Go Greco-Italo retro with George Calombaris, some almond-flavoured liqueur and plenty of lemon juice.
The focus of Mama Baba, the new Greco-Italian restaurant opened in South Yarra by George Calombaris and his cohorts, is “dishes that make you think fondly of your grandmother, but with the newness of today”. In the Amaretto Sour, part of the eatery’s substantial cocktail list, they’ve certainly nailed the nanna (or rather, nonna) angle, the Amaretto Sour being a true retro classic. “We wanted to highlight Italian and Greek spirits in their classic format, with clear distinct flavours; ones that are simply mixed but massive in flavour, and I believe the Amaretto Sour is all this and more,” says manager Sam Maher. Our tip? Amaretto can be plenty sweet, so taste, taste, taste and make sure the lemon balances it out for a truly sour Sour. Mama Baba, 21 Daly St, South Yarra, Vic, (03) 9207 7421.
MAMA BABA’S AMARETTO SOUR
Pour 60ml amaretto, 30ml lemon juice, 1 eggwhite (about 15ml) and 5ml sugar syrup into a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously to froth the eggwhite, add a handful of ice and shake again. Add lemon juice to taste, shake, strain into a glass filled with ice, garnish with a maraschino cherry and serve.