Paris Is Burning Recipe

1. Prepare

Chill a coupe or Nick & Nora glass by filling it with ice water and setting aside. If using an egg white, separate the egg and reserve the white.

2. Dry shake (if using egg white)

Add the egg white (0.5 each) to a cocktail shaker without ice. Add the lemon juice (0.75 oz), simple syrup (0.5 oz), cognac (1.5 oz), cherry liqueur (0.5 oz), curaçao (0.25 oz), and Angostura bitters (2 dashes). Seal and shake vigorously for 10–15 seconds to emulsify and build texture.

3. Wet shake

Open the shaker, add 1 cup of ice, reseal and shake hard for 12–18 seconds until the shaker is very cold and well-chilled (this will both chill and properly dilute the cocktail). If not using egg white, combine all liquid ingredients with ice and shake for 12–18 seconds directly.

4. Strain

Discard ice water from the chilled glass. Double-strain the cocktail into the chilled coupe using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer to remove ice shards and any coagulated egg white for a silken texture.

5. Finish

Express the oils of the lemon twist over the surface of the cocktail by holding the twist skin-side down and giving it a quick squeeze, then run it around the rim and drop it into the drink. Add the Luxardo cherry on a pick and rest across the rim or drop into the glass.

6. Serve immediately while cold. The cocktail should be bright, lightly tart from the lemon, round from the cognac, and have a sweet-fruity note from the cherry liqueur with subtle orange from the curaçao and spice from the bitters.

7. If serving on the rocks, fill an old-fashioned glass with fresh ice (0.5 cup), and pour the strained cocktail over the ice; garnish the same way.