Fizzolicious!

The 2012 presidential campaign seems well underway, which makes it an opportune time to discuss one of my favorite “politician cocktails.”  The Gin Fizz is the perfect match for a politician, not because of its inappropriate use of a helicopter, but because it can change to please anyone.  If you want a little more body add both lemon and lime juice, an egg white, and it’s a Silver Fizz.  You don’t like its position on Medicare reform add some cream to the Silver mix and it’s a Ramos.

The Fizz in general is a large category of drink.  The Gin Fizz is probably the best known, but you can also find versions made with Tequila, Bourbon, Vodka, Rum, and I’m sure just about every other type of spirit.  In its simplest form, a fizz is a drink that contains booze, sugar, some kind of citrus juice, and carbonation.  So, once you have that foundation you can pretty much indulge your booze muse.

Unfortunately, the Fizz often gets a little out of hand with the addition of multiple ingredients and more complex mixing methods.  I have nothing but love for the professional bartenders pushing the bounds of modern mixology, but raw egg whites and dairy products have no place in a party bar.  Amateur bartenders mixing drinks for friends at a party should stay away from complex recipes that require a lot of time and practice to master.  And, that also applies to sugar as an individual ingredient.  A traditional Fizz recipe calls for sugar to be added as a separate ingredient, but sugar quickly and easily turns into a sticky mess.  Enjoy your friends, enjoy the party, and keep things simple.  This recipe for a traditional-ish Gin Fizz eliminates sugar as a separate ingredient in favor of lemon-lime soda.  You combine the sugar and carbonation into one easy-to-handle ingredient, which also brings additional flavors to the drink.

                                                          Ingredients

                               * 2 oz. Gin  * ½ oz. Lemon Juice  * 6 oz. Lemon/Lime Soda

Start with an 8-10 oz. glass, like a Highball or Collins.  Obviously, a plastic cup of similar volume would work and avoid breakage issues after the second round.  With the drinking vessel of choice half full of ice, pour in the Gin, Lemon Juice, and top off with the Lemon-Lime Soda.  Give it a stir and garnish with a lemon wedge or just drink it “naked.”  If you’re feeling fancy, add ½ oz. of cream.  Keep in mind that a Ramos Fizz has cream and a raw egg white.  I don’t recommend anyone consuming raw egg.  Nothing ruins the party mood like vomiting and diarrhea caused by salmonella.  If you blow me off and still want to add and egg white at least use one the Pasteurized products that are available.  Enjoy the fizz and Live the Party!

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