I’ve been on the search for the perfect fall cocktail recipe, and the other day, inspiration struck and I came up with the idea of a pear and sage sazerac. I made a small batch of sage simple syrup, and a puree with some pears from our CSA box. What followed was a delicious cocktail reminiscent of New Orleans, with just enough sweet and herby flavor to be a fall standard.
Pear and Sage Sazerac
- 1-2 ounce bourbon (depending on your preference)
- Splash of Pernod or Absinthe
- 1 bunch fresh sage
- 4-5 drops bitters
- 1-2 pears
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- Begin by combining equal parts sugar and water (I did 1/2 cup to 1/2 cup for a small batch of simple syrup), bring to a boil until it begins to thicken (it should stick a bit to the back of spoon) and remove from heat, stir in 1 bunch of sage and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour. After it’s had a chance to sit, remove the sage leaves.
- Peel and core 1-2 pears (depending on how much puree you’d like), put in a steamer basket and steam for 10-12 minutes or until you can prick them easily with a fork. Once they are cooled, cut and place into a blender with some lemon juice and puree.
- In a cocktail shaker, combine 1 TBSP pear puree, 1/2 ounce sage simple syrup, a few additional sage leaves, and muddle. Add 4-5 drops of bitters, and 1-2 ounces of bourbon (I prefer 2, but then again, I live in Williamsburg), and ice. Shake and strain* into a glass and garnish with a sprig of sage.
*The pear puree can get a bit thick towards the end, if this bothers you, I’d suggest straining through a cheesecloth.