Feta Sour Recipe

Infuse feta into spirit

Combine 500 ml ouzo (or neutral spirit) with 125 g crumbled feta in a non-reactive jar. Stir gently to submerge the cheese. Seal and let infuse at cool room temperature for 8–12 hours (overnight). This extracts savory, tangy notes without adding excessive salt.

Strain solids

After infusion, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a bowl to remove curds. Press gently to recover as much liquid as possible. Discard solids (or reserve for cooking).

Clarify via milk/fat wash (optional for silky texture)

To clarify and remove residual proteins and fat, perform a milk/fat wash: Warm 50 ml whole milk to about 35–40°C (do not boil). Add the milk to the strained feta-infused spirit and mix. Let the mixture rest in the fridge 2–4 hours; curds will form and trap particles. Line a funnel with several layers of cheesecloth and slowly pour the mixture through, collecting the clarified spirit. This yields a clear, silky spirit with reduced cloudiness. If you prefer to skip milk wash, you can cold-filter repeatedly through coffee filters until clear.

Adjust volume

If the resulting spirit is slightly reduced, top up with up to 50 ml filtered water to reach desired volume and proof. Chill the clarified spirit before mixing cocktails.

Make a 1:1 honey syrup: combine 80 g honey with 80 ml hot water. Stir until the honey fully dissolves and a smooth syrup forms. Cool to room temperature or chill before use.

Measure 45 ml clarified feta spirit (from above), 22.5 ml fresh lemon juice, and 22.5 ml honey syrup per cocktail. For a batch, use proportions: for every 45 ml spirit use 22.5 ml lemon and 22.5 ml honey syrup. Add 1 egg white per two cocktails (or 1 per cocktail if you prefer a thicker foam—recipe uses 3 egg whites for the batch described).

Dry shake

In a cocktail shaker, add the measured clarified feta spirit, fresh lemon juice, honey syrup, and egg whites. Dry shake (no ice) vigorously for 20–30 seconds to emulsify and build foam.

Wet shake

Add ice to the shaker and shake again vigorously for 12–15 seconds to chill and texture the drink. Double strain into chilled coupe or rocks glass over fresh ice depending on preference.

Taste and adjust: if the cocktail tastes too strong, add up to 15–25 ml cold water per serving and gently stir to integrate. If more sweetness is needed, add small dashes (2–5 ml) of honey syrup and re-shake briefly.

Garnish each cocktail with a light dusting of cracked black pepper or a strip of lemon zest expressed over the foam. Finish with a tiny crumble (about 1–2 g) of feta placed on top of the foam for aroma and visual interest.