Last night in Portland, I was guest-bartending for Bols at an event at Vault where we were challenged to come up cocktails inspired by the classic drinks of New Orleans. When I think of New Orleans drinks, three types come to mind. First are the spirit-driven classics like the Sazerac and Vieux Carré. Then there are the giant, sweet, fruity drinks for the tourists on Bourbon Street. And finally there are the creamy, frothy brunch drinks like Ramos Gin Fizz or the Brandy Milk Punch.
It was those drinks I turned to for inspiration last night. The Absinthe Suissesse is a delicious New Orleans drink combining absinthe, cream, egg white, and a few other ingredients. It wasn’t too hard to adapt into a Galliano Suissesse, since both spirits share a strong anise flavor. I dropped orgeat from the original recipe since Galliano is sweet enough as is and added a little soda to lengthen and lighten it:
1 1/2 oz Galliano
1 1/2 oz whipping cream
1 egg white
2 dashes orange flower water
soda
Give the first four ingredients a long, hard shake with ice, then strain into a wine glass. Add a splash of soda and grate some fresh nutmeg on top.
With an ounce and a half each of Galliano and cream there’s no getting around that this is a sweet drink, but it could be just the thing for a hair of the dog brunch after tonight’s Mardi Gras festivities. Unless you’re giving up drinking for Lent, but let’s be honest: No one reading this blog is likely to do something drastic like that.
Previously:
Utah, future home of the Vieux Carré
Jacob Grier is a freelance writer, barista, mixologist, and magician in Portland, OR. He writes, eats, and drinks a lot. His articles have appeared in The Washington Post, Reason Online, The Oregonian, and other publications.
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