The gorgeous red flesh and the distinct raspberry-citrus flavor of the blood orange combined with pisco produce one beautiful and delicious cocktail! A Blood Orange Pisco Cocktail requires no special syrups or fancy footwork, just pisco, fresh blood orange juice, and orange bitters… Garnish it with a blood orange slice and whipped egg white, and you’ve got a real treat!
You’ve got to grab ’em and enjoy them while you can! The elusive blood orange may make a brief appearance at your local market December through May; I typically start seeing them in mid-January, and they don’t hang out long. Really, I’m attempting to excuse the fact that you’re getting 3 recipes that include blood oranges in just a couple of weeks. 😀 I started out with the Pressure Cooker Pork Roast With Blood Oranges, followed by a sweet Valentine’s Day treat Chocolate Dipped Candied Blood Oranges (wow, are they good!). Finally, I’ve brought you this pretty Blood Orange Pisco Cocktail… I’ll give you a break until this time next year. Maybe.
Featured Ingredient:
Have you heard of pisco? If so, have you tried it? I would venture to guess that if you have experienced pisco, it was in the form of a pisco sour? Pisco – a colorless to pale amber colored brandy – is produced in the wine making regions of Peru and Chile (though the latter is hotly contested by Peruvians!). The most familiar pisco cocktail would be the pisco sour – a lovely, tart cocktail made with fresh lime juice, simple syrup, bitters, egg white, and of course, pisco. We were introduced to the pisco sour by my husband’s colleague Robert Bradley (Art History professor with extensive study in Peru) and his Peruvian wife Sirena. We are hooked!
I am not one to write recipes for authentic or classic food and drink. I am quick to point out I love to “play” with my food, and develop new flavor combinations. Playing with cocktails is also fun. 😀 When I started thinking about my next cocktail recipe, it occurred to me that pisco doesn’t find its way into all that many cocktail recipes, and it might be fun to give it a whirl. Blood oranges are in season. Bam. A pretty pink cocktail just in time for Valentine’s Day!
This one really is quite simple: Shake the strained blood orange juice, pisco, and bitters with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into glassware. Shake (yes, please) your egg whites in a cocktail shaker for 1 minute, then top off the glasses. I use 2 shakers, one for the pisco, juice, and bitters (with ice), and one for the egg whites (without ice). Alternatively, you may shake the egg whites with the other ingredients, but don’t add ice until they froth up. After they froth up, then shake again with ice. We enjoy the cocktail with the egg whites sitting atop, but either way is fine. Garnish with a blood orange slice on each. (I used candied blood oranges reserved from my Chocolate Dipped Candied Blood Oranges, but you can use a fresh slice of orange as well). Fantástico!
I have to tell you about a company I recently discovered (or maybe they found me?). Drizly is an alcohol delivery service that works “with local stores so you can shop their shelves using your smartphone or computer to order beer, wine and liquor at the touch of a button. You still have to drink it the old fashioned way, though.” Pisco Porton is a brand that is widely available in the U.S. It is not cheap. It is, however, delicious. If you’re in an area they serve, you ought to check it out! They offer a few different pisco brands… You won’t even have to get in your vehicle! Yay for convenience!
A Blood Orange Pisco Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 shots fresh blood orange juice, (see notes)
- 4 shots pisco
- 8 shakes orange bitters, (see notes)
- 2 egg whites
- orange slices, garnish (see notes)
Instructions
- To a cocktail shaker, add the blood orange juice, pisco, and bitters, and enough ice to fill about 2/3 full. Shake vigorously, then pour into chilled glasses.
- Add the egg whites to a shaker (no ice). Shake vigorously for 1 minute. Top the cocktail with the froth. Use a spoon to assist if it's stubborn.
- Garnish with an orange slice. Enjoy!
Notes
Need more information on shaking a cocktail? See Serious Eats. For more information on shaking egg whites see Serious Eats.
If you can't get blood oranges, you can substitute cara cara oranges or any other variety. Keep in mind, though, the color will be lighter.
I opted to shake the whites separately because I love the pretty color and the whites on top hold an orange slice quite readily. You can shake the egg whites with the rest of the cocktail ingredients, for a cocktail that is more creamy and lighter (similar to a pisco sour). You can also leave the egg white out entirely, and it is still a really tasty combination!
I used candied blood oranges from my Chocolate Dipped Candied Blood Oranges recipe/post. They keep well in an airtight container, so I made extra for this cocktail (I kept the slices whole, and didn't dip them). See that post if you want to make candied orange slices, otherwise, garnish with a fresh slice.
Don't skimp on the orange bitters. Bitters add so much flavor and complexity to your cocktails!
Calories are approximate from MyFitnessPal, and include an orange slice garnish.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2Amount Per Serving:Calories: 200
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