Tales of the Cocktail cocktail

[JAZ]

If you’ve seen this topic, you know that we’re planning a Society dinner at Mila in New Orleans during Tales of the Cocktail. We thought it would be cool to run a cocktail contest to go along with it, so we are.

There aren’t many rules – actually, there are only two. First, you have to use at least one ingredient made in New Orleans or by a New Orleans company. Old New Orleans rum, Sazerac rye, Herbsaint, Peychauds – any of 'em count.

Second, don’t post your entries here. We want the judging to be unbiased, so we’re submitting the entries to the judges anonymously. Send your recipe to me in a PM, and I’ll post it here, and then send it along to the judges.

We’re planning to have the winning cocktail mixed specially for us at the dinner at Mila. You don’t have to go to the dinner to enter, of course. If the winner is at the dinner, he or she will probably be able to finagle a few drinks out of the table; in any case, the winner will get a copy of the book Big Easy Cocktails: Jazzy Drinks and Savory Bites from New Orleans.

Most importantly, though, the winner will bask in the glory of having created the eGullet Society Tales of the Cocktail 2008 Commemorative Cocktail.

Deadline for entries: Friday, July 11.

Edited July 6, 2008 by JAZ (log)

[JAZ]

We have our first entry!

#1: The Bloodhound

1.75 oz Bulleit Bourbon

1 oz fresh squeezed grapefruit juice

1 oz St Germain

6 drops Peychauds

build first three ingredients over ice, shake, strain. float bitters.

The entrant added this:

FWIW, although Bulleit is not currently a NOLA product, it was originally produced by Augustus Bulleit who emigrated to NOLA and lived a good portion of his life there...

Which brings up a good point. Any product that originated in New Orleans can be grandfathered in.

[Dave the Cook]

As someone who doesn't much care for bourbon, I wasn't expecting to like the Bloodhound. It seemed like the St, Germain would just add sweet on sweet, but instead, it makes the sweet more interesting, and worthy of a try. The effect of the Peychaud's on the nose is a great effect, and tones the sweetness at first. With a bit more grapefruit than called for (or maybe a touch of lemon), I like it a lot.

[JAZ]

#2: The Ode to Jeff

(built for two)

4 oz Old New Orleans Amber rum

1 1/2 oz lime

1 oz pimento dram

1 oz falernum

3 dashes Peychaud's bitters

1/2 tsp Herbsaint

medium egg white

Shake all ingredients without ice. Add ice and shake until frothy. Strain into two glasses, drop two or three drops of Peychaud's onto the top of each.

Jeff is, of course, Jeff "Beachbum" Berry, whose hard work has unearthed a treasure-trove of information about tiki drinks and the bartenders who created them. This drink pays homage to one of those men, Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt, aka Donn Beach, aka Don the Beachcomber, whose combination of Angostura bitters and Herbsaint was the "secret ingredient" to many of his legendary libations (not Angostura and Pernod as had been previously suggested). It took Jeff Berry to bring this revelation to our attention, and so I offer this drink, which uses the bitters/Herbsaint base to fine effect with the layered Old New Orleans Amber rum.

Note from the entrant: Should the judges require some pimento dram to prepare this beverage, the entrant will be most happy to supply it immediately.

[Mickael]

Is there any Stone's Ginger wine style produced in New Orleans.

Cheers

Mickael

[JAZ]

#3: Louisville Cocktail

1.25 oz. Bulleit Bourbon

1.25 oz. B & B liqueur

1.25 oz. Carpano Antica formula

2 dashes Herbsaint or Absinthe

2 dashes Peychaud bitters

Pour into ice filled shaker. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Serve with the best brandied cherry you can find.

This was described as "a riff of off a Cocktail a la Louisiane."

[JAZ]

I've kept this open for a couple of extra days, since I didn't receive many entries. (My apologies for announcing it so late.)

If you're thinking of entering, you've got another day. Please send me your entries by tomorrow.

[JAZ]

#4. Brown Sugar Sings The Blues

Ingredients:

1 oz fresh bueberries

.5 oz gum syrup made with brown sugar

2 oz Old New orleans Rum

1 oz lime juice, fresh squeezed

3 ice cubes

Optional:

berries as garnish

pulled caramel sugar spike as a fancy swizzle-stick garnish

I use a cobbler shaker for this, although it does get clogged up.

Muddle the berries in the bottom of the shaker.

Add the other ingredients.

Shake vigorously, until shaker is extremely cold.

Pour (carefully) into a short cocktail glass.

Garnish with a few berries and a spike of pulled caramelized sugar.