Hello kids! It’s time for “Playing with CocktailDB“.

Doc and Martin and been doing an amazing job with CocktailDB, and the rewritten and revamped version of what’s up is only a hint as to what it’ll finally become. I decided to do a little playing, entering an ingredient and seeing what cocktails come up from the database.

I entered “Cherry Heering”, the lovely Danish cherry liqueur that seems to be currently unavailable in the States due to lack of a distributor (UPDATE: That was cleared up by the end of ’03). I was lucky enough to find a dusty old bottle at Dorignac’s in Metairie and snapped it up. It’s not just for before- or after-dinner sipping, or for Singapore Slings and pousse cafés … I punched it in, 27 recipes came up, and this one sounded the most interesting. I have no idea what it’ll taste like, but it looks intriguing, so I’ll try it tonight and let you know tomorrow if it’s any good (try it yourself first, if you’re adventurous and if you’ve got a bottle of Heering in the back of your bar). Besides, what the world needs now is more rye cocktails.

If you don’t have Heering, I suppose a “cherry-flavored brandy” or other sweet cherry liqueur could be substituted, but not a clear eau-de-vie. Hmm … but kirschwasser would make this cocktail quite bone-dry. Would it be too dry? (Yes, it would. Use Heering, it’s easy to find now.)

The High Hat Cocktail

1-1/2 ounces rye whiskey. (6/10)
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice. (2/10)
1/2 ounce Cherry Heering. (2/10)

Shake in iced cocktail shaker and strain.
Garnish with a cherry.

Wes found this one on Robert’s site yesterday — I don’t know how I missed it — and decided that “what the world needs now is more rye cocktails.” Amen. This drink was fabulous.

The Old Pal

1 ounce rye whiskey.
3/4 ounce dry vermouth.
3/4 ounce Campari.

Stir the ingredients with cracked ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a curly twist of lemon.

Of course, I was not told what drink he’d be making, and I was not allowed to watch as he mixed. As we often do when we make new-to-us drinks, I had to guess what was in it. I successfully guessed the Campari (which was easy) and the rye, and cheated ’cause I saw him take the dry vermouth out of the fridge.

Unfortunately, as I was tasting and smelling the drink, I got my nose a little too close to the surface of the drink and ended up inadvertently snorting some of it. I do not recommend this technique for evaluating a cocktail.

Another original creation of Dr. Cocktail, who recently talked bartender extraordinaire John Greer at Orleans Grapevine through its construction. Three of them were placed on the bar in front of us. Quaffing commenced … mmm, mighty tasty. It’ll kick your butt, too.

The cocktail is named in honor of Mr. Lemony Snicket, author of the wildly popular children’s book series entitled A Series of Unfortunate Events. Mr. Snicket would undoubtedly warn the unwary imbiber to stay away from such an unfortunately concoction at all costs, if he didn’t want something terrible to happen to him. (Perhaps it’s what did Beatrice in.) I rather like it, myself.

The Lemony Snicket Cocktail
(Unfortunately created by Ted Haigh, 2003)

2-1/2 ounces gin.
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice.
1/2 ounce limoncello.
1/2 ounce yellow Chartreuse.

Combine all ingredients with cracked ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously, then strain into a frosted cocktail glass. Garnish with one stemless cherry.

Unfortunately, it’s a rather cheery looking cocktail, not gloomy at all. Still, I doubt it’ll be cheery enough for Mr. Snicket, who should probably be offered a nice cup of tea instead.

Cocktail pairing idea: At the 2007 Spirited Dinner at Arnaud’s at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, Ted and fellow bartender Chris Hannah (of Arnaud’s French 75 Bar) served this alongside an asparagus and brie soup.

Herbsaint is not only New Orleans’ venerable (and inexpensive and damned tasty) pastis, or “absinthe substitute” as it’s often called, it’s also the name of one of the city’s finest restaurants, headed by Chef Donald Link, who co-owns the restaurant with Chef Susan Spicer of Bayona.

Herbsaint the liquor was a product of Marion Legendre’s liquor company for many years, appearing in 1933 as an absinthe substitute (“Herbsaint” being a play on words and a homonym of absinthe en français). Legendre was acquired by the Sazerac Company in 1948, who have been producing Herbsaint ever since.

The namesake restaurant has a pretty good cocktail list, and their eponymous house cocktail, based on Herbsaint liqueur, is mighty good too. Here’s how they make it:

The Herbsaint Cocktail
(House cocktail at Herbsaint Restaurant, New Orleans)

2 ounces Herbsaint.
1 teaspoon simple syrup.
4 dashes Angostura Bitters.
4 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters.

Fill an Old Fashioned glass with cracked ice and
build with the above ingredients. Top with water
and stir. (You may substitute Pernod for the Herbsaint
if it’s unavailable.)

UPDATE, August 8, 2008:

This week I got an email from a fellow by the name of Jay Hendrickson, who introduced me to his wonderful website called New Orleans Absinthe History, concentrating on Legendre products, including Herbsaint and original Legendre Absinthe, and other New Orleans absinthiana. He’s also got what appears to be a stunning collection, including vintage bottles of 1930s- and 1940s-era Herbsaint. (Wow.)

Jay was kind enough to send me a scan from an Herbsaint recipe booklet from circa 1944 showing the Legendre/Sazerac Co. recipe for their own Herbsaint Cocktail recipe, slightly different but sounding no less yummy. (The entire booket is viewable and downloadable here.)

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For the image-challenged:

The Herbsaint Cocktail
(Legendre/Sazerac Co. house version, circa 1944)

Fill a large glass three-quarters full of cracked ice.

One teaspoon of simple syrup.
Two ounces of Herbsaint.
One dash of Anisette.
Two dashes of Angostura Bitters.
Two ounces of carbonated water.

Stir well and strain into a cocktail glass.

Jay points out that the anisette used in this cocktail would have been Legendre’s own brand, no longer produced. I’d recommend Marie Brizard nowadays.

I’m gonna try my own adaptation of this, which in my head tastes rather like the Ojen Frappé you get at Lüke Restaurant in New Orleans, although less sweet and more complex.

The Herbsaint Cocktail No. 2
(Chuck’s adaptation, 2008)

2 ounces Herbsaint.
1 teaspoon simple syrup.
1 dash of Marie Brizard anisette.
4 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters.
Chilled carbonated water.

Combine first four ingredients in a mixing glass with plenty of cracked ice. Stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and top with carbonated water.

Be sure to add Jay’s fascinating New Orleans Absinthe History to your RSS reader. I’m guessing it’s only gonna get better and better as we apparently prepare to add a new chapter to that history.

UPDATE, December 2009: The Sazerac Company have finally begun producing their “new” 100-proof Herbsaint. “New” is in quotes because although it may be new to most of us, it’s the original 1934 recipe for Herbsaint, which was changed in the 1970s. The proof was lowered to 90, and the fresh herbs were replaced by herb extracts.

I’ve tasted the newly released Herbsaint original, and it’s superb stuff. The quality of the Herbsaint Cocktail is about to skyrocket.

This is an original by Dr. Cocktail, adapted from the classic Singapore Sling recipe and using some of the same ingredients. However, it’s a straight-up cocktail rather than a long drink. Be sure to use kirschwasser and not a “cherry brandy” liqueur for this drink. Don’t use Cherry Heering, either.

Straits Jacket

1-1/2 ounces gin
3/4 ounce Bénédictine D.O.M.
3/4 ounce Kirschwasser (dry, clear cherry brandy)
3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice

Shake with cracked ice in a cocktail shaker and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.