Saserak cocktail is not just a drink, but a bit of history, a standard of bartender culture, respected and titled. According to some reports, this creation was an example of one of the first combinations of alcohol. Therefore, it can be considered the oldest version of a drink based on cognac or whiskey. The lion's share of drinking establishments with a long and glorious history is not only familiar with the Saserak cocktail, but also has its own unique vision of the proportions of this creation. As for the world community, the drink remains well recognized even today, despite the fact that it is rarely appreciated among young people because of the specific taste and some simplicity. The article will tell you how the Saserak cocktail is prepared, and what its glorious history is.
Description and Key Features
The drink belongs to the category of Bild, that is, it consists of several varieties of alcohol mixed directly in the glass, not a shaker. The brandy cocktail recipe is quite old and has changed several times, since the key ingredient is no longer available, but remains well known. Having ordered a drink in almost any bar, a connoisseur will most likely receive an authentic Sazerac. The preferred serving is a brandy old fashion glass with two ice cubes, slightly chilled, with lemon peel. Saserac cocktail also serves as an excellent digestif and is deeply respected in the homeland - in the USA. There are several variations on how to make this drink. In addition, the cognac cocktail recipe contains an ingredient with a specific taste, which is why Saserak is often called “medicinal” or “medical”, for fun, of course.
Brief excerpts from history
The creator of the drink is Antoine Amedei Pescho, a pharmacist with French roots, who at the turn of the 18th century moved to the United States, to the city of New Orleans. There, he quickly acquired a clientele, and in 1838 he released his own production of bitter called Peshods. The doctor prescribed his tincture as a means of debugging heart rate, but the lion's share of his clients preferred to mix the medicine with cognac, since the taste of the bitter was extremely cloying. Importers of the Saserac de Forge e Fis trademark opened their own Saserac House representative office, which eventually served a drink that citizens liked so much. Later, it was this cognac that became the only true basis for the Saserak cocktail.
The first changes in the recipe
In 1870, the institution was transferred to a new owner - Thomas Handy. At that time, French cognac had already disappeared from store shelves. The company that produced Saserak went bankrupt and was liquidated, but the drink of the same name was still in demand. Then a new recipe was invented. Absinthe was added to the Saserak cocktail, and instead of cognac, rye whiskey was used. After the death of the new owner, such a recipe was published. Already in the 19th century, when the import of alcohol was banned in the USA, absinthe was replaced with various kinds of tinctures with anise flavor, including local production with an extract from medicinal plants.
How is it served now
Despite the fact that the exact recipe has been preserved in the International Association of Bartenders, it is being changed in every way. What is characteristic, most of these options are to one degree or another authentic, since they existed earlier as an alternative. For example, you can often find Scotch whiskey instead of rye, and Peshods are much more often replaced with ordinary bitter bitters. In any case, the composition of the Saserak cocktail remains publicly available, and therefore its quality depends primarily on the bartender himself and how highly he appreciates the culture of his establishment. In addition, sometimes mixing excellent ingredients from various recipe options. For example, along with Peshods, Angostur bitter is also added, which only enhances the taste of anise.
Classic recipe and sequence of actions
The most classic recipe is represented by the following list:
- Peshods bitter - 3 drops;
- cognac or rye whiskey - 50 ml;
- absinthe - 10 ml;
- ice - 2 cubes;
- 1 lemon peel;
- 1 cube of sugar.
Absinthe needs a real, pale green color and no dyes. Some connoisseurs prefer to drip them onto a cube of sugar, and then stir with a cocktail spoon, while others simply add to the drink. Cooking is as follows:
- a glass for Old Fashion cocktails needs to be cooled and ice should be added to it;
- pour cognac first;
- then add absinthe and sugar;
- complete the composition with bitter;
- decorate the glass with zest.
The drink is ready and waiting for its client. Saserak cocktail is also served as a dessert, so you should not be surprised if several slices of lemon are brought along with it. This fruit more often than others complements the drink. It is noteworthy, with rare exceptions, this cocktail is served in its pure form, otherwise it should be diluted with water without gas. Even less often cognac is replaced with bourbon, but this will significantly affect the taste.