The Silver Fizz

And now we'll wrap up Cocktail Week with one last oddball... the Silver Fizz. Gin, sugar, lemon juice... and raw egg white, "often served as breakfast for the 19th-century drinking man". If you use the yolk as well it becomes a Royal Fizz, but I'm going to stick with the Silver recipe. You've got to watch out for these things. Become known as the guy who likes raw egg cocktails and suddenly people start moving away when you step up to the bar.

I've had one of these before but failed to document it. This is an easy cocktail to make, just shake the hell out of it before pouring. Around the time that the shaker becomes almost painfully cold, the sound will change and the contents will become more solid than fluid. With a nod towards the British favourite pink gin I added a few dashes of Angostura bitters.

This is a frothy, opaque, slightly sweet beverage that goes down as easily as melted ice cream, placing it firmly in the category of cocktails that will sneak up on you. The egg white provides a smooth and luscious texture, and the gin, lemon juice, and bitters contribute to a great flavor.