If you ever read this blog (which you don't), then you might have noticed that I spend an unhealthy amount of time evaluating the abilities of various cafes to make a proper cafe au lait. Lately I've also become obsessed ("fixated," my parole officer might say) on the ability of various bartenders to make a cocktail called the Sazarac (rye, bitters, sugar, pernod). It's not an insanely obscure drink. The ingredients are not arcane, and bartenders should know it because it's one of the signature drinks of New Orleans. The bartender who made this Sazarac at Daddy-O's in the West Village actually said: "Sorry it took me so long to make that, the last time I made one was in New Orleans." In time, you will come to see that most bartenders are useless when it comes to making this simple yet tasty cocktail. Almost as useless as most baristas when it comes to the cafe au lait.
