Run for the Roses — Bartending Pretty

It's that time of year for big hats, pretty dresses, fancy gloves and red roses! The Kentucky Derby is here and after having so many mint juleps I believe it is time for something a little different and just as pretty! "The Run for the Roses" is a nickname for the Kentucky Derby and it references the lush blanket of 554 red roses that is awarded to the winner each year. It was believed that in 1883 that New York socialite E. Berry Wall started the red rose tradition, by presenting ladies with each a red rose at a post Derby party. Both the founder Churchill Downs and the president Col. M. Lewis Clark attended this party and was said to give them the idea of the red rose being the race's official flower! However, the first recording of the blanket of roses being awarded to the Derby winner was in 1896. To pay homage to the Kentucky Derby and the beautiful red rose tradition how perfect to have a cocktail to embody not only the Derby but also the time the tradition began and what the cocktail scene could of been like...Around the late 1880's and until the 1940's the fizz was a widely popular family of cocktails in America. In the last ten or so years the resurgence of the fizz and many other amazing cocktails have resurfaced and have become popular again! A fizz is typically any spirit, lemon juice, egg white, sugar and carbonated water and the first published recipes are in the 1887 edition of Jerry Thomas's Bartender's Guide. For this glorious tradition of "The Run for the Roses" it only seemed fitting to create a drink with Four Roses a Kentucky Bourbon whiskey and actual real roses with a lovely Italian rose jam! You wanna live fancy and have the perfect cocktail to serve while watching the Kentucky Derby look no further cause here it comes! Introducing the "Run for the Roses" cocktail!

Ingredients:

1 egg white
3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
3/4 oz. Rose Jam
1/4 oz. Heavy Cream
2 oz. Four Roses Bourbon
Top with 2 oz. Club Soda

Instructions:

Take out you shaker tin and first crack an egg and separate the yolk out and drop the egg white into the tin and add all other ingredients besides the club soda. Dry whip all ingredients in your tin for 10-15 seconds. Then add ice and shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds, until shaker tin has a frost on it. Lastly, add the club soda to the tin and then double strain and pour out all ingredients into a chilled glassware of your choice. Garnish with a red rose petal or a whole red rose like I did, it's the Kentucky Derby- Be Fancy!

A little background on my preferred spirits and inclusions:

Four Roses Bourbon: The name Four Roses came from a story when the founder Paul Jones Jr. became infatuated with a lovely Southern belle. When he saw her at the grand ball she was in a beautiful gown with a corsage of four red roses. He later married the girl and named his beloved Bourbon "Four Roses" after that glorious night at the ball with his beautiful Southern belle. This delicious Bourbon is an beautiful golden Amber color with notes of pear, apple, honey, flowers, and gentle spices.

Confettura Extra di Rose Jam: Very common in Italy and is super fun and delicious in a cocktail! You can order online, a specialty spice store, or go to Eataly if you have one near you, that is where I got mine.