Morning Glory is a highly resilient bindweed that opens its flowers at the first sunbeams and closes them when shadows fall.
In the English-speaking world, “Morning Glory” also refers to cheerful early birds whose unwarranted morning optimism irritates sleepy late risers.
Morning Glory Fizz is a cocktail created to help night owls survive the morning onslaught and make early birds even more cheerful.
Nowadays, a person who has just woken up typically makes a cup of coffee to prepare for the day’s tasks. Those who are health-conscious might mix a spinach smoothie or simply drink a glass of water with lemon juice.
In the past, a self-respecting gentleman would start his morning with a glass of grog, sherry, or a refreshing cocktail. A whole category of cocktails was designed for a good morning start, reflected in their names: Corpse Reviver, Pick Me Up, Eye Opener, Between the Sheets, and Morning Glory Fizz.
Morning Glory Fizz appeared in the second half of the 19th century, first mentioned in George Winter’s “How to Mix Drinks” and O.H. Byron’s “The Modern Bartender’s Guide,” published in 1894.
As its name suggests, Morning Glory Fizz belongs to the fizz family. Fizzes are cocktails consisting of a spirit (usually gin), lemon, sugar, and any kind of carbonated water. They emerged on the cocktail scene in the second half of the 19th century, with the first recipes published in 1876 in “Bartender’s Guide” by Jerry Thomas. Fizzes were especially popular in the first half of the 20th century.
Fizzes are typical long drinks, similar to their relatives, the Collinses. However, while Collinses are served on ice and mixed in the glass, fizzes are served without ice, shaken previously in a shaker with ice, and then topped with soda. They are nice, refreshing drinks for a warm summer day.
Fizzes are often made with eggs. Here are the typical types of fizzes:
-Silver Fizz – with egg white
-Golden Fizz – with egg yolk
-Royal Fizz – with a whole egg
-Diamond Fizz – with sparkling wine instead of carbonated water
Now, let’s return to Morning Glory Fizz. Technically, it is a silver fizz because it is made with egg white. However, unlike the more common gin or rum base, Morning Glory Fizz uses Scotch whisky, which gives the cocktail a special aroma and makes it particularly appealing to Scotch lovers. A splash of absinthe adds a light, refreshing anise aroma.
Thus, Morning Glory Fizz
Ingredients:
– 2 oz/ 60 ml Scotch whiskey
– 1/6 oz/ 5 ml Absinthe
– 2/3 oz/ 20 ml Fresh Lemon Juice
– 1/3 oz/ 10 ml Fresh Lime Juice
– 1/2 oz/ 15 ml Sugar Syrup
– 2/3 оz/ 20 ml Egg White
– soda
Process:
A properly made Morning Glory Fizz boasts a high foamy head. To achieve such foam, there are a few tricks to follow. First, shake all ingredients except the soda with ice and strain the mixture back into the shaker. Shake again without ice—this dry shaking technique, typical for cocktails with egg white, helps form a stable foam.
Next, slowly pour about two-thirds of the shaker’s contents into a chilled highball glass while simultaneously pouring soda with your other hand into the same glass. Both the shaker and soda bottle should be held reasonably high above the glass rim. Allow the glass contents to settle for 1-2 minutes, preferably in the refrigerator or freezer. Then, pour the remaining contents of the shaker into the glass.
Drink the cocktail immediately.
Byron, one of the authors who first published the Morning Glory Fizz recipe, remarked: “To be drank immediately, or the effect will be lost. It is a morning beverage, a tonic, and a nerve quieter.”
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