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Bon Appétit

Amaro Cocktail

By Joseph Stinchcomb

5.0

(1)

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Photographs by Yudi Ela, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Sophie Strangio

Traditionally, orgeat is almond syrup, but Joseph Stinchcomb, beverage director at Saint Leo in Oxford, MS, has made it with everything from walnuts to pistachios. “It gives a beautiful toasted nut flavor to a cocktail,” he says. “Here I used pecans because they remind me of the family pecan tree at my grandparents’ house in Fayetteville, GA. Roasted pecans. Warm baking spices. Citrusy, caramelly Amaro Montenegro. A bit of spicy rye whiskey. They all work well together to create a cocktail that feels toasty. That’s what I love in a winter drink.” A second shake with an egg white creates a velvety texture and foamy top.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 1

Ingredients

Orgeat

2 cups raw pecans
2 tsp. black peppercorns
1½ tsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. whole allspice
2 cups sugar

Cocktail

1½ oz. Amaro Montenegro
½ oz. Rittenhouse Rye
¾ oz. fresh lemon juice
1 large egg white*
Pecan half (for serving)

Preparation

  1. Orgeat

    Step 1

    Toast pecans, peppercorns, coriander seeds, and allspice in a small saucepan over medium heat until slightly darkened in color and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add sugar and 1⅓ cups water and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Let cool and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof measuring glass; discard solids.

  2. Cocktail

    Step 2

    Combine amaro, rye, lemon juice, and ¾ oz. orgeat in a shaker filled with ice. Shake until outside of shaker is frosty, about 30 seconds. Double-strain into a glass, then return to shaker. Add egg white, cover, and shake again until frothy, about 1 minute. Pour into a chilled coupe glass and top with a pecan.

    * Raw egg is not recommended for the elderly, pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems…or people who don’t like raw egg.

TagsCocktailAlcoholBeveragesPecanNutAmaroLiqueurRye WhiskeyWhiskeyEasyBon Appétit

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