Here we are on the last Friday of September, closing out the third quarter with the Sun, Moon and Earth nearly aligned at perigee and perihelion (producing king tides). What other cocktail embodies all these disparate elements than another of the classic cocktails – the Sazerac. Originally made with cognac but now typically made with rye whiskey, this absinthe laced classic is perfect for either quiet, personal reflection or raucous celebrating with a group or anything in between. In case you are worried about being poisoned by absinthe, allay your fears. Absinthe is no longer outlawed in the United States and is actually a wonderful drink in itself when prepared via la louche. You can bet I will write about drinking absinthe (and dancing with the green fairy!) in a future post, but let’s get back to the Sazerac. If you want to avoid absinthe or cannot find it, Pernod is the typical substitution. Hmmm… now that I think about it, let’s try both the original and more traditional recipes. I don’t think anything bad can happen if I get an early start to happy hour, do you?

Add absinthe to a chilled Old Fashioned glass and swirl to coat the inside, shaking off the excess. Fill the glass with crushed ice. Add the cognac, simple syrup and bitters to the glass and stir to combine. Twist lemon peel over top and drop in.

Enjoy!

Chill a rocks glass. Add the absinthe to the chilled glass and swirl, discarding any excess, fill with fresh ice and set aside. In a mixing glass, muddle the sugar cube and bitters. Add the rye and some ice, stirring to combine and chill. Strain into the prepared glass. Twist the lemon peel over top and drop in.

Enjoy!

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