Monday night saw the nationwide “Save New Orleans Cocktail Hour,” the Hurricane Katrina relief event organized by the Museum of the American Cocktail. While we’re still awaiting details on the amount the event raised to help New Orleans food & beverage workers, I do know that more than 100 bars and restaurants participated, some even extending the event’s hours in order to raise additional funds for hurricane victims.
On September 12 I was doing my part, propping up the bar at Zig Zag Cafe and watching Ben as he put together rounds of Sazeracs and Hurricanes, a couple of French 75s and even one stray Vieux Carre. While I didn’t see any obvious signs that a benefit was in progress, plenty of people obviously knew about it (unless there’s some warp to the cocktail resurgence happening, in which Sazeracs are becoming the new Mojitos).
I did also lend some support to the cause by enjoying a couple of Ben’s Sazeracs–he makes them very nice, by the way, adding a little anchor of Angostura to back up the softness of the Peychauds, and finely misting the glass with Herbsaint (Zig Zag’s always good for authenticity) before adding the bitters-fortified Old Overholt. I had to leave before the official 7:00 pm end of the event, but hopefully the turnout nationwide was similar to that I saw at Zig Zag, and plenty of thirsty people came out to raise some funds for the food & beverage workers of New Orleans.
