Last night I went to the Blind Tiger pub in Shreveport. No special reason I picked it save I could walk there from my hotel and there was a TV showing Louisiana’s favorite son, Peyton Manning, playing against his old Indianapolis Colts. Peyton lost. Before I thought Indianapolis was boring. Now I can add hateful to the list.
In the rare moments I could avert my eyes away from Payton’s award winning ass, I had a transcendent experience with a cocktail. Aside from choosing the dinner I wanted, I asked bartender Mike to pick all my drinks for me. I drove a lot yesterday and was exhausted. I was in no condition to make important decisions such as what beer goes with fried catfish.
He made beautiful choices so when he offered to make me as Sazerac cocktail, the Louisiana twist on the whiskey cocktail, I just laid back and let Mike happen.
Surprisingly, I loved it. Surprisingly, because I really don’t like whiskey or cocktails. I also loved the way Mike explained the history of the drink as he splashed together the alcohols. I’d like to tell you some of that history but Mike is handsome so I zoned out and stared at him and the pretty shiny old fashioned bottles.
I do recall Mike saying the reason Peychaud’s bitters are added is because it is supposed to have health benefits. Maybe he did not put enough bitters in because I didn’t feel all that healthy this morning. And I drank two of those cocktails so I had double the amount of healthy bitters!
In addition to the Peychaud’s, Mike used rye whiskey, simple syrup, a splash of absinthe light and he rubbed the rim of the glass with a lemon twist. I think.
A couple sitting next to me gave the lowdown on restaurants to go to in New Orleans when you’re hungover. That’s a clear sign that a place is boozy, when there is a category of hangover restaurants.
They did warn me not to go to a particular place drunk or I doubled my chances of getting picked up. I wasn’t sure what they were talking about so I assumed they meant “picked up” by the police. Which surprised me because I thought public intoxication was encouraged in Louisiana. The young woman corrected me, no, picked up by a gay guy! Note to self: Go to that particular restaurant very very very drunk.