Help me recreate an amazing cocktail I had at a bar recently!

December 3, 2018 5:41 PM

While visiting friends in Baltimore we went to a restaurant/bar called Clavel. I ordered a drink called "Almohada" which consisted of the following: Paranubes Oaxacan rum, vanilla, egg white, Nela Raw panela sugar, lime juice, canela (cinnamon?), "served in clay" (it was served in a sort of clay mug with no handle). The drink was a bit creamy/frothy (due to the egg white) and seemed topped with nutmeg, although maybe it was the canela? I want to make this for myself at home. Help!

Knowing those ingredients, I'd love some help from you mixologists in figuring out what proportions you think the drink probably requires. It had no ice in it, as a note. It was a dark white in color and was garnished with either cinnamon or nutmeg, which I imagine I could use together or interchangeably. I should've taken a picture of it :(

I've never prepared a drink at home with egg white, so tips on that part would be especially helpful. I realize it's gotta be well-shaken but can I just use a carton of egg whites and then shake for 30 seconds to a minute and add the rum to the shaker after? Shake it with the rum and egg whites already in the shaker? Any and all tips and suggestions are welcome! Thank you!

posted by rbf1138 to Food & Drink (6 answers total)

This is basically a modified rum sour. Combine 2 oz rum, egg white, a few drops of vanilla, a pinch of cinnamon (yes, that's the canela) 3/4 oz Panela / brown sugar syrup and 3/4 oz lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Give it a good shake for about 10 seconds to froth up the egg white. Next, fill the shaker with ice and shake again until very cold, 20 seconds more. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with nutmeg or cinnamon.

If you don't want to make sugar syrup, muddle the raw sugar with the lime juice really well so it makes a paste that will mix in rather than settle to the bottom. I'd start with 1/2 tsp of panela and adjust from there.

I'd also see how vanilla bitters tasted instead of regular vanilla.

You can use egg white powder if you're worried about raw eggs.
posted by ananci at 6:02 PM on December 3, 2018 [7 favorites]

Ananci beat me to it.

For the best taste, separate a fresh egg and use that white. You'll be fine. Source: have consumed many flips, fizzes, and pisco sours. You can also throw the whole egg in if you're feeling saucy!
posted by sevensnowflakes at 6:07 PM on December 3, 2018 [3 favorites]

Typically you shake egg whites with the rum (in this case) and other ingredients WITHOUT ice first, for at least 30 seconds (or until foamy). Then you add ice and shake again, which will chill it as well as diluting it some. Pour through strainer to catch any unincorporated bit of egg white. Garnish with cinnamon.

I'd expect the ratio to be something like 2-2 1/2 oz rum per egg white, probably about an ounce of lime juice, and maybe 3 teaspoons of sugar? If it were simple syrup it'd be 1:1 with the lime juice which would only be maybe 3/4 ounce. Vanilla via extract would only be a few drops. This is a thing you'll have to just try and use taste to adjust.
posted by axiom at 6:07 PM on December 3, 2018 [1 favorite]

For the vessel: cermer.com is a company that makes ceramics to hold retail products. Keep your eye out, I bought a few jars of Kalypso brand yogurt packed in ceramic jars by cermer, just to have the ceramic jars available for cocktails. I suspect these jars would be about right for your application; the unglazed exterior gives the drink a definite feel. The yogurt was good too, ymmv.
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:53 PM on December 3, 2018

Yes this is basically an egg white sour with vanilla and Mexican cinnamon grated on top. It's unclear how the vanilla is incorporated. Could be vanilla-infused panela syrup, could be vanilla extract plus panela simple syrup, or it could be something like Licor 43. One thing that will make a huge difference is the rum. Paranubes is closer to cachaça than anything we would call "rum." If you can't get your hands on Paranubes, I would experiment with a cachaça. You won't get a similar flavor at all with a standard molasses-based rum.
posted by slkinsey at 8:10 PM on December 3, 2018 [1 favorite]

Everyone above has got it, I think! Just a last note: nutmeg atop an egg-white-based cocktail is delicious, but I'd suggest topping with cinnamon, as nutmeg may overpower the drink you're describing.
posted by halation at 10:52 AM on December 4, 2018