Day 35: New Prescription
Waking up this morning, I was reminded that not everyone in today's world lives in reality. Many of us have lost loved ones recently, but for some people, the entire situation is "out of sight, out of mind." The absolute selfish nature of some, is that something isn't real until it affects them directly. A former employee, and very close friend, of mine was aggressively insulted today, simply for being of Asian decent, using racial slurs, blaming him and his "people" for this pandemic. Protesters line streets in cities across the nation with only one word on their minds, "me." I'm pretty sure a lot of you could really use a drink, so let's take another quarantine journey back in time.
Few cocktails carry as much history and lore as the Sazerac. As I'd mentioned in my earlier post, Apothecary Colada, the icon Peychaud's bitters of New Orleans was created by Haitian apothecary, Antoine Peychaud, at his Royal Street pharmacy sometime in the 1830s. What became more famous than perhaps the bitters themselves, was a cocktail, or "prescription," made with those proprietary bitters and a Cognac called Sazerac-de-Forge et Fils. The popularity of the Sazerac led to the creation of the Sazerac Coffee House, where the drink evolved into what we recognize today.
Due to a shortage of brandy, thanks to the phylloxera insect ravaging the root systems of vineyards across France, the Sazerac gradually became made with what was in heavy supply, rye whiskey. I always found it interesting how this drink, first made with Cognac then rye, came from such Haitian beginnings. Why weren't we making these with r(h)um after all? I suppose Antoine just wanted to give the people what they wanted, but I thought it would be nice to create a version that gave it's creator a bit more of a taste of home, while not forgetting the environment in which it was created.
New Prescription
1.5oz Clairin Vaval
.25oz Benedictine
.5oz Fassionola
5 dashes Peychaud's Bitters
5 dashes Peach Bitters
Absinthe rinse
Chilled, Absinthe-rinsed single old fashioned glass.
Stir and strain.
Express and garnish with lime peel.
There are several rhums available from the island of Haiti, but I would only recommend making this with a proper Clairin, as they have a flavor profile unlike any other cane spirits on the market.
With so many people living in their own dream-world right now, I think those of use rational people need a bit of medicine just to stomach what's happening. This is today's prescription for stupidity. Take two, come back tomorrow, and just keep shaking, my thirsty readers.
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