Imagine you are walking barefoot down a private, serene beach at sunset, cool silky sand beneath your feet, with the calming sounds of waves gently crashing on the shore, and the glowing orange sun shimmering on the water as an occasional seagull flies overhead. No one else is around, yet you feel so comforted by the warm sea breeze blowing through your hair. A light ocean mist caresses your face as you admire the first glimmering star in the darkening sky. You open your eyes to realize that you are standing in your kitchen and you just had a sip of your first Granada Sour. It takes you a moment to adjust, as if you just woke up from a pleasant dream. But in reality, you were in the same place the entire time, and only a few seconds had passed. Let us explain.
This dreamy cocktail is called a Granada Sour, and we named it this for a few reasons. Granada means “pomegranate” in Spanish, and we thought this tropical caribbean-inspired rum-based drink should have a name that reflected its heritage. A “sour” is a type of classic cocktail, a drink that contains liquor, lemon or lime juice, and a sweetener (Margaritas are perhaps the best-known type of Sour cocktail). Here we use white rum as a base, adding pure unsweetened pomegranate juice, a touch of intensely concentrated pomegranate molasses, and freshly squeezed lime. These vibrant and tangy ingredients are balanced out with a splash of simple syrup, enhancing the tart candy-like flavor of the sweet ruby-red juice. And for a final touch, the secret ingredient that gives this charming drink its smooth, velvety texture is an egg white, which is traditionally used in making Sour cocktails.
Egg whites have been added to cocktails for over a hundred years. They have almost no flavor, but when shaken with other ingredients, they give the drink a creamy texture with a light frothy foam on top. You may be wondering how this can be safe, since we have been told that “raw eggs are dangerous.” In fact, drinking cocktails made with egg whites is quite safe. There are a few types of people—young children and pregnant women for instance—that should stay away from raw eggs, but since they shouldn’t be drinking cocktails anyway, this won’t be an issue. The other key ingredient here is pomegranate molasses, a tart and slightly sweet syrup made from concentrated juice. It is common in middle-eastern cooking and we add it here for a burst of pure pomegranate flavor. Using a white rum, which has a milder flavor than darker rums, accentuates the fruit flavors, and the clear liquor allows the beautiful garnet color of the juice to truly shine. It may be the tail end of pomegranate season, but thankfully you can make these elegant drinks any time of year, so you are never more than five minutes away from a dreamy tropical vacation. Even if you never leave home.
Granada Sour
makes 1 cocktail
2 oz white rum
3/4 oz lime juice
3/4 oz unsweetened 100% pomegranate juice
3/4 oz simple syrup (see note)
3/4 teaspoon pomegranate molasses
1 egg white
Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker without ice, and shake for about 15 seconds. Add ice to fill shaker 3/4 full, and shake again for 15 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass without ice. Enjoy!
note:
— Simple syrup can be made easily be combining equal parts granulated sugar and water in a small pan, and stirring over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Transfer the syrup to a heatproof container for storage, and let cool before using.
— Pomegranate molasses can be found online, or in many grocery stores, especially those that cater to a middle-eastern clientele.
— Pure unsweetened 100% juice is available at natural food stores, and can often be found at Trader Joes. Using a sweetened pomegranate juice blend will not work for this drink.
— Use the freshest eggs you can find, keep them refrigerated, and make sure they are clean and uncracked. Rinse the eggs off and crack them just before making the drink so the white stays fresh.
— Do not use pasteurized eggs. They are not suited for making cocktails since they have a slightly unpleasant, processed flavor.