New Orleans Cocktail-Favorites

Hi, with Mardi Gras coming just wondered what New Orleans cocktails people like the best!

Hey psychchef, how the heck have you been?

For me, THE New Orleans cocktail is the Hurricane...though I don't really like it that much, and the name might conjure some bad memories for NOLAers.

Hammond

Can't forget the Sazerac, rye whiskey w/ sugar and peychaud bitters, just enough pastis to coat the glass, and a twist of lemon peel. I'm an amateur appreciator, never had one made for me, but read enough about them that I tracked down some peychaud bitters and started making them for myself. Don't like it as much as an old-fashioned but it makes a nice change of pace now and then.

The Sazerac is a great drink. They used to make a very decent one at Blue Bayou. Unfortunately, the food took enough of a nosedive that I haven't been in for some time, so I have no idea whether the old bartender is still around.

Sazerac is an awesome drink when done well.

My favorite NOLA drink is Pimm's Cup, but it's much better in the spring/summer.

The Pimm's cup is a great idea. Especially if, let's say you're having a wing-ding, and you don't want your guests to get too boiled before chowtime. Or, if you're poppin' a few solo before 10:00 a.m....

Oh you need real absinthe for a Sazerac.
http://www.absintheonline.com/acatalog/Cocktails.html

If you'd like to bring some back to Chicago from Paris, it's a deal! Should I be using Cognac instead of rye whiskey as well?

JimTheBeerGuy wrote:If you'd like to bring some back to Chicago from Paris, it's a deal! Should I be using Cognac instead of rye whiskey as well?

You missed the LTH holiday party! But seriously, you can just order it online - and of course you use Cognac too.

ab wrote:Sazerac is an awesome drink when done well.

My favorite NOLA drink is Pimm's Cup, but it's much better in the spring/summer.

I've had excellent versions of both at the Napolean house

I have some godawful sazeracs too - and I knew they would be too watching them being made. Still, they weren't as bad as the pox known as the hurricane being guzzled by the bucketful.

Louisa Chu wrote:

JimTheBeerGuy wrote:If you'd like to bring some back to Chicago from Paris, it's a deal! Should I be using Cognac instead of rye whiskey as well?

You missed the LTH holiday party!

Oh, I was there. I had plenty of good beer; absinthe, if it had been offered, would have been overkill for me I think.

I did however partake in some last NYE at a buddy's house and I've been wanting to order some for myself as well.

JimTheBeerGuy wrote:

Louisa Chu wrote:

JimTheBeerGuy wrote:If you'd like to bring some back to Chicago from Paris, it's a deal! Should I be using Cognac instead of rye whiskey as well?

You missed the LTH holiday party!

Oh, I was there. I had plenty of good beer; absinthe, if it had been offered, would have been overkill for me I think.

I did however partake in some last NYE at a buddy's house and I've been wanting to order some for myself as well.

Jim - I remember - I just omitted this above. (The absinthe was just the raffle prize - that's all.)

If anyone does order absinthe, the link above is to a good friend of mine - Peter Schaf at Liqueurs de France in Paris. Peter actually grew up up near Lake Geneva and has family here in Chicago. He has the best stuff - including Ted Breaux's. Ted is the New Orleans native chemist who reverse-engineered historic absinthe by analyzing it in his own lab. One of the finest revivalist absinthes is his Nouvelle-Orleans - his newest is Jade PF 1901 - a 1901, pre-ban Pernod Fils clone. I've tasted both and they're really too fine to mix - but what a fine Mardi Gras drink they'd make purely with ice water.

I read a great article about him maybe a year and a half ago. The Nouvelle Orleans is what I plan to order--when I get around to it!

JimTheBeerGuy wrote:I read a great article about him maybe a year and a half ago. The Nouvelle Orleans is what I plan to order--when I get around to it!

The New Yorker article?
http://www.oxygenee.com/New-Yorker-Feb-2006.pdf

That's on our absinthe friend David Nathan-Maister's site, Oxygenee. David is working on a book with the New Yorker writer, Jack Turner.

And here's Ted's own site too - Jade Liqueurs:
http://www.bestabsinthe.com/

I enjoy a Sloe Gin Fizz, Cafe Brulot, or if I want a quick start to the evening, a Cajun martini with homemade pepper vodka.

Indeed - Pimm's Cup is the ultimate pre-Noon drink. And Napoleon House is where I discovered them as well. Delicious. Although homemade Pimm's with fresh juice, splash of 7up/sprite/ginger ale and Cucumbers/Lime/Apples is awesome.

Oddly enough, I discovered Pimm's Cup at Marshall Field's. Got a pitcher free with purchase of the liquor. However, I have also downed a Pimm's Cup at the Napolean House -- had to pay my respects to the emperor.

ab wrote:Indeed - Pimm's Cup is the ultimate pre-Noon drink. And Napoleon House is where I discovered them as well. Delicious. Although homemade Pimm's with fresh juice, splash of 7up/sprite/ginger ale and Cucumbers/Lime/Apples is awesome.

AB, I've duplicated the Napolean House recipe which is just Pimms, Minute Maid sweetened lemon juice and a splash of 7-up. I'm curious how you make yours. I always prefer fresh juices in my drinks but have never experimented with the Pimm's cup. Haven't made it in years but this thread has made me awful thirsty.

RevrendAndy wrote:AB, I've duplicated the Napolean House recipe which is just Pimms, Minute Maid sweetened lemon juice and a splash of 7-up. I'm curious how you make yours. I always prefer fresh juices in my drinks but have never experimented with the Pimm's cup. Haven't made it in years but this thread has made me awful thirsty.

I've tried quite a few variations - and basically, from what the research I've done, it's very open to interpretation...
but, definitely is better if you make some fresh lemonade (or buy some of the hoity lemonade from the grocer juice section) - then use a splash of Ginger Ale (my favorite fizzy addition) or 7up/Sprite for carbonation kick - You can go 1 to 1 w/ Pimm's to Lemonade because Pimm's low alcohol content imo, then splash the carbonation on. Fresh Cucumber is a must, but I love the addition of apple slices. If you go the easy route and just use 7up or Sprite as the main mixer, it definitely is better if you have fresh lemons to squeeze on top. But if you have the time, use real lemonade w/ some carbonation, cucumbers and apples.

I've been making for the past 4 years at my buddy's Mardi Gras party (this weekend, can't wait), and I let people choose apples or not, but always add the cucumbers.

ab wrote:Indeed - Pimm's Cup is the ultimate pre-Noon drink. And Napoleon House is where I discovered them as well. Delicious. Although homemade Pimm's with fresh juice, splash of 7up/sprite/ginger ale and Cucumbers/Lime/Apples is awesome.

AB, I took your suggestion tonight and made my Pimm's Cup with fresh squeezed lemonade. As usual, drinks made with fresh juices are better than mixes and the extra effort is worth it. Thanks!

ab, interesting idea with the apples - will try it when the weather is more suited to Pimms.
I like ginger-ale with Pimms, though this isn't the Pimms cup with the cucumber.
Pimm's cups are always best with fresh lemonade - if you make it with seltzer that'll provide the carbonation. IIRC Napolean house makes it with a splash/top-off of Sprite - but I find that (at home) too sweet. I think I switched to fresh lemonade (regular; non-carbonated) and top off with Squirt (which I tend to have). On a side note - Canfield's 50/50 is much better than Squirt if you can find it. Both are citrusy with some grapefruit elements.