Nurse your whiskey sour, the vegan way!
Still as frothy and just as crisp, you won't be able to tell this one apart from the OG
Let's be real. Most cocktails are vegan. But there are some catch-22s where one big little ingredient makes all the difference on the marker.
And for a classic bar staple stir like whiskey sour, it's egg whites. The foamy layer which softly parts to let the sharp and taut whiskey hit your lips, is nothing but the gooey egg shaken to a froth. Those new in the cocktail game may make a face, but a true veteran knows that once you've experienced egg white-magic in a bar, there's no going back.
Except there could be? And aquafaba is the answer. Put simply, it's the liquid in a can of chickpeas and much like egg whites, it has a slippery texture while maintaining a thick consistency, making it quite literally the perfect replacement for egg whites in any and all recipes, not just cocktails. To add to its appeal, aquafaba comes with no eggy essence which is not the case with egg whites (for obvious reasons).
All of this to say, aquafaba is smooth. So smooth that you might just switch from egg whites to aquafaba full time as far as cocktails are concerned. Follow the recipe below.
Vegan whiskey sour
Ingredients: Whiskey (bourbon works too here) - 2 ounces, fresh lemon juice - 1 ounce, agave (maple syrup or homemade simple syrup are also options) - 3/4 ounce, aquafaba - 1/2 ounce, orange bitters or regular bitters - 3 dashes; for garnishing (pick one) — mint leaves, dried orange slice, Luxardo cherry
Method: Pile your whiskey, lemon juice, choice of sweetener, aquafaba and bitters into a shaker tin and do the needful. Now go in with some ice and repeat. Strain into a cocktail glass — a martini or a coupe glass looks best for this. Add your choice of garnish and serve up.
(recipe from Two Jade Bowls)
The weekend demands you go vegan — at least with your whiskey sours!
