new york sour

Place a handful of ice, the whiskey, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white (if you’re using it) in a cocktail shaker or a jar with a lid. Shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker or glass is frosty and very chilled. Strain over more ice into two glasses. Gently place a thin spoon upside-down at the surface of the drink and slowly, in the barest trickle, pour 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine over the back of it, moving it across the drink’s surface as you pour. If all goes well, the wine will stay at the surface of the drink. If it sinks, well, it’s still going to be pretty and delicious. Repeat with the second drink.Note: To make simple syrup, combine 4 tablespoons granulated sugar with 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add 2 tablespoons of cold water (to speed up the cooling process) and pour into a jar or bowl to finish cooling. You’ll have a little more than you need here, but it keeps forever in the fridge.