Pisco Sour

Greg Hoitsma, Andina's bartender, is known for his ever-changing seasonal cocktails, but the pisco sour, invented in Peru around 1900, is always on his list. Hoitsma recommends using a pisco (Peruvian grape brandy; see "Peruvian Pantry," below) that has a bit of bite to it--that is, nothing too smooth--to create the balance in this creamy, frothy, limey drink.

Yield: Makes 1 serving

Ingredients

• 1/4  cup  (2 oz.) pisco (see notes)
• 1  tablespoon  sugar
• 1  tablespoon  fresh lime juice
• 1  teaspoon  pasteurized egg whites

Preparation

In a blender, whirl 3 ice cubes, pisco, sugar, fresh lime juice, and egg whites. Whirl until smooth (you'll no longer hear the ice cracking against the side of the blender) and serve straight up in a martini glass with a dash of aromatic bitters and a wedge of lime.

Peruvian Pantry: Pisco. A brandy distilled from several different grape varieties grown in South America, it is the national drink of Peru and comes in many styles--from smooth and sippable to rough and fiery. (Chile also produces pisco, although Peru contends that the Chilean version is not real pisco but a Chilean brandy that needs its own name.) Pisco became popular in California during the Gold Rush, when Peruvian miners there extolled its virtues to fellow fortune-seekers.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

224 (0.0% from fat)

Protein:

0.7g

Fat:

0.2g (sat 0.0)

Carbohydrate:

33g

Fiber:

0.0g

Sodium:

9mg

Cholesterol:

0.0mg