- March 1, 2019
- "Book" Club
The Sazerac & The Fury: The Classic Sazerac
This cognac and whiskey based cocktail is a classic staple in New Orleans Culture. Check out this recipe for how I make a perfect homemade Sazerac cocktail.
This week’s Bon Appeteach “Book Club” inspiration is paying tribute to the “Big Easy” and upcoming Mardi Gras celebrations. You see, the Sazerac Cocktail is actually the official cocktail of New Orleans and has a lot of history rooted in this wonderful city.
Though this weeks novel, The Sound and The Fury, by William Faulkner follows a once Southern aristocratic family and how it falls apart over a 30 year time period. But per usual, we don’t actually read the books, we just make cocktails named after them. So, that is what we are going to do.
Though the classic Sazerac cocktail was popular during the prohibition era, it was actually created long before that. Making this libation top on the classics list. This week, I’m sticking to the classic recipe with a slight variation that I thin you will all enjoy too.
Give it a go and be sure to also check out this weeks fun NOLA inspired food pairing too.
The Classic Sazerac:
- 1 oz. Rye Whiskey
- 1 oz. Cognac
- 1/2- 1 oz. Keto Simple Syrup (or sugar cube)
- Splash of Herbsaint or Absinthe
- 3 Dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters
- Lemon Peel (for muddling and garnish)
Stirred, Not Shaken-
The beauty of this drink is all in the stir. No shaking for this cocktail! I begin by taking a chilled rocks glass and a splash the inside with a little absinthe (or herbsaint). Swirl it around in the glass and set it aside.
Inside a bar pitcher, combine the Peychaud’s bitters, the keto simple syrup, and the lemon peel. Muddle them in the pitcher to express the oils from the lemon. Toss in some ice then pour in the rye whiskey and the cognac. Stir with a bar spoon and strain into the absinthe coated rocks glass.
What’s a little different about my preparation methods? Well, traditionally, a lemon peel is expressed over the cocktail instead of muddled in the glass. I like the muddling because I find the flavor is essential to the cocktail.
A few other differences to note here, are that instead of using either cognac or rye whiskey, I actually use an ounce of both. Purists would probably go with one over the other but I like personally combine the two.
Finally, the last controversial note of today’s cocktail is whether or not to serve it over ice or not. Many say not to, but I prefer it on the rocks. I figure if that’s the way I like then that’s the way I’ll do it.
And not care about who is judging you either.
Food Pairing –
With our “Big Easy” theme this week, the food needed to fit right along with it. I was craving a fried shrimp po boy so I took some inspiration and rolled with it for this meal starter. This Low Carb Shrimp Po Boy Salad is everything you love about the sandwich, but with a lot less carbs.
I prep my shrimp by seasoning them in some cajun seasoning, dredging in egg wash, and coating them in some ground and seasoned pork rinds. What I love about pork rinds as a bread substitute is how well they crisp up in the oven and that they are zero carb. Bake until done and set them aside.
While the shrimp bake, I prep the salad. Just simple shred your favorite lettuce and add to a platter. Slice some tomatoes and add them on top. Pile on the crispy shrimp and add a little fresh lemon juice. Top it all off with some pickles and some low carb remoulade dressing!
Thanks for joining me for another week of my favorite blogging series. As always, check out how I make this cocktail live, every Friday at 5 pm over on Instagram.
Bon Appeteach,
-L
The Classic Sazerac
Ingredients
- 1 oz. Rye Whiskey
- 1 oz. Cognac
- 1/2- 1 oz. Keto Simple Syrup or sugar cube
- Splash of Herbsaint or Absinthe
- 3 Dashes of Peychaud's Bitters
- Lemon Peel for muddling and garnish
Instructions
- Coat the inside of the rocks glass with a splash of absinthe (or herbsaint).
- In a glass pitcher, combine the Keto simple syrup, Peychaud's bitters, and the lemon peel. Muddle it lightly in the glass to express the oils in the lemon.
- Toss in a few pieces of cracked ice and add in the cognac and the rye whiskey. Stir until chilled.
- Strain into the rocks glass and serve (or don't serve) over a large single ice cube.