THE CLASSIC SAZERAC

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In honor of Fat Tuesday, here’s a recipe for my favorite New Orleans cocktail: The Sazerac, courtesy of one of the most exciting chefs in NOLA, John Besh. I first had it at the Sazerac Bar in the Roosevelt Hotel almost a decade ago and love recreating it at home!

CLASSIC SAZERAC

SERVES 1

FROM MY NEW ORLEANS-JOHN BESH

It may or may not be America’s first cocktail, but it is one of my favorite drinks. Famously made in the Sazerac Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel (which is now home to our new Italian restaurant, Domenica), my version has Herbsaint, the anise-flavored liqueur invented in New Orleans when absinthe was banned in the 1930s.

Ingredients

Herbsaint or absinthe
Twist of lemon peel
2 shots rye whiskey
1 shy shot simple syrup
4 dashes Peychaud’s or Angostura bitters

Directions

1. Rim the glass with Herbsaint or absinthe. Twist the lemon peel to releases oils, then drop it into the glass.

2. Pour the rye, simple syrup, and bitters into a cocktail shaker fi lled with crushed ice and shake well. Strain into the prepared glass.