Houston – Cocktail historian Elizabeth Pearce is back in Studio B to share the fascinating stories behind some of the world’s most iconic drinks, including the Sazerac, Negroni, and Vieux Carré. Known for blending history with hospitality, Elizabeth brings these cocktails to life by connecting them to the people, places, and events that inspired their creation. Plus, we got plenty of fun facts you’ll want to share at your next happy hour.
The stories behind the cocktail
Sazerac Est. 1842
The Official Cocktail of New Orleans. It features Peychaud’s Bitters, which were invented in New Orleans and originally served medicinally. The original recipe used cognac, but in the 1880s, there was a terrible disease in France that wiped out the grapes, which also made cognac hard to get (and expensive) so American rye whiskey replaced the cognac. The original recipe used absinthe, but when it was banned in the US in 1912, a local pharmacist, Marion Legendre, created a similar tasting substitute, Herbsaint. Even though absinthe became legal in the US again in 2007, but Herbsaint is still popularly used today, especially in New Orleans.
RECIPE:
1/4 oz Absinthe
2 oz. Sazerac Rye Whiskey
1/4 oz. Simple Sryup
3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
1 dash of Angostura Bitters
Mix ingredients, stir with ice, strain and serve.
Garnish with a lemon peel.
Negroni, Est. 1919
It is believed that Count Camillo Negroni invented the drink at the Caffè Casoni in Florence, when he ordered an Americano (Campari and soda) made with gin in place of the usual soda water. Americans spending time abroad during Prohibition learned about it and it crossed the Atlantic to the US after WWII when all things Italian became popular. (LA Dolce Vita)
Vieux Carre Est. 1935
Invented in New Orleans at the Hotel Monteleone by head bartender Walter Bergeron. He created the cocktail as a tribute to the ethnic groups that made up the French Quarter at the time. There’s sweet vermouth for the Italians, Cognac and Benedictine for the French, rye whiskey for the Americans and Peychaud’s bitters for the Caribbean Haitian influence. FYI, everyone says it was invented in 1937 because it’s the first time the recipe appears in a cocktail book, but I found a newspaper blurb from 1935 of someone praising the drink, which probably means it was invented earlier, possibly during Prohibition, because Walter seems to have run a speakeasy during that time.
You’ll find these cocktails and more at Brennan’s, and some will be featured tonight at Brennan’s for the Spirit Round Table: Brown, Bitter and Stirred with Elizabeth Pearce. Elizabeth is also hosting events Friday and Saturday at Brennan’s. Friday is a Wine Dinner and Stories, and Saturday is a Soiree and brunch.