or lime, simple syrup,
and a frothed egg white. It was cool,
tart and refreshing, like summer in a boozy glass, and I was already on my
fourth for the afternoon.
“Tunnels.”
She grinned, pulling up a lounge chair next to me. “They were cool. Is that a pisco?”
I
nodded and took another sip, frowning when I realized it was empty, my straw
making that slurpy sound at the bottom.
Derrick
chuckled. “Empty?”
I
pouted and nodded again.
He
stood up and nodded at Elissa; she
grinned with a wink.
“Fear
not m’ladies, for I shall replenish your
beverages.” And he sauntered toward the
bar, looking sexy as hell in his black board shorts, while Matt loped after
him.
 |
| Image courtesy of https://whatsgabycooking.com/pisco-sour/img_7476/ |
Sour Cocktail Every Time
To get the most authentic version of this classic Peruvian cocktail, be sure to heed the following tips:
- Tip 1: Very tart lime juice is essential. Many recipes call for lemon juice, possibly a translation error from the Spanish word limon. Limones are actually small South American limes, similar to key limes (also known as "Peruvian lemons").
- Tip 2: Remember that the skin of limes has a lot of essential oils that can be a tad too bitter and sour, so when squeezing your limes, be sure to keep the flesh side facing down and not running down the lime peel. Also, don't drop the lime in as garnish after it’s been squeezed into your drink as it will also tamper with the taste.
- Tip 3: Keep the simple syrup really simple. You can use any recipe for simple syrup you want, but the easiest and yummiest option is to forgo the weird sweeteners, artificial sweeteners or expensive syrups and just do 1:1 ratio of sugar to water and mix.
- Tip 4: Don’t be scared of using real egg whites. You can always use pasteurized liquid egg whites from a container, but the texture is not quite the same and can affect the look and taste of an authentic pisco sour.
- Tip 5: Shake your cocktail well so that when you pour it into an old-fashioned glass, you get a nice 1/2-inch layer of foam on top.
- Tip 6: Don't stress if you don't have Angostura bitters on hand, you can do without. Instead, you can try a sprinkle of cinnamon on top of the foam, but that is not necessary either.
What You'll Need
- 3 ounces pisco
- 1 ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce key lime juice
- 1 egg white
- 2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
How to Make It
- Mix the pisco, lime juice, simple syrup, and egg white in a cocktail shaker.
- Add ice to fill, and shake vigorously. Alternatively, you can use a blender if you don't have a shaker.
- Strain into an old-fashioned glass, and sprinkle the Angostura bitters on top of the foam.
- Serve immediately.
Recipe Courtesy of https://www.thespruce.com/clasico-pisco-sour-cocktail-recipe-3029217
Life is full of second chances…
Piper Valentine knows all too well that life is short. Off to Peru to heal after a grievous loss, she finds more than solace in the hot, charismatic travel journalist sitting across from her on the airplane. Derrick King’s had a brush with death, too, but he has no idea that he’ll face it again—and again—after giving in to his instant attraction to Piper. Their journey to the top of the world, filled with parties, humor, and fun, is turned topsy-turvy as they’re pursued by mysterious gunmen.
Determined to reach Machu Picchu and fulfill her promise to her dead husband, Piper finds that having Derrick along makes her feel safer, even as his lust for her endangers her heart. She’s never found another man so sensual, and with danger on their trail, they keep ending up in each other’s arms. Derrick’s a man with needs—and secrets. Will Piper find strength in surrender? And can Derrick find a way to believe in a future—for both of them?
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment