Episode 51 - Risky Fizzness - Two Fizzy Cocktails!

Fizzy drinks.  Who doesn’t like fizzy drinks?  Well, probably lots of people but that’s ok.  Maybe they at least like the idea of fizzy drinks.  

The Gentlemen of Elegant Leisure once again dipped into Oscar Haimo’s “Cocktail and Wine Digest - The Barmen’s Bible” for two drinks.  This time under the category, “FIZZ”.

Full disclosure . . . the Gents weren’t that thrilled with these drinks.  The title of this episode is better than these drinks.  In fact, Gent Jason is now going to try ordering more “fizzes” when he’s out and about, just to see if the more modern recipe for the fizz packs a little more punch.

If you’d like to try them in all their 1962 glory, here they are.  The best part about these drinks is that one requires an egg yolk and the other requires an egg white.  If you like drinking out of egg shells, these are both "no waste" drinks.  You're welcome, Planet Earth!

Morning Glory Fizz
from Oscar Haimo’s “Cocktail and Wine Digest - The Barmen’s Bible” 1962

1 1/2 ounce Scotch
1 tsp powdered sugar
White of an Egg

Shake with ice and strain into a highball glass with one cube of ice
Fill with Club Soda

Ok.  Here’s the thing.  The scotch is waaaaayyyyy in the background.  Like a mile in the background.  Like the cork of the scotch bottle fell in your drink.   It’s a little bit sweet from the sugar.  It’s a little bit fizzy from the soda.  It’s frothy as hell because of the egg white.  Does it taste good?  Not particularly.  Is it bad?  No.  It’s just boring.  It’s watered down scotch that’s super frothy.  Like get in your way frothy.  Why not just have a little splash of soda with your scotch and forget the other stuff?  This is what made Jason think “there must be MORE to the fizz than just this.”  Stay tuned.

Look at the froth!

Next up . . . the

Golden Fizz
from Oscar Haimo’s “Cocktail and Wine Digest - The Barmen’s Bible” 1962

Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp sugar (we used powdered)
1 1/2 ounce gin
Yolk of 1 egg

Shake with ice and strain into a highball glass with one cube of ice
Fill with Club Soda

Now this is better.  Look at all that juice.  Now the Club Soda has something to dilute other than just the base spirit.  The yolk gives it a lovely colour and not the froth that the egg white gave the other drink. Sugar?  Sure!  Gives it a little sweetness.  But now, why the yolk?  Why not just gin, lemon and sugar with a splash of soda?  It's got to be for the colour and the fact that it gives the drink a little more body.

We honestly don’t know what else to say about these drinks..  They were both fine.  The Golden Fizz was better than the Morning Glory Fizz but how could it not be?  

The final word we’ll be written after further examinations of the “Fizz”.  In one book it says that ice should not be in the same glass as a fizz.  That already sounds like a better idea than these two recipes.

More to come!

Yolky doke!