Advice for those rooting for the New Orleans Saints as you prep for Super Bowl Sunday: Don’t just paint your face black and gold then make a batch of gumbo and call it good. You gotta complete the crazed-fan scene by serving a real NOLA potation. Sure you can fix a Hurricane, but why not go the whole nine yards and make a Sazerac?
There are many versions of this rye whiskey and bitters cocktail that was finally declared the official cocktail of New Orleans in 2008. Commonly used ingredients include Sazerac Rye Whiskey, Peychaud’s Bitters, a sugar cube or simple syrup, and absinthe. The mixologists over at Monarch offer a couple of twists on this oldie but goodie: Nate Selsor’s Irish Sazerac and Michelle Dodderer’s Rhubarb Rum Sazerac. Geaux Saints!
Irish Sazerac Courtesy of Monarch’s Nate Selsor
1½ oz. Jameson Irish Whiskey
1 oz. Hendrick’s Gin
½ oz. simple syrup
¼ oz. John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum liqueur
2 drops absinthe
2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
• Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass, add ice and stir for at least 30 seconds.
• Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist.
Rhubarb Rum Sazerac Courtesy of Monarch’s Heather Dodderer
Yellow Chartreuse
1½ oz. Appleton Estate 12-year rum
1½ oz. Bulleit bourbon
¾ oz. simple syrup
3 dashes Fee Bros. rhubarb bitters
• Rinse a highball glass: Fill the glass with ice, water and a small amount of yellow chartreuse, swirl to coat the sides, then discard.
• Combine the remaining ingredients in a mixing glass, stir and then strain into the highball glass without ice.
• Garnish with a flamed orange peel.
– Ligaya Figueras
This article appears in Feb 1-28, 2010.