Official Cocktail of Louisiana is the what?

Count on Louisiana to be the first state in the union to name an official cocktail. What can I say, we like to party here. And what goes better with a party than a refreshing cocktail. However, I was a bit surprised when the announcement was made that Louisiana's official cocktail would the the Sazerac.

Huh? The what? After a little searching, I discovered Sazerac is a type of rye whisky, and the Sazerac cocktail contains the whiskey, sugar, bitters, Herbsaint, a splash of water, and a slice of lemon.

Sounds tasty enough, but as a Louisiana girl, born and bred, I would have thought the Hurricane would win hands down in a contest of which cocktail should best represent Louisiana. Those curvy glasses filled with that rich, red, fruity concoction is synonymous with The Big Easy. But, maybe that's where the problem lies. Living so close to New Orleans, which, at times, seems a world away from the rest of the state, probably colors my judgement. Maybe the Sazerac is the drink of the day among those in Cajun country, or up around Alexandria. I'm sure there are some in the northern part of the state that are up in arms at the thought of an official state cocktail.

Of course, this entire idea begs the question: Is naming an official state cocktail really something our legislators should be spending their precious time on? There is the issue of education, a bleak job market, and let's not forget the rebuilding of an entire city.

Then again, maybe it was the thought of tackling those heavy agenda items that turned their minds to alcoholic refreshment in the first place.

Your mission this weekend: Enjoy a Sazerac.

posted by Farrah Rochon @ 7:24 AM Comments: 10