Earl Of The Andes Recipe

Quick cold infusion

Combine 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender with 4 oz pisco in a small sealed jar. Let steep at room temperature for 1–4 hours, tasting after 1 hour until desired floral intensity. Strain through fine mesh or cheesecloth into a clean bottle. Use infused pisco in the cocktail recipe. Alternatively: to make a lavender simple syrup, steep lavender in 4 oz hot water with 4 oz sugar for 15 minutes, strain and cool; use ½ oz syrup instead of vanilla syrup and lavender bitters.

Chill a coupe or Nick & Nora glass by filling with ice water; set aside. In a cocktail shaker, combine 2 oz lavender-infused pisco (or plain pisco + 1–2 dashes lavender bitters), 0.5 oz Giffard Peach Liqueur, 0.5 oz vanilla syrup, 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice, and 1 cup ice. Shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until well chilled and diluted.

Dump the ice water from the chilled glass. Double-strain the cocktail into the chilled glass to remove small ice shards and any lavender solids.

Brew a strong 2 oz Earl Grey infusion: steep 1 teabag (or 1 tsp loose leaf) in 2 oz near-boiling water for 4 minutes, then cool slightly. Combine the 2 oz brewed Earl Grey, 1 oz heavy cream, 1 pasteurized egg white, 0.25 tsp vanilla extract, 0.25 oz simple syrup (adjust to taste), and 0.25 tsp lecithin powder (optional) in a clean cocktail shaker or small blender.

Dry-shake (no ice) the mixture vigorously for 20–30 seconds to build foam and create microbubbles; if using egg white, perform a double shake: first without ice, then add 4–6 ice cubes and shake again for 10–12 seconds to chill. If using a hand blender with lecithin, blend until a stable foam forms (about 20–40 seconds).

Carefully layer the foam over the strained cocktail: using a bar spoon or the back of a spoon, gently spoon the foam onto the top of the drink to create a 1/2–3/4-inch foam cap. Alternatively, pour slowly to float the foam.

Finish with 1–2 drops of lavender bitters or a light dusting of finely crushed dried lavender on the foam for aroma. Add a dried lavender sprig or a small lemon twist as garnish on the rim or resting on the foam.

Serve immediately and advise guests to inhale the Earl Grey aroma before sipping to enjoy the layered floral and vanilla notes.