For the first time in its Franchise history the New Orleans Saints are going to the Super Bowl. Under the most normal of circumstances this would be a noteworthy event. Given the events of August 29th 2005, when Hurricane Katrina slammed into the southern Louisiana coast, this is nothing short of an extraordinary event. Within weeks of the storm the future of the team was entirely uncertain, the Superdome was in ruins, and many pundits across the country questioned whether New Orleans as a city had a future. Fast forward to Monday night September 25th 2006. The Saints played there opening game in a newly renovated Superdome against the Atlanta Falcons and won. They went on that year to play in there first ever NFC Championship game. Win or lose on February 7th, the good folks of New Orleans will be giving there team a parade. It’s what they do, this ‘deep southern’ port city is steeped in traditions and culture and another part of that culture is the Sazerac Cocktail.
The Sazerac Cocktail, now the official drink of New Orleans, has a colorful history of its own. Believed to be the ‘original’ cocktail by locals there seems to be some debate about that. Nevertheless it is certainly one of the first drinks to mix other ingredients with a main spirit and be given a name. The story goes that around 1838, Antoine Amedie Peychaud, an apothecary, who made toddies for friends using his own Peychaud’s Bitters used a double ended egg cup as a measuring cup. The egg cup was called a ‘Coquetier’ pronounced ‘Ko-K-Tay’ from which the word ‘cocktail’ was born. Peychaud’s cocktail earned commercial success when it started being served in New Orleans coffee houses and one in particular ‘The Merchants Exchange’ launched the drink into infamy. Sewell Taylor, proprietor of Merchants used a brand of Cognac called ‘Sazerac du-forge et fils’. When Taylor sold Merchants the new owners renamed it ‘Sazeracs Coffee House’. Around 1870 under new ownership again the new proprietor Thomas Handy replaced the cognac with Rye whiskey, which better reflected the tastes of the period. The next change to occur in the drink was the addition of Absinthe, which was swirled around the inside of the glass to produce an anise flavor. Absinthe was eventually banned in the U.S. and was replaced with Herbsaint. This is still used in the Sazerac cocktail today even though Absinthe is available again. The Sazerac Bar and Restaurant operates today in the renovated Roosevelt Hotel with name license from the Sazerac Company.
The Sazerac Cocktail is the perfect accompaniment to any Super Bowl tail gate party, particularly if you are in the South. Here’s how to make one:
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2oz. Sazerac Rye Whiskey -
1-2 tsp. Simple syrup, sugar or 1-2 sugar cubes -
3-4 dashes of Peychauds Bitters -
½ tsp. Absinthe or Herbsaint -
Fresh lemon peel
Using two ‘old fashioned’ glasses fill one with ice. In the other glass place the simple syrup (if using sugar or sugar cubes add a little water and muddle until mostly dissolved), add the rye whiskey and bitters and blend. Discard the ice from the first glass and add the Absinthe or Herbsaint, swirling it around and covering the entire surface of the glass. Dispose of any excess. Strain rye whiskey/bitters mixture into the first glass. Squeeze fresh lemon peel over the drink and then rub it around the rim of the glass. Peel may be used as garnish but do not place into the drink.
For your Super Bowl tail gate grill try this great Bourbon soaked steak. A little preparation in advance of the party will leave more time to enjoy those Sazerac Cocktails.
Grilled Bourbon Steak (Recipe is for two steaks, increase ingredient proportions accordingly).
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Two 1” or 1 ½” steaks. (Strip, ribeye, or filet) -
½ cup Makers Mark Bourbon -
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar -
¼ cup of water -
5 oz. Soy sauce -
Juice from ½ a fresh lemon -
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce -
1 Tbs. Garlic powder -
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Make a marinade by mixing together all of the ingredients except the salt and pepper. Place the steaks and marinade in a 1 gallon Ziploc bag and seal. Refrigerate for eight hours or overnight. Place room temperature steaks on a hot grill for 1-2 minutes per side until a nice crust is achieved. Move steaks to cooler part of grill and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes per side for medium rare. (See notes on properly cooking a steak). Allow to rest for 5-7 minutes before serving. Bring remaining marinade to a boil in a small pot, reduce by half, spoon bourbon glaze over steaks. Salt and pepper to taste.
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