The Story Behind The Storybook Sour

As one of Los Angeles’s most influential bartenders, Harry Chin is no stranger to finding inspiration in unexpected places. In his role as the bar director at Here’s Looking At You, Chin has made a name for himself by fashioning unique cocktail menus from an eclectic variety of influences.

In one iteration of his seasonally changing menu, Chin featured libations that celebrated trailblazing local entrepreneurs and artists. For the Storybook Sour, a zesty, rum-based cocktail, Chin looked to Stacey Nishimoto, the owner of The Corner Store, an online vintage clothing boutique with a cult following. Mirroring her avant-garde sensibilities, Chin’s cocktail is a playful, liquid representation of what Nishimoto calls “storybook fashion.”

The Storybook Sour is shaken with cane syrup and egg whites, which adds a silky texture. A trailblazer himself, Chin employs a maple syrup dispenser to add the egg, allowing him to incorporate the precise amount necessary for the perfect froth.

Ingredients

2 ounces aged rum (Chin recommends Botran Reserva or Bacardi 8)
1 ounce lemon juice
¾ ounce Rhum J.M. Sirop de Canne
½ ounce egg white
1 muddled kumquat

Directions

Shake the ingredients with a lot of ice.
Fine strain (using a hawthorne and fine mesh strainer) into a 6-ounce stemmed sour glass.
Garnish with a dash of Peychaud's Bitters.