Orange Gin Flip
The long anticipation of Spring is just around the bend here in the PNW. The bulbs are popping up and the leaves on my blueberry bushes are starting to unfurl. All of these signs pointing towards Spring are just a tease, we all know that hopefully by mid April we'll have sunny days and blue sky. I always get a little bit twitchy this time of year in hopes of good weather or just a day with no rain. Thank goodness for Mt. Hood and bluebird days on the mountain, getting above the clouds will always brighten ones psyche.
If I can't get above the the clouds I try to incorporate pick-me-ups like a sauna, yoga, a soak at Knot Springs or a little lemon oil in the diffuser in my kitchen. The little things that can help you power through a grey day. If those options are not available then a citrusy cocktail will work nicely. I had recently dehydrated oranges and was trying to come up with some ideas on incorporating them into some recipes, mean while my boys were munching on the oranges like they were chips. I remembered that one of my favorite treats as a kid was an Orange Julius. I absolutely loved them and I would always have them blend in an egg.......no joke, I'm pretty sure they don't do that anymore, I loved that combo. That memory spurred the idea for this cocktail and its pretty safe to say it may just be my fave.
I had dehydrated oranges on had which gave me the ability to powder them and sift on top of the cocktail. It really gives a nice flavor with each sip. If you don't have dehydrated oranges on hand add a large piece of the orange rind and give it a little squeeze to release the oils before placing in the drink or you can always garnish with a thin slice of fresh orange.
Note: I have 5 lovely chickens who supply me with the freshest egg whites possible. If I don't have fresh eggs from them I always source mine from a farmers market when I'm consuming them raw. Egg whites from older eggs have distinct flavor that can be very off putting in a cocktail.
Cheers,
Lisa
Orange Gin Flip
Ingredients
1 oz fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
3/4 oz vanilla simple syrup
1 1/2 oz gin
1 egg white, whisked
dehydrated or fresh oranges for garnish
Preparation
Combine fresh orange juice, lemon juice, vanilla simple syrup, gin and 1/2 of the whisked egg white in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Add ice to shaker and shake until chilled. Strain into glass and garnish with sliced orange and a dusting of dehydrated powdered orange if you have it.
Vanilla Simple Syrup
1 cup superfine sugar
1 cup water
1/2 vanilla bean
Combine sugar, water and vanilla bean in a sauce pan and gently heat until sugar is dissolved. Cool syrup in a sterilized container in the refrigerator.