The first drink of the Dale/David Project will be the Sazerac. According to cocktail legend, the drink has its early origins in the apothecary of Antoine Amedee Peychaud, who created his now famous bitters in New Orleans in the 1830's. Bitters were used at the time for medicinal purposes. According to one variation of the story, Peychaud mixed his bitters with Cognac in a "coquetier" (egg cup), and the "cocktail" was born as stubborn/ignorant/hard-of-hearing Americans mispronounced the word. (The word "cocktail" appears in print several decades earlier)
As certain as we can be in the murky depths of cocktail history, we can be reasonably sure that in the 1850's there was a 'coffee shop' (euphemism for booze den) by the name of Sazerac, so named for the brandy produced by Sazerac de Forge et Fils. According to Dale, the bar was opened by John Schiller, who in 1859 applied the name Sazerac Cocktail to a drink based on Sazerac Cognac, and Peychaud's bitters. John Handy supposedly took over the bar at some point and changed the base spirit to Rye whiskey. With the decline in popularity of Rye, Bourbon became substituted in some quarters. (Although according to Chris McMillan, it is NEVER made with Bourbon.)
Robert Hess reports that the bar was owned by a Sewell Taylor, a friend of Peychaud's. The absinthe was a later addition to the drink, as was the switch from Cognac to Rye.
In honor of the cocktail's early heritage, Dale uses both Cognac and Rye in his Sazerac, in equal parts. To that he adds a small amount of simple syrup and equal parts of Peychaud's and Angostura bitters. He chills two cocktail glasses; one will be rinsed with Absinthe and have the cocktail strained into it and garnished with a lemon peel.
For this entry we decided to do a tasting of several Sazeracs with different ryes, from Jim Beam (when did we polish off the Old Overholt?) on the low end to Sazerac 18 on the high end. I know it is bad form to use this latter whiskey in a cocktail but I couldn't help myself. The Sazerac 6 or the Wild Turkey variation is a better traditional cocktail, though it is undeniable that the "Millionaire's Sazerac" made with Sazerac 18 and Hennessy VSOP is a pleasure to drink... . In Allen Katz's Rye Nation seminar, the distiller from Buffalo Trace said something to the effect that he cringed at the thought of the 18 being used in cocktails. But Chuck Taggart, in his definitive discussion of the Sazerac, claims that "Sazerac 18-Year-Old Straight Kentucky Rye Whiskey might just makethe best Sazerac in the world."
A few other references and variations:
This recipe from Harry Craddock's 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book:
1 Lump of Sugar
1 Dash Angostura or Peychana (sic) Bitters
1 Glass Rye or Canadian Club Whisky
Stir well and strain into another glass that has been cooled, add 1 dash Absinthe and squeeze lemon peel on top
Barflies and Cocktails, authored by Harry McElhone of Harry's New York Bar in Paris, was published a few years earlier and has no Sazerac recipe. It does, however, have a recipe for the Zazarac:
1/6 Rum, 1/6 Anisette (Marie Brizard), 1/6 Syrup of Gomme, 1/3 Rye Whisky, 1 dash of Angostura, 1 dash of Orange, 3 dashes of Absinthe.
Shake well, and strain into small-sized tumbler, and squeeze lemon on top.
I would like to find out if anyone knows the origin of this variation. Unfortunately this writing came too early to heed the advice of Mr. Charles H. Baker, Jr., who wrote this in 1939:
THE IMMORTAL SAZARAC COCKTAIL, One of the World's Truly Great Mixtures; & All Bound Round With Lovely Memories of New Orleans.
It is a sad and shocking fact that more people who should know more know less about this truly remarkable drink than is reasonable--heaven alone knows why. The Sazarac Bar-Chief, who has been building 'em for 40 years, showed us his way. As did the mixers at several Clubs, the St. Charles; to say nothing about places like our friend Roy Aciatore's Antoine's Restaurant, Arnaud's, Gabriel Galatoire's, Broussard, and others. The best drinks produced in New Orleans stick to the ancient, simple formula--and please, please, never try to vary it; for if you do you'll not be drinking a true Sazarac--just some liquid abortion fit only to pour down the drains.
First thing is to get a Sazarac glass: a great big thick-bottomed thing which is nothing more nor less than an Old Fashioned glass blown up to twice normal size! Reason: thick bottom and thick walls keep the strong mixed liquor cold; and warm strong mixed liquor is like a chemical in the nostrils and throat, or couse. These big crystal affairs are buyable at first-class glass stores; but may take time to order in. If none at hand use your brandy sniffers as substitute.
...Routine is simple and inviolate: Frappe (pre-chill) glass and liquor. For each drink pour 2 ounces of the best rye whiskey you can find in a shaker, lash it with 3 or 4 good squirts (use a bar-man's quill top bottle stopper for this) of absinthe or 120-proof Pernod; and turned or spun between the palms to make this said coating even and thorough. Strain drink in glass, and twist a long curl of thin-cut yellow lemon peel on top, for oil and aroma. Hold under nose, inhale the fragrant blend of scents, sip and relax.
...This, then, my dear children, is just how little Sazaracs are born! Mark well...
Chris Mc Millan in his series of videos shot at the Library Lounge makes the drink by starting with two chilled cocktail glasses, but instead of simple syrup he muddles a sugar cube in Peychaud's, a sugar cube, and a splash of water.
PS I will never write this much information for a Dale/David Project entry again.This is an introductory offer only. I might not even continue the D/DP when I wake up tomorrow and realize that in order to stay on schedule I will have to drink/blog almost 10 cocktails a week...
Comments (4)
You bastards! LOL. I had all kinds of whitty things I was going to say about the Sazerac in a piece I was working on for next week's MxMo! You're such post stealers.
Oh well, I guess I'll have to go back to the drawing board and make a bunch of New Orleans cocktails and determine which one to write about.
Bobby and I really enjoyed hanging out with y'all over the weekend. Don't be strangers when you make it to Houston.
M
Posted by Morgan | July 24, 2008 4:20 PM
Posted on July 24, 2008 16:20
Strangers?? Ask Bobby about the time I showed up at Beavers 5 minutes before close "just to say Hi"... and stayed for two hours!
And I think I have showed up on Monday twice now to find the place shuttered...in considering your new establishment I would like to kindly request that you open a place that's open a) seven days and b) past 10pm.
Posted by Tex | July 24, 2008 5:03 PM
Posted on July 24, 2008 17:03
"...just some liquid abortion fit only to pour down the drains."
Wow.
Posted by Addie | July 24, 2008 8:39 PM
Posted on July 24, 2008 20:39
HA! Will do. Will do.
Still doesn't address your post-stealing abilities. LOL.
Posted by Morgan | July 24, 2008 9:19 PM
Posted on July 24, 2008 21:19