Opa! 2 For $35 Recipe

Prepare glass

Chill a highball or Collins glass by filling it with ice and cold water while you mix the cocktail.

If using egg white: perform a dry shake first. Combine gin, lemon juice, honey syrup, orange juice and egg white in a cocktail shaker without ice. Dry shake vigorously for 15 seconds to emulsify and build froth.

Add ice to the shaker (enough to fill), then shake again vigorously for 10–12 seconds to chill and dilute.

Discard ice and water from the chilled glass and add fresh ice (cracked or cubed). Strain the shaken cocktail into the prepared glass, leaving room at the top for soda and the aquavit/ouzo float.

Top with 2 oz club soda poured gently to preserve the froth. Carefully float 0.25 oz aquavit or ouzo over the back of a spoon onto the drink so it sits in a fragrant layer.

Garnish with a mint sprig and a lemon wheel on the rim. Serve with a straw or sip as-is to let the ouzo/aquavit aroma rise as you drink.

If you want an accented rim: mix the coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper on a small plate. Wet the outside rim of a wine or large rocks glass with a grapefruit wedge and dip into the salt-pepper mixture. Set glass aside.

Fill the glass with ice to chill. In a mixing glass or shaker filled with ice, combine ouzo, dry vermouth, grapefruit juice and simple syrup. Stir gently for about 10 seconds to chill and dilute.

Strain mixture into the prepared glass over fresh ice, leaving room for club soda.

Top with 2 oz club soda and give the drink one gentle stir to integrate. The anise notes of the ouzo will slightly louche (turn cloudy) when mixed with the juices and soda—this is expected and desirable.

Express a grapefruit twist over the drink (pinch to release oils) and drop it in as garnish. Serve immediately and enjoy by the water.

Combine 3 tablespoons honey and 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until honey dissolves and mixture is homogenous. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Transfer to a small jar and refrigerate. Use 1/2 oz per cocktail as specified. Syrup will keep up to 2 weeks refrigerated.