It’s five o’clock somewhere, so treat yourself to this classic sweet-and-sour cocktail that’s as festive as it is delicious.
| By guest chef Leslie Whalen |
You’ve probably heard of the amaretto sour. But aquafaba? This exotic-sounding ingredient may be foreign to you—no surprise, since it’s only been a thing for the past few years.
Aquafaba sounds glamourous, but it couldn’t be more basic: It’s the liquid in a can of chickpeas (or the liquid leftover from cooked chickpeas).
Whip it up, and it can stand in for meringue. You can also use it to make vegan mayo or add to recipes as whipped egg white substitute. The list goes on.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It’s cocktail hour!
Let’s play bartender.
Presumably created in America in the 1970s, the amaretto sour is a delightful blend of sweet, sour, and nutty. No sour mix here (ick)—all ingredients are fresh. Aquafaba replaces the traditional egg white topper.
Amaretto Sour With Aquafaba
Equipment
- Cocktail Shaker
Ingredients
- 2 oz amaretto
- 1 oz citrus juice (I mixed lemon and orange)
- 1 dash bitters
- 1 tbsp aquafaba
- 1 oz simple syrup (Optional) (Equal parts sugar and water)
- cherry and orange for garnish
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake one minute.
- Strain, pour into a cocktail glass, (the aquafaba will rise to the surface and form a beautiful, foamy head) and garnish with cherry and orange. (I use Filthy Foods BlackCherries and organic orange peel.)
- Bottoms up!
Let us know if the amaretto sour made it into your ‘it’s five o’clock somewhere” repertoire.
Leslie Whalen is a Key West-based middle-school reading teacher by day, kitchen (and cocktail) sorceress by night. Give her just about any ingredient combo, and she’ll turn it into something magical.
Photos by TK. ©2020