Don't Fear The Egg White Cocktail

There are some dishes I only trust a professional to make: medium-rare steaks, tuna tartare, and egg white cocktails. Not sure why I trust a stranger more than myself, but this is where we are. I've begun to dig into these fears. First up: tackling those frothy cocktails.

These are drinks to order at high-volume bars, where there's going to be a high turnover in product, and if you want to try at home make sure you're using fresh eggs. "Fresher eggs will 'sit up' more when cracked onto a flat surface and create a superior foam," says Robert Keller, assistant general manager at New York City's Aureole. "Medium or large eggs will do fine, no need for jumbo eggs. Jumbo eggs may create strange textures or add too much volume to the finished product and dilute the profile of the drink."

If you're at a bar, you can leave the rest of the process to the professionals. But home bartenders might need to experiment a bit more with their technique. First, there's separating the egg yolk from the whites. Expert bakers will have their own method, but Keller recommends using an empty water bottle to suction out the middle. Next, the shake, the most iconic of bartender moves and the source of the froth. "The most important piece isn't going to be shaking it with the ice, but the 'dry shake' before adding ice to the shaker tin," Keller explains. After you've added the ice, Keller says you should shake until "your arms are sore." Finally, the spirit. Keller recommends an aged gin. "It allows for some complex flavors and creations while keeping the drink light and refreshing at the same time."

Even after the professional tutorial, I'm still too scared to try this on my own at home. Ultimately, I'm willing to pay for the bartender's expertise, especially when it comes to an ingredient as touchy as egg whites — and I'll stick to eating my raw eggs in cookie dough.