The Egg Situation

In my research for my first column due to hit the pages of Vintage Life Magazine, both digitally and in print, May 2010 I spent many hours researching, shaking and tasting forgotten vintage cocktails. As I measured out citrus, alcohol, bitters, etc., I would have to say that the most interesting ingredient I came across was...drum roll please...raw egg white.

There has been a lot of scuttle about the use of raw egg whites in cocktails lately, especially with the rise in popularity of vintage cocktails and after a NYC bar got dinged by the health department for using these little guys in their cocktails. I tend to take the position of personal responsibility. You're an adult, if you're ordering a drink you should have some knowledge of what's in it...and who am I to tell you what's best for you? As long as you're aware of the potential risks to you and as long as you're not harming anyone else, who am I to tell you what you can and can't have? But the bottom line is that salmonella is relitively rare these days. If that is your main concern though, the citrus and alcohol used in these cocktails should take care of any of those nasty bacteria. I've had a few experimental cocktails with the suspect shaken in over the past month or so and am still alive to tell the tale.

I know that raw egg white sounds kinda freaky for a cocktail, but take my word for it...it really does add a great texture to those cocktails that call for it...and no, it isn't slimy. It's actually pretty foamy - it's a nice addition. So if you're daring, make sure your eggs are fresh (see "Things to Know" in "The Pampered Paramour" for testing eggs for freshness), search out some vintage cocktails that call for raw egg white, grab your cutting board and shaker and get to it! You only live once and these cocktails are too good to miss.