THE DAY OF PISCO SOUR

To continuation I present/display a transcription to them including prescription, of an article published in the PERUVIAN, the official newspaper of the Republic of Peru.

Few drinks are as exquisite as the pisco sour. Aroma, fragrance, are present at and majesty. It is a appetizer of hall and an essential cocktail in all social meeting. Even though the prescriptions are to disposition of all barman who is respected, he lacked the date that elevated it to podio of the winners, placing to him the laurel that deserves itself. After which it removed the two empty glasses from the refrigerator, Don Willy was animated to speak of the secret prescription of the pisco sour. With great solemnity, it requested to us to seat to us and it chose the best words to keep the appropriate reverence.

In that same site, and to the reflection of such mirrors, Don Graciano Goatherd and Don Alberto Mezarina they knew to add another appearance to him to the pisco sour, when clear bitter egg adding to him and of narrowness. "In the Thirties, the barmen of then invented the first mixture with sugar, pisco and lemon, beaten with ice. Few years later, these two horsemen obtained that original touch that has turned to the pisco sour the national drink ", refers Wenceslao Alvarez Castle, head of foods and drinks of the Maury hotel, and expert barman, with a experience of 40 years.

The name of the pisco appetizer sour became famous in the decade of 1960, when the Limean Center became the neuralgic axis of the political and economic movement of the country. Diplomats, tourists, politicians, writers and all the range of professionals and artists went to the Maury hotel, to savor the delicious drink.

In agreement with the exigencies of the user, three modalities were ingeniaron: cathedral, double and simple. The pisco sour cathedral uses in glass of ten ounces; of the double the own thing in one takes control of eight ounces; and the third presentation, in one wins normal of four ounces.

"the Peruvian pisco sour has a preferential site in the international appetizer listing. During an international congress made in Venezuela in 1977 the roll of the 75 drinks was instituted that must know all barman. There the idea arose also to create the Peruvian Association of Barman, that was based the following year, and in which they honored to me like his first president ", precise Wenceslao Alvarez.

"so the flavor of this drink is recognized, that arose the imitadores immediately. In Chile, for example, they also prepare pisco sour, but with a prescription different, because they elaborate it with pisco, lemon of goad and impalpable sugar, and do not throw to him clear from egg. In addition, the flavor of both piscos is totally different ", explains Don Willy.

The distance is based on which the Peruvian pisco sets the standard from the manufacture, because it is product of the fresh must distillation, which does not add nor a drop to him of water to diminish the alcoholic degree to him.

Of there its color - that must be totally transparent -, strong and forceful flavor, and a slight fragrance. If the aroma feels "aperfumado", is any other less pisco licor.

As far as the flavor, the understood ones distinguish several types: the pure pisco, that comes from the grape Breaks or the Mollar; the aromatic one, that drift of fragant grapes like the Moscate, Italy or Albilla; "shameed", a mixture of different varieties and that obtains a strong and forceful flavor; the green must, that bursts in the process of fermentation of the grape; and, finally, the perfumed one, to which they add fruits like lemon, handle or higo to him during the distillation process.

Two by one

• Two ounces of pisco
• Average ounce of lemon
• Average ounce of syrup
• A eighth of clear of egg
• Beaten with three or four ice cubes
• At the time of serving a gotita lies down as bitter of narrowness.

Three by two

• Three ounces of pisco
• One ounce of lemon juice
• One ounce of syrup
• Two ounces of clear of egg
• Four bat and ice cubes
• Equal a drop of bitter of narrowness lies down.

The pisco word comes from the term quechua Pisscu, that means small bird; and also it is the name of a located Peruvian port in the Ica Region, known indeed by the great amount of birds that fly over the place.

In pre-Hispanic times, the inhabitants of the zone were recognized enormous potters who used tinajas of mud to ferment chicha, licor of maize very tasted in the Andean world.

This town was well-known with the name of Piskos, denomination that soon was reached, by extension, to its earthenware pitchers. In those same earth, after the Spanish conquest, they seeded brought stocks of grapevine from the Canary islands.

In the middle of century XVI, the production of an excellent wine and a special brandy of grape surprised the world, as much by its flavor as by the traditional form to store it and to conserve it.

The place where the licor took place, even though the town knew it like Pisco, was changed of name by the virrey Marquess of Mancera, when on 1640 it founded the town like San Clemente de Mancera. Nevertheless, the tradition prevailed and the name of Pisco was recognized before the popular pressure.

In century XVII, Marquess Lopez de Carabantes described to the Peruvian pisco like a competitor of sherry and one of the most exquisite licores of the world. It is that this brandy of grape, that ages in his tinajas given shelter by the mud, is an authentic expression of peruanidad.

Becoming echo of a deprived initiative, the minister of the Production, Eduardo Iriarte Jiménez, by means of the Ministerial Resolution Nº 044-2003-PRODUCE, declared the 8 of February of every year like the Day of the Pisco Sour on national scale.

The institution of this celebration has the intention to promote a greater consumption of pisco in our country and to cause, this way, the increase of its production; as well as its export in the competitive international market.

The norm emphasizes as much in its considerandos that the preparation of the pisco sour is the most usual and well-known form of the consumption of the pisco, inside as outside the country. "the elaboration of the pisco Is tradition in Peru sour using the pure pisco of grape, product this last one of Peruvian origin, reason why sour turns out advisable to promote the consumption of the pisco".

In the same way, with the purpose of vindicating for Peru the denomination of origin of this product, in 1999 the government instituted the fourth Sunday of July like the Day of the Pisco.

Source: The Peruvian, of the 08 of February of the 2003.
Author: TITO BARREDA
Photos: Juan Carlos Chávez

To continuation photos of as I am celebrated the day of the pisco sour in Lunahuana and Cañete.