The Fais Do Do that we have planned as our Mardi Gras celebration might really be called a cocktail party. It follows in a long line of such parties, the first of which was hosted by Mrs. Julius S. Walsh of St. Louis, Missouri in May of 1917. At her stylish gathering, St. Louie's finest were served cocktails for one hour before lunch began. On this Sunday afternoon the drinks flowed from noon until Lunch began and the bar was closed. This tradition of serving mixed drinks before the actual meal stuck. Nowadays many establishments host a cocktail hour immediately before dinner is served.

But what exactly is a cocktail? Originally, a cocktail was a mixed drink that contained distilled spirits, sugar, water and bitters - with bitters being the defining ingredient. In Jerry Thomas' 1862 book, "How to Mix Drinks," cocktails remained separate from other mixed drinks such as sours, slings and toddies simply by the addition of that one component. Over time, however, a cocktail has come to mean any mixed drink that contains alcohol in the form of gin, whiskey, rum, tequila, brandy or vodka.

Now that we know what a cocktail is, where did the name come from? There are many possibilities. One story tells of rooster's tails adorning the early versions to let teetotalers know that this drink had alcohol in it. Another says that it is a derivative of the French name for a double sided egg cup or coquetier used in New Orleans to serve the earliest cocktails. The most reliable, however, describes the cocks, or taps that were used on the barrels of the distilled liquor, and the tail was that leftover amount in the bottom of the barrel that was sold at a cheaper price. Poorer customers knew to come into the bar and ask for the "cock tailings" when they wanted an inexpensive drink.
Now that we know what a cocktail is, where did the name come from? There are many possibilities. One story tells of rooster's tails adorning the early versions to let teetotalers know that this drink had alcohol in it. Another says that it is a derivative of the French name for a double sided egg cup or coquetier used in New Orleans to serve the earliest cocktails. The most reliable, however, describes the cocks, or taps that were used on the barrels of the distilled liquor, and the tail was that leftover amount in the bottom of the barrel that was sold at a cheaper price. Poorer customers knew to come into the bar and ask for the "cock tailings" when they wanted an inexpensive drink.

One of the first, if not the first, cocktail ever created was mixed in New Orleans in the 1830's by Antoine Amadie Peychaud, a Creole apothecary who settled in the French Quarter from the West Indies. He used an old family recipe of aromatic herbs, to concoct a cure for the ailments of his clients. This secret mixture, which goes by the name Peychaud's Bitters, is still made and sold in New Orleans today. He began mixing a toddy for his friends that consisted of French Brandy, mixed with his own bitters, a splash of water and a little sugar. This delicious potion made ingesting his remedy all the more pleasant!

Soon, Peychaud's drink was being consumed all over the city in places the locals referred to as "coffee houses". One of these coffee houses, owned by Sewell Taylor, was called the SAzerac after a type of French Brandy, Sazerac-du-Forge et fils, for which Taylor was the sole importer. In 1853, he declared that the drink would be made only at his bar and only with his brandy. His bartenders added enough absinthe to coat the glass and soon people began referring to the name of the cocktail by the name of the coffee house in which is was served. The classic Sazerac was born.

Many people come to New Orleans in search of Sazerac's more famous cousin the Hurricane. But residents usually say that it's the tourists who drink Hurricanes while the natives are sipping a Sazerac.

For this Fais Do Do, let's salute the Sazerac and the wonderful city in which it was born, New Orleans, Louisiana. Happy Mardi Gras, New Orleans, with the hopes of many, many more to come!.
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1/2 teaspoon absinthe, or Herbsaint (a New Orleans brand of anise liqueur)
1 teaspoon of simple syrup (1 1/2 parts sugar to 1 part warm water, mixed until the sugar dissolves)
4 dashes Peychaud's Bitters
1 small dash of Angostura Bitters (optional)
2 ounces brandy (or rye whiskey, not bourbon)
strip of lemon peel

Pack a 3 1/2 ounce Old Fashioned glass with ice.

In another Old Fashioned glass add the simple syrup, the whiskey (or brandy) and the bitters. Add a few cubes of ice and stir to chill.

Discard the ice from the first glass and add the absinthe, or Herbsaint. Coat the inside of the entire glass, pouring out the excess.

Strain the whiskey into the Herbsaint glass. Twist a lemon peel over the glass so that the lemon oil falls into the drink, then rub the peal over the rim of the glass. Do not put the peel into the drink.

Sip slowly and enjoy and the world's first cocktail.
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
2 ounces blended whiskey
1 cup milk
nutmeg

Shake with ice and strain into a collins glass or mug.

Sprinkle nutmeg on top.
1 ounce dark rum
1 ounce llight rum
1 tablespoon passion fruit syrup
2 teaspoons lime juice
garnish with pinapple slice

Shake with ice and strain into a hurricane or martini glass.

Don't forget the little umbrella!
Caipirinha (the first "c" is hard) is a delicious and refreshing drink made with cachaça (the final "c" is soft). This is a Bralizian beverage made from sugar cane. If you can not find cachaca you can make a variation with either vodka or rum.

2 limes per glass
2 ounces of cachaça
2 teaspoons sugar per glass
crushed ice

Wash the limes and roll them on the board to loosen the juices. Cut the lime into pieces and place them in a glass. Sprinkle with the sugar and crush the pieces (pulp side up) with a pestle. ) Just enough to release the juice, otherwise it'll get bitter. Add the cachaça and stir to mix. Add the ice and stir again. It is delicious and potent!