The NY Times on Absinthe

[cas]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/fashion/04absinthe.html?_r=1

A rather polemic but interesting review.

I'd like to pick up the fixins for a good Sazerac cocktail. Anybody have reccomendations for the best recipe and ingredients?

Craig

[OscarV]

I have never made a Sazerac but I have seen several different recipes that differ in the amounts of the ingrediants and have seen some that have fewer ingrediants.

Here are a couple of links that seem to have the most historically accurate recipes and they have some good info of the history and creation of the Saxerac cocktail.

One has a good quote when asked about the Hurricane cocktail in New Orleans.

The reply was "Hurricanes are for tourists, Sazeracs are for natives."

http://www.whatscookingamerica.net/Beverage/SazeracCocktail.htm

http://www.gumbopages.com/food/beverages/sazerac.html

[Slob]

I picked up a bottle of St George for my Sazeracs. I don't really have any frame of reference, since I've never had a Sazerac with any other absinthe, but it seems to do the job admirably. I hope to pick up a bottle or two of Jade in the future for comparison.

[Jono]

My one and only Absinthe (Lucid) experience was interesting to me just for observing the whole preparation and serving process ...the taste..well, anise/licorice....similar to Sambucca....though not as sweet. I remains an oddity...not something I would regularly partake in...but for something completely different it is worth trying.

P.S. I eat the black licorice jelly beans first...I love black licorice.

[cas]

One has a good quote when asked about the Hurricane cocktail in New Orleans.

The reply was "Hurricanes are for tourists, Sazeracs are for natives."

[funknik]

When Absinthe was still illegal in the US, my wife and mailed ourselves a bottle when we were over in Portugal on vacation. It was pretty good -- 140 proof so like liquorice 151 or something was all I had to compare it to at that point. I got a little wrapped up in the mystique and history of it more than the taste, but still I went through a little phase where I had to try every diffgerent Absinthe "substitute" I could find: Pastis, Ricard, Pernod, Ouzo, Sambuca and Absente (which at that time was the closest to "real" absinthe out there). I still have a bit of the Absente left which I may use to make a Sazerac with this year's Handy Saz -- in honor of Edgar Allen Poe.

I still haven't tried any Absinthe since it's been legalized in the US -- I'd be interested to see how it compared with the "substitutes" and with my memory of that original bottle from Portugal.

[sku]

I did a bunch of Sazerac experiments last year: http://recenteats.blogspot.com/2008/07/whiskey-wednesday-sazerac-cocktail.html

As to the Absinthes, I tried both Lucid and St. George in the Saz and I thought Lucid made a better Sazerac, even though I like St. George better as a straight Absinthe.

On Friday, I'll have another Absinthe review up of Obsello, a new, Spanish Absinthe. It also made a nice Sazerac.

[Rughi]

Hmmm, Fashion and Style section.

I didn't know that brushed nickel was uncool this season, but now I know.

Roger

[cas]

I got a little wrapped up in the mystique and history of it more than the taste, but still I went through a little phase where I had to try every diffgerent Absinthe "substitute" I could find: Pastis, Ricard, Pernod, Ouzo, Sambuca and Absente (which at that time was the closest to "real" absinthe out there). I still have a bit of the Absente left which I may use to make a Sazerac with this year's Handy Saz -- in honor of Edgar Allen Poe.

So is Absente an imitation? I wasn't sure if it was real Absinthe or a brand name or what? The label is deliberately vague.

Craig

[funknik]

So is Absente an imitation? I wasn't sure if it was real Absinthe or a brand name or what? The label is deliberately vague.

Craig

Absente was originally devised as an imitation a few years ago when Absinthe was still illegal. It boasted to use Southern Wormwood, an herb related to the illegal Wormwood plant. I think you can still get it in this configuration and it runs around $30 or so a bottle. Since the legalization of Wormwood in the US, I believe there is a "true" Absinthe bottled under the Absente name -- you can tell it by the bottle which is more brightly colored and psychedelic-looking, but also the price...around here it runs in the mid $50s and up. This is as far as I know and as memory serves. Just checked....the "real" Absinthe they make is called Grande Absente which refers to the Grande Wormwood used, rather than the Southern Wormwood found in the original Absente bottling.

[JeffJ]

I got my wife the Lucid gift set for Christmas. She loves the stuff. Heck, even I like it mixed with Champagne (Death in the Afternoon).

If I remember correctly it came with two glasses and an absinthe spoon.

Cost about $65.

[Buffalo Bill]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/fashion/04absinthe.html?_r=1

A rather polemic but interesting review.

I'd like to pick up the fixins for a good Sazerac cocktail. Anybody have reccomendations for the best recipe and ingredients?

Craig

I've been interested in doing the same thing. A good Saz cocktail for Spring 09. There has got to be a hot bartender somewhere in Vegas or Chicago, perhaps NYC that has something unique going with Rye.

We have to find that person. A recent Beverage Journal featured several top-notch bartenders throughout USA and one in particular was making a name for themselves with Rye. I lost the article in travel... BB

[cowdery]

There are several hot cocktail places in Chicago: Nacional 27, The Violet Hour and the Drawing Room.

I haven't gotten into absinthe much, but from what I've read Lucid is the best place to start.

[sku]

Here's my review of Obsello, a new Absinthe from Spain. Good stuff.

http://recenteats.blogspot.com/2009/01/la-hada-verde-spanish-absinthe-from.html

[anvil_houston]

If you want to make a sazerac, the first thing to do is to consider what sazerac you want to make. Early sazeracs were all brandy or cognac, then they became a mixture of rye and brandy, and later more familiar versions used rye exclusively. Then you have the legal limitations caused by absinthe bans. Historically absinthe was used, but I constantly have New Orleans natives campaign for the local favorite, Herbsaint. Then there is the bitters, Peychaud's is most prevalent in all of the variations, but many historical examples show a blend of Peychaud's with Angostura. So, when you're making a sazerac, you're really choosing a date, not just a recipe.

That being said, this is the way to go...

Sazerac

2 oz Rye (Something classic and spicy, like the Rittenhouse BIB)

1 Barspoon Absinthe (Use a classic styled authentic absinthe, Lucid is probably the best widely available absinthe)

1 Barspoon Simple Syrup

4 Dashes Peychaud's Bitters

1 Lemon Twist

Rinse a small rocks glass with the absinthe and dump the excess. In a pint glass with ice, combine the rye, simple syrup, and bitters and stir thoroughly. Strain into the absinthe-rinsed glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

But do experiment, it is a cocktail that seems to always be evolving...

[cas]

2 oz Rye (Something classic and spicy, like the Rittenhouse BIB)

1 Barspoon Absinthe (Use a classic styled authentic absinthe, Lucid is probably the best widely available absinthe)

1 Barspoon Simple Syrup

4 Dashes Peychaud's Bitters

1 Lemon Twist

But do experiment, it is a cocktail that seems to always be evolving...

[cas]

yikes! The Lucid was $70. I guess someone mentioned $65 in a prior post but I missed it. So I balked - that's a lot to pay for something I might not be crazy about.

Craig

[anvil_houston]

You can use Herbsaint, but this would be a post absinthe ban sazerac. Still a good drink though imo, and the favorite of those Native to New Orleans.