Salud! Celebrate Pisco Sour Day in Peru this Saturday
Every first Saturday of February, Peruvians give tribute to their banner cocktail, during Pisco Sour Day. The drink was created in 1916 in Lima by the American bartender Victor Vaughen Morris of Morris Bar and gained instant popularity. The cocktail combines pisco with lime juice, sugar syrup, egg white, ice and Angostura bitters, creating a flavor profile that’s both sweet and sour
The coastal region (in the cities of Lima, Ica,
Arequipa, Moquegua and Tacna) is the traditional home of pisco production of Peru, where grapes are grown in the small fertile valleys surrounded by desert. Pisco dates back to the arrival of the first grapevines during Peru’s colonial period. The name refers to the port city from where it was exported and to the clay containers themselves in which the spirit was stored.
Those who visit the city of Ica can follow what is known as the Pisco Trail, visiting a bodega to learn about the traditional wine- and pisco-making methods. You might stomp on a few grapes, and you’ll definitely down a variety of wine and pisco. Ica city tours include a 
bodega stop as well.
Of the different Pisco Sour variations that have been popping up online these days, the one which has most caught our eye is the Habanero Pisco Sour. The recipe creator, the piscotrail site, suggests infusing the sugar syrup with two hot peppers before mixing the cocktail. If you try this one, let us know how it turned out!
How to Make a Classic Pisco Sour
- 3 oz Peruvian Pisco
- 2 oz lime juice
- 1 Tbs egg white
- 11⁄2 oz simple syrup
- 1⁄4 c crushed ice
- 2 -3 drops Angostura bitters
In a blender, combine the lime juice with the egg white. Add the simple syrup, and pisco, and blend at high speed until frothy. Pour into a sour glass with ice, top with a few drops of bitters and serve.