RASPBERRY MINT GIN FIZZ

 "Muse, bid the morn awake, Sad winter now declines, Each bird doth choose a mate, This day's St. Valentine's; For that good bishop's sake Get up, and let us see, What beauty it shall be, That fortune us assigns."

- Michael Drayton, To His Valentine

Walk into any bar in Los Angeles these days and you're likely to encounter a cocktail menu straight out of the Roaring Twenties. Thanks to shows like Mad Men and Boardwalk Empire, we are experiencing a revival of "craft" cocktails, reinvented with the freshest of ingredients and infused with artisanal elements such as elderflower cordial or rhubarb syrup. What once was dominated by sugary sweet apple martinis and vodka-based drinks has now been replaced by Prohibition-era cocktails with a whisky or gin base.

The Gin Fizz is a pre-Prohibition libation born in New Orleans that incorporates egg whites and soda water to produce a light, frothy, fizzy quality. This variation of the old-school classic comes to you courtesy of my husband, a consummate barman back in his day. With just the right amount of sour and a hint of sweetness, it's a great sipping drink to enjoy on this Valentine's Day!

RASPBERRY MINT GIN FIZZ

Ingredients (serves 1):

• 1 1/2 ounces gin

• 1/2 ounce lime juice

• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

• 1 egg white

• 4-5 raspberries

• 4-5 mint leaves

• Soda water

• Ice

Directions:

Muddle raspberries and mint at the bottom of a tall glass and then fill halfway with ice. In cocktail shaker, shake together gin, lime juice, confectioners' sugar and egg white for 1-2 minutes until frothy. Pour into glass and top off with soda water. Garnish with raspberry and mint leaf. Cheers!