Ramos Fizz

The Ramos Fizz, like all fizz category drinks, involves egg white to get it that amazing white foam. The recipe I looked at in the New York Bartender's Guide would make a pretty disgusting drink, adding the soda and egg white after shaking (which would make for a slimy unshaken fizz). The trick to getting egg white foamy is to shake it with the other ingredients without ice (a dry shake) before adding ice and reshaking (wet shake). Then top with cold soda.

There's some discrepancy about the difference between a fizz and a flip. According to David Wondrich in Imbibe! Flips are egg drinks without soda--low drinks intended to be drunk as a single shot. Fizz drinks aren't supposed to have ice usually. They should also be chilled and served with cold soda after shaking and served in a long (tall) glass the way a Tom Collins should be served. The Ramos Fizz is the tallest of all with ice, cream and 3 ounces of gin. This is why the drink is favored by serious gin drinkers. You can't get it at just any bar because the need for the orange flower water to scent the foam. Be selective when you order one of these Ramos Fizzes, and make it with care if you try it at home.

• 3 oz. gin
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• 1/2 oz. half-and-half
• 3-5 dashes orange flower water
• 1 egg white
• club soda

Combine all ingredients except soda in a shaker. Shake vigorously to create foam. Add ice and shake again until chilled. Pour into a chilled Collins glass. Add ice if necessary and top with soda.