How to use bean cooking water in a cocktail – recipe | don't waste

One ​​of my favorite cocktails is a sour made with pisco, whiskey, or mezcal, depending on the bar and my mood; it can also be made with a variety of other spirits, including gin, amaretto, brandy, or rum. Usually, the spirit is paired with a similar amount of fresh citrus juice (lime, lemon, grapefruit, etc.), then shaken with sweetener and raw egg white. The egg white creates a frothy top and gives the drink a thicker viscosity.

Aquafaba (or bean cooking water) is a perfect replacement for egg white in cocktails, as well as in meringues et al, because the carbs and protein in the beans create a very similar foamy emulsifying agent. Not only that, but, unless you're also making an egg yolk based dish, an egg white based cocktail creates potential waste, which you can save just by using aquafaba a la square. It is also safer to store aquafaba because it has already been cooked and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days or in the freezer for three to six months (freeze in 25ml portions in an ice cube tray and thaw at room temperature before use). If you open a can of legumes to get the aquafaba, the drained beans will keep in the fridge or freezer for similar lengths of time.

Aquafaba pisco sour

If I want to spoil your guests with a good drink, I often prepare a kind of aquafaba sour. It's really versatile, easy and fun, and can be put together with a few common household ingredients. I don't own a cocktail shaker, so I usually use a Kilner jar (or similar) with a clip-top. Instead of making sugar syrup with water and cane sugar, I tend to use agave syrup, honey, or maple syrup; Oleo saccharum, which I recently featured here, is another delicious sweetener that will enhance the flavor of your cocktail.

If you want to make your own simple syrup, let gently simmer an equal amount of water and sugar, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Leave to cool, decant into a bottle or jar, seal and store in the fridge for up to a month.

Serves 2

100ml pisco (or your choice of spirit - e.g. whisky, gin, amaretto) 30ml simple syrup, agave syrup or oleo saccharum 100ml lime juice (or your choice of citrus fruits - e.g. lemon, grapefruit, pomelo) 50ml aquafabaAngostura bitters, to taste (optional)

Pour pisco into a shaker, add syrup or or oleo saccharum, lime juice and aquafaba, and add a few ice cubes. Shake vigorously for 45 seconds, then strain into two chilled glasses. Garnish each with a few drops of Angostura bitters, if using, and serve.