With a build including soda, a spirit, and a dollop of protein via an egg white, the Ramos Gin Fizz is the ultimate hangover helper. An all-inclusive hair of the dog, if you will. The Achilles heel of this drink, however, is that its preparation requires bartenders to turn their cocktail shakers into Shake Weights, and shake away for at least five minutes to achieve the drink’s signature gravity-defying head. Some talented mixologists have even been known to pass one shaker around behind the bar to keep the momentum going and prevent any sore biceps.
Time, temperature, and energy are all major currency in cocktail bars. So, it comes as no surprise that the Ramos Gin Fizz isn’t as common a menu item as a Martini or Margarita. On the other hand, it is undoubtedly one of the prettiest drinks out there, making it a certified “gimme” cocktail — one that someone sees from across that bar, and says “gimme one of those” before even knowing what it is. As aesthetically pleasing as it may be, however, the painstaking, 10-minute preparation time is enough of a deterrent for bartenders to avoid the drink altogether.
But what if there were a way to eliminate the muscle-straining extended shake and, as a consequence, put the Ramos on a permanent cocktail menu? At The Gem in Bolton Landing, N.Y., Richie Boccato and team have done just that. Better yet, they’ve managed to do so without fancy equipment or molecular techniques. This isn’t cheating, folks. It’s progress.
Today on the “Cocktail College” podcast, host Tim McKirdy is joined for the third time by Boccato himself, who is here to give a crash course on pasteurized egg white powder, charcoal salt, and, of course, his Ramos Gin Fizz. Tune in for more.
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Richie Boccato’s Ramos Gin Fizz Recipe
Ingredients
- ⅜ ounce fresh lemon juice
- ⅜ ounce fresh lime juice
- ⅞ ounce Demerara syrup (2:1)
- 1 ½ ounces Old Tom Gin, such as Barr Hill, Hayman’s, or Greenhook
- 4 or 5 drops orange flower water
- 1 ½ teaspoons pasteurized egg white powder
- Pinch (tip of teaspoon) charcoal salt
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender with a heaped scoop (8-10 ounces) crushed ice.
- Blend on a high setting until chilled and all ingredients fully incorporated.
- Pour into a chilled Collins glass.
- Garnish with an orange “rose,” made with a mint sprig and a cherry on a bamboo skewer.
