Classic Cocktails – The Sazerac
A delicious Sazerac at the Hotel Roosevelt
Over the last several years there has been a steady movement back to the “classic” American cocktail. I guess we’ve had enough RedBull and Vodkas to get us up looking for something new, and it’s about time.
I was first introduced to quality cocktails when a friend of mine brought me to Peche Bar & Restaurant in Austin, TX. Here, Rob, the head bar tender, maintains one of the most impressive bars I have ever seen. The bar is based on the premise that good people want good drinks. They want drinks that remind you of the old, with history, class, and that aren’t another vodka tonic at the club. It is a novice mistake to order something “ordinary” here, and you will quickly be persuaded otherwise.
Peche reminds me of what it must have been like in the good ole’ days when you could be classy and drunk as a full time occupation, but maybe that’s just because I enjoy a good drink… or two.
My favorite, and arguably the oldest American cocktail is the Sazerac. The Sazerac has it’s roots in the great city of New Orleans, Louisiana. If there is any city that knows about drinking, it’s New Orleans.
Today, Sazerac’s are made with a combination of rye whiskey, sugar, lemon oil, and Peychaud bitters. The glass is chilled and rinsed with anise, most commonly Absinthe. While the glass chills, the ingredients are lightly shaken – so as not to bruise the rye. Sazeracs are traditionally served neat, have a slightly pink color and a delicate but strong flavor. If you get a Sazerac at the Hotel Roosevelt, which pays tithe to the original Sazerac Company for use of the name, it comes in it’s own special glass. How I wish I had a set of those glasses, *sigh* If you haven’t had the pleasure of a Sazerac yet, I highly recommend you do. Cheers!
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Bravo!