Egg
A whole egg, used in some cocktails (like a Flip) for a rich, silky texture.
Origin
Wherever poultry has been domesticated; the whole egg (white and yolk together) has been used in cooking and drink-making for centuries.
History
Whole eggs have shown up in mixed drinks since at least the 19th century, most visibly in eggnog and flip-style cocktails, where the egg's proteins and fat give a drink a rich, custardy body impossible to achieve otherwise. Bartenders eventually split the egg's two components, using whites for aeration (a silky foam) and yolks for richness, but the whole egg remains standard in classic flips and nog-style drinks that want both effects together.
Flavor profile
Rich and neutral, contributing body and a custardy texture rather than a distinct flavor of its own.
Tasting notes
A whole egg shaken into a drink produces a thick, velvety texture with a light foam, adding richness that plays especially well with warm spice, citrus, and dark spirits in flip-style cocktails.
Substitutes
- Egg white plus a small amount of cream, for a similar combined effect of foam and richness.
- Aquafaba (chickpea brine), for a vegan foam substitute, though it lacks the yolk's richness.
- Pasteurized liquid egg product, for the same effect with reduced raw-egg food-safety concerns.
