Nov. 26, 2008 - Issue #684: I Served the King of England
Liquor? I Hardly Know ‘Er
Not just for '70s orgies
There’s been a bottle of Galliano lingering at the back of my parents’ liquor cabinet for years. The lovely canary-yellow liqueur is barely used, as no one knows what to do with it. I suspect that this is a common problem. However, this elegant liqueur is unjustly neglected, as it is delicious, versatile and interesting. Its sweetness and warmth also make it a great liqueur for the holiday season.Galliano was created in 1896 by the Italian distiller Arturo Vaccari. Vaccari created the liqueur as an ode to the Gold Rush, which is why Galliano is coloured yellow. He flavoured his liqueur with tastes that would remind Italian prospectors of home—flavours like anise, citrus and mint. Then he spiked it with adventure in the form of exotic spices like cinnamon and ginger, and named it after another adventurer, war hero Maggiore Galliano. He wrapped it up with a good dose of vanilla, the first scent that hits your nose when you take a whiff of the liqueur.
Galliano is most famous for its presence in the Harvey Wallbanger, a drink that is essentially a vodka screwdriver with some Galliano floated on top. In my opinion, only Galliano could make such a dull drink palatable, but it has inspired a raft of other cocktails. If you hear a cocktail name with “wall” or “banger” in it, you can be sure the bartender’s adding some interest with Galliano. In fact, there was a time that you could ask a bartender to add a touch to any of your drinks by telling them to “take it to the wall.” This is still a nice way to enjoy the liqueur, but if it’s the only way you’ve tasted it, it’s time to branch out.
A good way to get familiar with Galliano is to treat it like a digestif, sipping it over ice after dinner. When you drink it this way, you’ll get past its dominant vanilla-anise flavours and be able to appreciate its more subtle lavender, citrus and herbal undertones. Once you’ve gotten used to the taste, try mixing it up into cocktails that feature Galliano as a main feature instead of just a grace note.
The Silver Mist balances Galliano’s sweet with dryness in the form of gin, then adds another balance of sour lemon and sweet maple syrup. If you’re feeling adventurous, try the raw-egg cocktail Galaxy, which tastes like a grown-up orange julius. If you don’t want to fiddle with shakers, try mixing Galliano into tonic or lemon-lime soda.
Try out the recipes offered here and use up your old bottle of Galliano. You might find you like it so much that you need to buy a whole new bottle. If you do, it won’t linger this time. V
Galaxy
Egg white cocktails are all the rage, but if you're concerned about raw egg, you could try pasteurized egg whites in a carton, or go without. The drink won't be frothy, but it'll still be tasty. If you decide to go with eggs, use the freshest you can find, and exercise due caution.
Shake all ingredients together with ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake as hard as you can. The shaker will get so cold it's hard to hold, but you want to get a good froth. Pour into a glass without straining the ice. If you like, you can garnish with a slice of orange.
Silver Dawn
There's a lot of lemon in this drink, but it isn't sour because of the maple syrup. If you find it too sweet, try pulling back slightly on the syrup.
Shake all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a cocktail glass and serve.
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