It's Time to Bring Back the Amaretto Sour

Amaretto is a liqueur I've long associated with the elderly. Not a faceless population of blue-hairs abandoned in nursing homes, mind you, but specifically my own great aunts, who would sip amaretto from cordial glasses during the chilly New England fall. Warm and toasty by the fire, they'd talk about The War while I sat on the floor near their feet and looked through piles of their ancient magazines.

But it'd be a misstep to confine amaretto to geriatric diatribes. A few years ago, people might have said the same thing about sherry, but look how little time it's taken for sherry to go from declassé to cocktail ingredient du jour. Truth be told, amaretto is due for a comeback. Let's start with a twist on the classic amaretto sour.

Today I'm infusing some warm and spicy flavors to give this, erm, liqueur-of-a-certain-age a kick in the pants. Amaretto's almond flavor mixes well with autumnal baking spices; a dash of Angostura bitters adds welcome touches of clove and cinnamon. To keep the drink bright and tart, I muddle fresh ginger directly into lemon juice, then, in true sour fashion, I add an egg white for some silky texture.

Amaretto is only about 25% ABV, so offer this up as a pre-dinner drink for who'd like something less heavy on the booze, or as something light after a big meal. (The muddled ginger here makes for an especially nice digestif.) With that in mind, this recipe is batched for two: you and your dinner guest.