Mark and I just had our second trip to New Orleans and, over the next several weeks, I will be sharing with you some of the culinary delights we enjoyed while there as well as some shots of this beautiful city: something to get you in the mood for Mardi Gras.
Naturally, when thinking of Mardi Gras, cocktails Come to mind.
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| The Roosevelt Hotel lobby, December 2012 |
We enjoyed tasting several different traditional cocktails while we were in New Orleans - both this visit and last. Not being of our parents’ "cocktail generation", all these were new to us, and it was a lot of fun sampling these historic concotions.
We started with the signature cocktail of the city: the Sazerac. Of course we went to the Sazerac Bar in the Roosevelt Hotel to have our firsts. This is an elegant shadowy place with club chairs, art-deco detailing, and 1940 murals of New Orleans life by Paul Ninas, It was there we discovered two versions: the Sazerac and the 1840 Sazerac, the latter made with cognac, not rye whiskey. Both were made with Peychaud's Bitters and simple syrup, and were served in a glass rinsed with Herbsaint; both were smooth and potent.
The first time we were in the Sazerac Bar, Mark ordered a Ramos Gin Fizz, reminiscing on a sweet story about his father. His parents were once out to dinner in a small New England town near where Mark grew up with Father Leary, an elegant Episcopal clergyman native to Shreveport, Louisiana. Father Leary ordered a Ramos Gin Fizz and was astonished that the bartender had neither heard of the drink, nor could he find it in his reference book. The clergyman told him how to make it. After listing the ingredients, he was told the bar lacked one key ingredient. The clergyman threw up his arms in despair, exclaiming, "What do you mean you don't have orange flower water?!" It was such an improbable line, that Mark’s father laughed whenever he thought of it, and threw up his arms each time he repeated the tale.
The ingredients needed for a Ramos Gin Fizz are: gin, fresh citrus, cream, egg whites, sugar, orange flower water, club soda, and very strong arms, as they require an immense amount of shaking. When we first tried to make them at home, I was disgusted. In New Orleans, they were so tasty. We tried again at home and I think we got it! We always keep orange flower water in our house in honor of Father Leary and Mark’s father’s delight at recounting that story (and we use it quite frequently!).
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| These beautiful Mikasa cocktail glasses were a gift from dear friends Marylou and Steve. |
This most recent trip, when out to dinner at the Upperline Restaurant (their creamy, cheesy grits recipe is coming soon!), I decided to jump off the Sazerac bandwagon and ordered a Sidecar. That was probably one of the best decisions I have made, as I think I found my new favorite winter cocktail! (The Venetain Spritz still holds my heart for a summer refresher...) Although is is predominantly alcohol, it has a very light citrus taste and feel.
Unfortunately, it is just this is the kind of drink that you think isn't strong and yet, if you have too many, somehow you find yourself waking up somewhere you shouldn't be. One is quite sufficient. Sidecars are made from cognac, triple sec, fresh lemon juice and a bit of simple syrup. They were generally served with crushed ice, but I actually prefer them shaken and served straight up.
Recently I won a cookbook in a giveaway from Culinary Cory! And it fits perfectly into this post on Cocktails! The book is Winter Cocktails by María del Mar Sacasa, and there is one inside called the New Orleans Special, a twist on milk punch with the addition of flambéed and caramelized bananas. This drink is like a warm hug on a winter's day. Thanks, Cory - I wish you lived close enough to stop over for a glass of the New Orleans Special! And thanks, María, for giving me permission to reprint your recipe.
So, if you are getting ready for Mardi Gras, and want a special cocktail or two to serve, here are a few ideas.
Laissez les bons temps roulez!
~ David
The Sazerac
The Official Cocktail of New Orleans
Courtesy of The Roosevelt Hotel's Sazerac Bar
1-1/2 ounces Sazerac 6-year rye whiskey
1/2 ounce simple syrup
2 dashes of Angostura bitters
3 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters
Legendre Herbsaint
Line a short rocks glass with Herbsaint, swirl it around the edges to give the inside of the glass a thick coating, then discard the excess.
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Strain into the rocks glass.
Makes 1 drink.
1840 Sazerac
Courtesy of The Roosevelt Hotel's Sazerac Bar
1-1/2 ounces Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac
1/2 ounce simple syrup
2 dashes of Angostura bitters
3 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters
Legendre Herbsaint
Line a short rocks glass with Herbsaint, swirl it around the edges to give the inside of the glass a thick coating, then discard the excess.
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Strain into the rocks glass.
Makes 1 drink.
Ramos Gin Fizz
Courtesy of The Roosevelt Hotel’s Sazerac Bar
The Ramos Gin Fizz requires labor intensive attention. For a bartender, it gives them the chance to show off a bit, due to its need for constant shaking until the drink thickens enough to hold a straw. But you have to wonder if there are times they’d rather you just order a beer.
The drink was invented by Henry Ramos in 1888 at his own bar, the Imperial Cabinet Saloon in New Orleans. The Roosevelt bought the rights to the drink during Prohibition and trademarked the name.
2 ounces Hayman's Old Tom gin
1 ounce heavy cream
1 egg white
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce lime juice
2 teaspoons superfine sugar
3 drops orange flower water
Club soda, to top
Shake ingredients with cracked ice for at least a minute – several is better. Strain into a chilled rocks glass. Top with a splash of club soda.
Makes 1 drink.
Sidecar
This is my version of the sidecar from what was shared with me by the bartender at Coquette.
4 1/2 ounces cognac
3 ounces triple sec
1 1/2 ounces lemon juice
1 ounce simple syrup
Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with crushed ice. Shake and pour into a martini glass. (Straining is an option.)
Makes 2 drinks.
New Orleans Special
From Winter Cocktails by María del Mar Sacasa
4 cups whole milk
6 ounces dark rum, divided
1 ounce brandy
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bananas, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
Combine milk, 4 ounces of the rum, brandy, and cinnamon [sticks] in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, toss bananas with the lemon juice, ground cinnamon, and salt. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add bananas and brown sugar and cook, stirring, until bananas are softened. Remove skillet from the heat, pour in the remaining 2 ounces rum, and carefully ignite the mixture with a long match. When the flame has subsided, transfer bananas and cooking liquid to saucepan with milk. Summer until bananas are completely softened, about 10 minutes.
Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard solids. Serve in warmed cups.
Makes 4 drinks.
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| The ceiling at Coquette. |
Labels: 1840 sazerac, Maria del Mar Sacasa, New Orleans, New Orleans Special, NOLA, ramos gin fizz, sazerac, sazerac bar, sidecar, Winter Cocktails
