Sazeracs in spring

Three years ago, when we explored Paris from our rented apartment in Rue de Charonne in the 11^th arrondissement or administrative district, I decided to try and find some Peychaud’s Bitters for our friend Susan. Peychaud’s Bitters is a key ingredient in the classic New Orleans Sazerac cocktail. I could not find Peychaud’s Bitters anywhere in South Africa and decided to try while I was in Paris. I found a Caviste in the 8^th arrondissement that stocked Peychaud’s. 

To translate Caviste as a wine store is to lose the true meaning. A Caviste is the place where you are likely to find exciting and interesting wines from all over the world, as well as expert advice should you require assistance. 

The courtyard of our apartment on a rainy day in Paris

We took the metro from Ledru Rollin around the corner from us. Like seasoned Parisians, we negotiated the underground metro stops to head to Marcadet - Poissonniers metro, the closest to Rue Simart.  We walked into a Caviste that was stocked from floor to ceiling with wines and other spirits.

Ledru Rollin metro

It was my kind of shop and deserved to be explored. I decided to stay focused and bought two bottles of Peychaud’s that was on one of the top shelves. As one would expect from any respectable Caviste, it had a ladder to reach these upper shelves that reminded me of the kind of ladder one would find in a library to access those difficult to reach books. I regret not taking a photograph, but I did not want to look like a tourist. Reluctantly, we left this amazing shop and continued our Parisian adventure.

A bottle of Peychaud’s Bitters joined my collection of bitters with the other cocktail mixers when we got home. There it remained almost forgotten until two weeks ago.

Peychaud’s bitters was created by Antoine Amédée Peychaud, a Creole apothecary from New Orleans, in around 1830. Peychaud’s is a gentian-based bitters, with an anise aroma combined with a hint of mint.

During lockdown, whenever we were based in Cape Town, I would explore the shops within walking distance of our Woodstock home in search of interesting and necessary produce.

In lockdown level 1, I ventured into a local wine shop on Woodstock’s Victoria Road. Although the shop window proudly displayed the fact that one can find craft beer and fine wine inside, I entered with low expectations. I suppose it was unfair to judge the shop by its location. It was no French Caviste, but they made no mistake about the claims of craft beer and fine wine. It was a treasure trove of craft beer, fine wine, a selection of bitters, imported spirits and an amazing collection of single malt whiskies.

I discovered that that they sell Sazerac rye whiskey for a fraction of the price I saw it in Paris. I decided to buy two bottles. Peychaud’s and Sazerac rye whiskey are the main ingredients of a Sazerac cocktail. I have been curious about the Sazerac cocktail ever since our friend Susan sang its praises.  

With all the ingredients now available, it was time to make the Sazerac cocktail. All that was left was to find the original recipe to satisfy my traditional heart.

The vintage cover of the book  by  Stanley Clisbey Arhur and an example of a coquetier in the book

The search lead me to the book “Famous New Orleans Drinks and how to mix ‘em”, by Stanley Clisby Arthur, published in 1937. The book contains remarkably interesting information. I learnt that the first brandy cocktails were served in a coquetier or egg cup. The word coquetier became ‘cocktail’ in the colloquial language usage of New Orleans.

Stanley Clisby Arthur offers this as the most plausible etymology of the word cocktail. He shares other legends of how the cocktail was born, but I concur that this account seems the most plausible.

On page twelve he notes, “The cocktail goes back at least to the beginning of the 19^th century and may date back to the American Revolution. It is alleged by one writer, to have been a concoction prepared by the widow of a Revolutionary soldier as far back as 1779. He offers no proof of the statement, but a publication, The Balance, for May 13, 1806, describes the cocktail of that period as “a stimulating liquor composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters. It is vulgarly called bitter sling and is supposed to be an excellent electioneering potion.”

A vintage label of the Sazerac Cognac 

New Orleans is famed as the birthplace of the cocktail and the best known of all the New Orleans cocktails is unquestionably the Sazerac. The Sazerac cocktail started out as a cognac cocktail. The cognac was made by the firm of Sazerac-de-Forge et fils, of Limoges, France. John B. Shiller served this cognac exclusively from 1859 at the Sazerac Coffee-house. In 1870 Thomas H. Handy his bookkeeper, became the proprietor and changed the name to Sazerac House. Thomas also changed from cognac to rye whiskey. Possibly because in around 1875 there was a shortage of cognac due to the phylloxera crisis that destroyed many of the vineyards in France. The only thing that Thomas did not change was adding the Peychaud’s bitters. The addition of Absinthe to the cocktail has been credited to Leon Lamothe, a bartender at Pina’s restaurant, New Orleans, in 1870.

This is the original recipe for the Sazerac cocktail as presented in “Famous New Orleans Drinks and how to mix ‘em” on page 19,

“1 lump of sugar

3 drops Peychaud’s bitters

1 dash Angostura bitters

1 Jigger rye whiskey

1 dash absinthe substitute

1 slice lemon peel

To mix a Sazerac requires two heavy-bottomed, 3½-ounce bar glasses. One is filled with cracked ice and allowed to chill. In the other a lump of sugar is placed with just enough water to moisten it. The saturated loaf of sugar is then crushed with a barspoon. Add a few drops of Peychaud’s bitters, a dash of Angostura, a jigger of rye whiskey, for while Bourbon may do for a julep it just won’t do for a real Sazerac. To the glass containing sugar, bitters, and rye add several lumps of ice and stir. Never use a shaker! Empty the first glass of its ice, dash in several drops of absinthe, twirl the glass and shake out the absinthe… enough will cling to the glass to give the needed flavor. Strain into this glass the whiskey mixture, twist a piece of lemon peel over it for the needed zest of that small drop of oil thus extracted from the peel, but do not commit the sacrilege of dropping the peel into the drink. Some bartenders put a cherry in a Sazerac; very pretty but not necessary.”

Note: a jigger equates to 1½ ounces or about 45ml and a dash equates to 20 drops or a ⅓ teaspoon.

With all my research on the subject complete and with all the ingredients sourced, it all came together on a spring afternoon at Towerwater. With the trees heavy with the blossoms of spring, I mixed Sazeracs. Sipping the spicy cocktails, we could reminisce and let the world come together at Towerwater. We might not be able to travel at present, but with a good imagination and the right ingredients, we can still allow our minds and taste buds the joys of travel.

A French sugar cube 

This blog post is dedicated to Susan for so often planting ideas in my head. Not always a good thing, as I can spend too much time pursuing new ingredients for the next taste adventure.

Source: Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ‘Em by Stanley Clisby Arthur, published 1937
Image of the vintage Sazerac Congac label - https://www.oldliquors.com/cognac-1858-sazerac-de-forge-fils-6403