Cocktails that call for egg whites are common; it’s a way of adding texture and body to a drink. It’s less common to use the yolks as well, however, which is why those drinks get their own category. Flips tend to be rich and frothy cold-weather drinks, and this cocktail is a perfect example.
Flips also make ideal nightcaps, the final drink of the evening meant to usher the drinker to a good sleep. “An urbane and debonair means to capping the evening,” says Katz of the nightcap. “The practice of drinking a cocktail before bed likely started in the 18th century as a useful (and pleasant) means to warm the body and soul before turning in on a chilly night. It was surely predated by the equally practical and stylish sleeping attire of the same name,” he says.
As Katz notes, Charles H. Baker’s The Gentleman’s Companion is an excellent reference in which to find historic nightcap recipes. “An American culinary and cocktail writer, Baker’s quixotic adventures would often end appropriately with a “capper” like the Porto Flip or a Rum Flip, opulent drinks of layered flavors and aromas meant to impress as well as to soothe,” says Katz.
This simple recipe will produce a richly flavored (and textured) drink exactly like Katz describes. Go ahead and end your night with this cocktail. It’s certain to ensure sweet dreams.