When we think of whisky sours today, they’re typically a smooth blend of whisky, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup, shaken with ice and garnished with a cherry or an orange slice. But what would a version from over a century ago look like? The first recorded mentions feature powdered sugar and egg whites, which I’d happily skip the latter.
While browsing a 1907 version of Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management, I stumbled on another old-school recipe that felt much simpler and less raw egg-y. It features familiar ingredients like lemon juice and whisky, but it calls for “rock candy syrup” instead of simple syrup. Rock candy is a type of sugar that’s crystallized into large, crunchy pieces, usually on a stick (you may remember eating it as a child). The chunky sugar is dissolved to create a syrup with a richer, more complex sweetness than modern simple syrup.
Translating historical measurements like “dessertspoonful” and “wineglassful” into modern-day equivalents can be tricky. A “dessertspoonful” for this cocktail typically measures about 2 teaspoons (.33 ounces). Meanwhile, a “wineglassful” refers to about 2 ounces, much less than you’d imagine in a wine glass.
