Ina Garten's Favorite Cocktail Is As Classy As She Is
When you puzzle over why Ina Garten is called the Barefoot Contessa, you might think of the Hamptons, fresh ingredients, and Jeffrey. Garten has cultivated an image of a kind, welcoming, and wealthy hostess. So, it's no surprise her favorite cocktail would be a delicious classic: the whiskey sour. She revealed this in a segment on "Late Night with Seth Meyers."
Garten's variation of this classic cocktail only consists of four ingredients: whiskey, simple syrup, lime juice, and lemon juice. The drink is usually served on ice in a rocks glass. Its simplicity is why it's both a classic and classy. Just don't confuse it with the whiskey smash. The simple syrup cuts the heat of the whiskey, while the lime and lemon juice give it a refreshing, sour bite. Like all great cocktails, it has visual appeal: The dark brown whiskey is brightened into a yellow color and accentuated with a maraschino cherry. The whiskey sour is equally at home at a dimly lit cocktail bar, a sports bar, your next cookout, or even just a simple night in.
Should you add egg white to your whiskey sour?
Since there are so few elements, the quality and kind of ingredients you use in a whiskey sour will make or break it. Ina Garten's recipe uses Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, surely because it's available everywhere and a kind of American classic. Most recipes will call for bourbon, but plenty of folks find it too cloyingly sweet when paired with simple syrup. Rye whiskey is a great option if you want your whiskey sour to contain a bit of a spicy, cinnamon-like edge.
The real dividing line, though, is the egg white. Garten's recipe does not include it, but a lot do. Some say it turns into a Boston sour if you add egg. So, what's the right choice? The egg white imparts no flavor and is not hazardous to your health; however, it does add protein that, when shook with all the other ingredients, creates a white froth on top. It gives the cocktail an added texture most find very appealing. Whether you want to add egg white or not is up to you, but I bet you won't regret it if you do.