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SAZERAC: THE FIRST COCKTAIL Pour a drink and toast Antoine Amédé Peychaud. The Creole apothecary invented the Sazerac in 1838 at his shop at 437 Royal St., when he served it to fellow Masons after hours in an egg cup – a coquetier, a word that some insist morphed into "cocktail." The drink name comes from the French brandy, Sazerac-de-Forge et fils. Somewhere along the line, American Rye whiskey was substituted for the cognac and, in 1873, bartender Leon Lamothe added a dash of Absinthe, later banned in 1912 for allegedly causing hallucinations. Soon after, Peychaud's special bitters were substituted in its place. Cocktail enthusiasts can visit The Sazerac House, a new attraction dedicated to the famous craft cocktail. On the corner of Canal and Magazine streets, the historic building houses a sensory experience. Learn about the methods of distilling whiskey, taste some bitters and perfect the Sazerac yourself. No serious cocktail connoisseur would leave NOLA without enjoying this simple yet potent drink at the Sazerac Bar in the Roosevelt Hotel where it has been served to everyone who's anyone since 1938. e Sazerac Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel, 123 Baronne St., therooseveltneworleans.com. SAZERAC 1 cube sugar 1½ ounces Sazerac Rye Whiskey or Buffalo Trace Bourbon ¼ ounce Herbsaint 3 dashes Peychaud's Bitters Lemon peel Pack an old-fashioned glass with ice. In a second old-fashioned glass, place the sugar cube and add the Peychaud's Bitters to it, then crush the sugar cube. Add the Sazerac Rye Whiskey or Buffalo Trace Bourbon to the second glass containing the Peychaud's Bitters and sugar. Remove the ice from the first glass and coat the glass with the Herbsaint, then discard the remaining Herbsaint. Empty the whiskey/bitters/sugar mixture from the second glass into the first glass and garnish with lemon peel. BLOODY MARY Many locals begin most days with a Bloody Mary, the quintessential cocktail and vegan breakfast. Spice things up when you order a Creole Mary that comes with a kick. Although the Bloody Mary is thought to have been created in Paris at Harry's New York Bar in the early 1920s, the invention of the Bloody Bull, made with beef bouillon instead of tomato juice, is attributed to Brennan's circa 1950 in the French Quarter. La Petit Grocery serves its Bloody Mary in a mason jar with poached shrimp, blue crab claws and house- pickled vegetables. La Petite Grocery, 4238 Magazine St., lapetitegrocery.com. CREOLE BLOODY MARY 1 cup vodka 4½ cups chilled tomato juice 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 4-6 dashes Tabasco hot sauce Celery salt and black pepper Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and mix well. Serve over ice and garnish with celery stalks, fresh lime slices and your choice of pickled okra, asparagus or string beans. THE ABSINTHE FRAPPE Oscar Wilde and Mark Twain loved the Absinthe Frappe, once believed to cause hallucinations, madness and death. The icy cocktail was invented at the Old Absinthe House bar in New Orleans in 1874 by Cayetano Ferrer. In 1912, Absinthe was outlawed for the suspected side effects, so Pernod and Herbsaint were substituted for the "green fairy." In 2007, the ban was lifted in the United States and now you can order the authentic concoction from the original bar. Old Absinthe House, 240 Bourbon St., ruebourbon.com/old-absinthe-house. ABSINTHE FRAPPE 1½ ounces Absinthe ½ ounce simple syrup 2 ounces soda water 6-8 mint leaves Crushed ice Gently mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and pour. BRANDY MILK PUNCH Got milk? Apparently, Ben Franklin liked to build his bone density by imbibing and reaping the medicinal benefits of Brandy Milk Punch. During 92 maconmagazine.com | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020