On a small group tour to Peru, I enjoy a Pisco Sour, the national drink of Peru. After spending a day at Machu Picchu, there is always Happy Hour at the bar in the El Mapi hotel. This is how they are made:
- 3 ounces pisco
- 1 ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce key lime juice
- 1 egg white
- Angostura bitters (2-3 dashes)
- Ice cubes
Mix the pisco, lime juice, simple syrup, and egg white in a cocktail shaker.
Add ice to fill, and shake vigorously.
Strain into an old-fashioned glass, and sprinkle the Angostura bitters on top of the foam.
Serve immediately.
Makes 1 large (8 ounce) cocktail or 2 small cocktails.
On our small group tours to Paris, a Kir Royale is usually enjoyed as an apertif, before dinner. Here is how to make one:
- 1/4 ounce creme de cassis
- 2 1/4 ounces dry white wine
Pour the creme de cassis into a wine glass.
Slowly add the dry white wine.
On our small group tours to Italy, there is nothing like sitting in the Piazza Repubblica at Gigli's and ordering the Italian classic, a Negroni:
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) sweet vermouth
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) Campari
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) dry gin
- 1 cup ice cubes
- 1 navel orange peel twist
In chilled cocktail shaker or pint glass, stir together vermouth, Campari, gin, and ice until well combined. Strain into martini glass and garnish with orange twist.