Name: Ramos Gin Fizz
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 2 ounces London dry gin; 1 ounce recipe; 1 ounce egg white; ½ ounce lemon juice; ½ ounce lime juice; ⅛ teaspoon orange blossom water; 1½ ounces heavy cream; 5 ounces seltzer , chilled, divided

Why This Recipe Works

A New Orleans original, this cocktail has a gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice base but adds egg white and heavy cream, which, when shaken and topped with seltzer, create a luscious levitating layer of foam that is like a meringue crossed with an ice cream soda. There's a romantic notion that making this cocktail is a thing of legend, requiring fleets of bartenders to pass the cocktail shaker from one to the next for the 10 minutes of shaking purportedly required. In our tests, we found that extended shaking of this cocktail actually resulted in foam with a curdled, overwhipped texture. Instead, we turned to dry-shaking everything except the ice, cream, and seltzer to maximize the aeration before wet-shaking with the added ice and cream to chill and emulsify the drink. Pouring the cocktail over some of the chilled seltzer gently created the signature top layer of foam, and allowing the cocktail to rest before slowly topping it with the remaining seltzer created a sturdier, denser foam that rose above the edge of the glass (we found that a longer rest led to a more dramatic presentation).

Before You Begin

The orange blossom water contributes an ethereal aroma and flavor; look for it in the international aisle of well-stocked supermarkets or in Indian or Middle Eastern markets. For an accurate measurement of egg white, lightly beat a whole egg white in a bowl and then measure out the desired amount. We prefer to use a Boston shaker for this recipe, as it typically has more room than a cobbler shaker for the expansion of the egg white foam in step 1.

Instructions

Add gin, syrup, egg white, lemon juice, lime juice, and orange blossom water to cocktail shaker and vigorously shake until foamy, 30 to 45 seconds.

Add cream to shaker, then fill with ice. Shake mixture until fully combined and well chilled, about 30 seconds.

Pour 3 ounces seltzer into chilled collins glass. Strain cocktail into glass and let rest for at least 30 seconds or up to 2 minutes. Slowly pour remaining 2 ounces seltzer into glass (foam will rise above rim). Serve.