Seventh Avenue Sour Recipe

Measure and combine

Chill a coupe or Nick & Nora glass by placing it in the freezer or filling briefly with ice water. In a cocktail shaker, add 2 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon, 0.5 oz Zucca Amaro, 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice, and 0.5 oz honey syrup (1:1 honey to hot water).

Dry shake

Add 1 whole egg white to the shaker. Without ice, shake vigorously for 15–20 seconds (a 'dry shake') to emulsify the egg white and create body.

Wet shake and double-strain

Add a large handful of ice to the shaker and shake vigorously for another 12–15 seconds until the shaker feels very cold and the exterior becomes frosty. Double-strain the cocktail through a fine mesh strainer into the chilled glass to remove ice shards and any coagulated egg bits.

Prepare foam mixture

In a small metal or heatproof mixing cup, gently combine 1.5 oz chilled Champagne (or dry sparkling wine) with 0.25 oz simple syrup (optional) to help stabilize the foam. If you prefer a stiffer foam, use a small hand whisk or an electric milk frother.

Aerate foam

Pour the Champagne mixture into a small frothing jar or use a handheld milk frother/immersion blender to create a light foam. Alternatively, you can very gently whisk the Champagne with a small amount of egg white (NOT recommended if avoiding additional raw egg) to increase foam stability—this recipe already uses one egg white in the base, so keep topping egg-free if desired.

Top the cocktail

Using a spoon to hold back the foam, slowly pour the Champagne liquid over the cocktail, then spoon the created foam on top to form a 1/4–1/2 inch layer of champagne foam.

Very gently apply 2 dashes of Angostura bitters to the foam surface (optional) and use a toothpick to create a simple design if desired. Express a lemon twist over the glass to release oils, wipe the rim with the twist, and drop it into the drink as garnish.

Serve immediately while the foam is fresh. The Seventh Avenue Sour should present a silky sour body from the egg white and honey syrup, bitter complexity from Zucca, and a delicate effervescence and aroma from the champagne foam.