Pisco Sour – Traditional South American Cocktail

When a friend of ours, who is a bartender, heard that we were going to be in Lima, Peru, he immediately told us that we absolutely had to try a Pisco Sour while we were there.  We had never heard of Pisco or a Pisco Sour, but we agreed that we would give it a try.  We weren’t disappointed.  Pisco is an alcohol that is distilled from grapes and is essentially a brandy.  Although we’ve had whiskey sours before, a Pisco Sour is similar in that it utilizes simple syrup and lime juice, but it doesn’t taste at all like a whiskey sour.  It basically tastes like a frothy lemonade, but don’t let its sweet taste fool you, it is a strong drink.  Just because Pisco is distilled from grapes, it isn’t wine, it is forty percent alcohol, or eighty proof.

Pouring a Pisco Sour
Light and Frothy
Our First Pisco Sours

One of the reasons that it is so light and airy is that an egg white is added and then it is shaken vigorously.  Some places use a blender, but the better Pisco Sours are made using a hand-shaker.  The dash of bitters at the end adds to the taste and the presentation.  We tried Pisco Sours while in both Lima, Cochabamba, and La Paz with varied results.  Ultimately the best Pisco Sour that we had was the first one we tried in Lima.  We bought a bottle of Pisco on our way home at the duty-free store in Lima and will be trying our own hands at making Pisco Sours here in the very near future.  If you ever get the chance to try them, you definitely should, they are delicious.

Dash of Bitters
An Elegant Drink

 

Daily Post Photo Challenge – Jubilant

This week’s photo challenge is about being jubilant. Since we want to share as many photos from our recent trip to South America as we can, we decided to share a picture of some street performers in Lima, Peru. We had stopped at a little café for a glass of wine and as we sat there we kept seeing people walk by with various instruments. Soon afterwards we could hear the sound of a band playing nearby. So, we finished our glasses of wine and walked around the corner to find that the band had assembled. They truly enjoyed what they were doing and so did the crowd that was slowly gathering around them.

Street Band
Not Sure if the Drummer Wanted His Picture Taken
Having a Good Time

Quick Stop in Lima, Peru

We had a twenty-four hour layover in Lima during our flight to Bolivia, so we decided to make the most of the opportunity and do some sightseeing around Lima. We’ll do a full post on it when we have the opportunity, but here is are a couple of photos to give an idea of what we will be sharing.

Us in Front of the Palace
Plaza Mayor