“Parade-going is an all day, all night, multi-generational affair,” says Ralph Brennan, the president of his family’s restaurant group, which runs some of the most beloved restaurants in New Orleans. His favorite drink to pair with the food and festivities is this Ojen cocktail, with a main ingredient that was first produced in nineteenth-century Spain. After New Orleanians had difficulty tracking down bottles of the popular anise-based liqueur, local Sazerac Co. revived it and now produces its own Ojen.
Drinks
Ojen Cocktail
A liqueur with Spanish roots makes for a favorite Mardi Gras drink
photo: Courtesy of Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group
Ingredients
Yield: 1 cocktail
1½–2 oz. Ojen
4 drops Peychaud's bitters
1 splash soda water
Preparation
Combine ingredients in a rocks glass over crushed ice and stir.
Recipe from Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group
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