Sazarac

[swampguy]

Louisiana in its infinite wisdom has named the Sazarac the state cocktail. Does anyone have a good recipe? I love absinthe but the expense is pretty high, any other suggestions?

[sku]

I love the Saz.

Check out this video of the awesome Chris McMillian:

You can use an Absinthe substitute: Herbsaint, Pernod, Pastis, Absente, etc. should all work.

FYI, I will be doing a piece on the Sazerac and my various experiments with it this Wednesday on www.recenteats.blogspot.com

[ILLfarmboy]

Nice video Sku.

Unfortunatly, I have shyed away from trying a Sazerac because of the Herbsaint. As a youngster I got sick on anise candies; the hard candies that came in a red wrapper.

[sku]

Nice video Sku.

Unfortunatly, I have shyed away from trying a Sazerac because of the Herbsaint. As a youngster I got sick on anise candies; the hard candies that came in a red wrapper.

Ouch, well I know how that is. Between the Absinthe (or substitute) and the special Peychaud's bitters, the Sazerac is definitley a strongly anise flavored drink, so you may want to avoid it.

If you liked McMillian's vidoes, you may want to surf around that site. He has a bunch of others, including a great one on the Mint Julep...possibly the best example of drink-making I've ever seen.

[sku]

And here it is. Fun with Sazeracs: http://recenteats.blogspot.com/2008/07/whiskey-wednesday-sazerac-cocktail.html

[ratcheer]

The Sazerac is my favorite cocktail. When I'm in New Orleans, I drink several of them each day. Its probably a good thing that I'm not in NO, very often. :grin:

Tim

[BourbonJoe]

Tim,

Where do you get the real good ones in the French Quarter? I'd like to know cause we get down there every once in a while for some fishin and Bourbon Street fun.

Joe :usflag:

[ratcheer]

Tim,

Where do you get the real good ones in the French Quarter? I'd like to know cause we get down there every once in a while for some fishin and Bourbon Street fun.

Joe :usflag:

The very best one I have had is at K-Paul's restaurant. I have had very good ones at NOLA restaurant. Both of these are in the French Quarter and I assume you could go in just for a drink or two, but I have always had them before (expensive) meals. I have not tried them at actual bars.

Tim

[swampguy]

Try the Absinthe House on Bourbon. It has been years but used to be pretty good.

[ratcheer]

Louisiana in its infinite wisdom has named the Sazarac the state cocktail. Does anyone have a good recipe?

Here is what I consider to be the definitive recipe. It is directly quoted from In the Land of Cocktails by Ti Adelaide Martin and Lally Brennan, the proprietors of Commander's Palace restaurant. Moderators: if this is too much a blatant abuse of copyright, I will understand if you have to delete this post.

• 1 tablespoon Herbsaint
  
• 1 1/2 oz rye whiskey, preferably Old Overholt or Sazerac
  
• 1/2 teaspoon simple syrup
  
• 4 to 5 dashes Peychaud's bitters
  
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  
• 1 lemon twist with the pith removed, for garnish

Pour the Herbsaint into a rocks glass and swirl to coat the inside. Discard any excess Herbsaint. Fill the glass with ice to chill.

Combine the rye, simple syrup, and Peychaud's and Angostura bitters in a cocktail shaker with ice. Cover and shake vigorously.

Discard the ice from the glass and strain the shaker mixture into the glass. Rub the rim of the glass with the lemon twist, add to the drink, and serve immediately.

***

Martin and Brennan saw fit to make this the first recipe in the book, describing the Sazerac Cocktail as "the granddaddy of all cocktails".

Tim

[Gillman]

It sounds excellent and I've made many in a very similar way. Plain brown or white sugar can be used too, you just have to swirl it for a while until it dissolves. I might reduce the teaspoon of Herbsaint/pastis/absinthe/ouzo to half, for a less forward anise taste, but this is a matter of taste.

Gary

[ratcheer]

It sounds excellent and I've made many in a very similar way. Plain brown or white sugar can be used too, you just have to swirl it for a while until it dissolves. I might reduce the teaspoon of Herbsaint/pastis/absinthe/ouzo to half, for a less forward anise taste, but this is a matter of taste.

Gary

Ummm, that was a tablespoon, Gary. :skep:

Tim

[sku]

Ummm, that was a tablespoon, Gary. :skep:

Tim

I don't really measure, just pour a bit in the glass, roll it around so it coats it and dump the rest out. You're just looking for a coating.