For many, “drinking eggs” conjures up the image of Rocky Balboa, up at the crack of dawn choking down a glass with half-a-dozen fresh-cracked eggs before his morning workout.
This may be effective for up-and-coming boxers dreaming of glory in the ring, but the bar staff at Local 463 posits a use that is much more refreshing.
Their take on the iconic Ramos Gin Fizz, the Magnolia Fizz, features an array of bespoke ingredients, many of which can be duplicated at home, that truly put their signature on the classic drink.
Bar manager David Dulske said this comes with their first issuance of a seasonal menu set to change roughly every six months.
“We have always served cocktails but this is an opportunity to really do something unique to us. We want to focus on local, seasonal ingredients and make cocktails that are truly our own,” Dulske said. “This round we have some tiki drinks and a bunch of other stuff that I think people will enjoy.”
The Ramos Gin Fizz was developed in New Orleans in 1888 by Henry C. Ramos at his bar, the Imperial Cabinet Saloon, on Gravier Street. The drink was a favorite of notorious Louisiana populist politician Huey P. Long, who reportedly would bring a personal bartender among his staff when traveling into Yankee territory to show them how it was done.
Local 463 bartender Alvin Guajardo, who Dulske touts as a "cocktail genius,” developed this particular drink. He said he likes the “frothy texture” the egg white brings to the drink without affecting the flavor, though the vigorous shaking can be tiresome. Ramos reportedly employed as many as 32 “shaker boys” during the 1915 Mardi Gras celebration to keep up with the demand.
Guajardo says, with a little prep, this drink is both beautiful and flavorful whether you are trying to impress guests or need that flair for your Instagram feed. The gin is easily infused by stuffing chamomile tea bags into a gin bottle. Flavor will seep in in as little as an hour but time allows the maker to control the level of flavor infused. Guajardo said that blood oranges can easily be “charred” in an oven around 200 degrees. Egg whites can be separated in mass before serving.
“This drink requires a lot of prep work but I think the final product really speaks for itself. It’s both flavorful and eye-catching,” he said.
All this adds up to one easy sipper for hot summer days. The egg white absorbs the tart of the lemon juice and the infused gin brings a beautiful bouquet flavor where as the harshest tendencies of each ingredient are tamed by the peach syrup and bitters.
Magnolia Fizz
2oz Chamomile Infused Bristow Gin
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2oz Peach Simple Syrup
3 dashes Peach Bitters
Splash of Egg Whites
1/2oz Marsala
Dry Shake for 10 seconds
Fill Shaker with ice and shake vigorously
Double Strain Into Martini Glass
Garnish with Charred Blood Orange
