A Subtle Champion: The Prado Cocktail

2011-08-19T12:03:00.000-07:00

I was recently in the mood to use some fresh farmers market eggs in a cocktail. I looked at a couple books including the Playboy Bartenders Guide (don't laugh, it's actually pretty useful) that my mother-in-law of all people bought me. I found an interesting cocktail that I'd heard of before but never tried: the Prado Cocktail. Much like the Hotel Haute Savoie Cocktail, it has a lot going on. containing five ingredients plus garnishes. Typically my rule of thumb is that less than three and a cocktail isn't terribly complex but more than four and it's parts start to blur more than complement each other. Nonetheless, I gave it a try and I'm glad that I did.

Ingredients

1.5 ounce of blanco tequila (Milagro)
0/75 ounce of lime juice
1/2 an egg white (regular size)
0.5 oune of maraschino liqueur (Luxardo)
1 tsp grenadine (shamefully... store bought)

Directions
Shake ingredients without ice to mix the egg white and then with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a cherry and lime wheel.

Outcome

The cocktail looks pretty has an interesting appearance. The grenadine, which I might reduce next time, gives it a pink look, while the half an egg white adds a bit of a frothy look and taste without the milkshake look a full egg white would give. As for the taste, it's quite good. Somewhat reminiscent of the Last Word Cocktail due to the mix of maraschino (probably the dominant flavor in this drink) and the lime. Unlike the last word, this is not a particularly intense or challenging drink, as blanco tequila is much more subdued that Green Chartreause.

I found this drink quite enjoyable, with all of the other ingredients holding the maraschino licqueur in check. It's a hair above my optimal sweet spot, so I might lower the grenadine a smidge. Nonetheless, this was a tasty cocktail that I'll recommend for my more adventurous guests.

Inspired Imbibing

A Subtle Champion: The Prado Cocktail