In Cocktails to Meringues, IS HANDY

Odds are, you’ve been taking one of the most important bartending ingredients and throwing it away. Aquafaba is the liquid in a can of chickpeas.

Believe it or not, this whips and creates a foam just like an egg white. Aquafaba is Latin for water and bean.

As an egg substitute, this is great news for vegans and those with egg allergies. Most bartenders would rather use aquafaba than egg whites for health reasons, and it has virtually no taste. Once it is shaken or baked, any smell or taste evaporates.

You can use aquafaba in any recipe that calls for egg whites — including muffins, vegan meringues or, most importantly, finishing off a whiskey sour. The ratio is two teaspoons for an egg white and three teaspoons to equal one medium egg.

There’s usually a lot of liquid in one can so freeze the aquafaba into 1-ounce portions. Then microwave for 25 seconds when you’re ready to start mixing.

CONQUISTADOR

• 1 oz Rum

• 1 oz Blanco tequila

• ½ oz Simple syrup

• ½ oz Lemon juice

• ½ oz Lime juice

• 1 dash Orange bitters

• ½ oz Aquafaba

Shake all ingredients first without ice for 30 seconds, then add ice and shake again. Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

AQUAFABA

WHISKEY SOUR

• 1 tbs Aquafaba

• 3 oz Whiskey

• 2 oz Lemon juice

• 1 oz Simple syrup

• 2 sm Maraschino cherries, for garnish

Shake aquafaba in a cocktail shaker for 30 seconds until frothy. Add whiskey, lemon juice and simple syrup and ice and shake all ingredients together. Strain into an ice-filled glass and garnish with cherries.

CLOVER CLUB

• 2 oz Gin

• ¾ oz Raspberry liqueur

• ¾ oz Lemon juice

• 1¾ oz Aquafaba

• Raspberries for garnish

Chill a martini glass. In a cocktail shaker, add gin, raspberry liqueur, lemon juice and aquafaba. Dry shake for about 30-45 seconds to mix and froth. Add ice to shaker and shake to chill. Strain into the chilled glass and garnish with raspberries.