The first Saturday in February is National Pisco Sour Day, Día del Pisco Sour, in the South American country of Peru. The honorary day is such an important event on Peru’s calendar that it is a national public holiday.

I must say any country where everyone gets a day off every year to celebrate a cocktail is my type of country. Even the fact that they have a national cocktail is impressive to me!

Pisco is a spirit produced along the Southern Coast of Peru. It’s made from fermented white grapes, which are grown along the Peruvian Coast. Pisco is one of the country’s primary exports along with other flagship products of Peru, such as cotton, coffee and quinoa.

The Pisco Sour is considered an important part of Peru’s National Cultural Heritage. It was created in the 1920’s in the Peruvian Coastal Region of Lima by famous bartender, Victor Vaughn Morris.

Recipe: Pisco Sour

Traditionally, the Pisco Sour is made with just pisco, lime juice, sugar syrup, egg white and Angostura bitters. The key to making the perfect Pisco Sour is getting the levels of citrus and syrup right so the drink is balanced between sweet and sour.

For something different, I’m making a Pisco Sour using ruby red grapefruit. I call it Sweet Little Sour Puss.

Sweet Little Sour Puss

Ingredients

• 60 ml Pisco
• 30 ml ruby red grapefruit juice (freshly squeezed)
• 15 ml lime juice (freshly squeezed)
• 10 ml simple syrup (2 tsp caster sugar dissolved in 2 tsp water)
• 1 egg white

Method

Add all ingredients to shaker (no ice). Shake vigorously to emulsify egg.

Add ice cubes to shaker and shake well to chill.

Strain into short glass to serve straight-up and garnish with a grapefruit twist.

¡salud!