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INTERVIEWS
O’Neil
Broyard
Greg Cowman
Gilberto Eyzaguirre
Paul Gustings
Gertrude Mayfield
Bobby Oakes
Michael Santucci
Martin Sawyer
Michael Smith
John Strickland
Floria Woodard
Cheers!
Drink Recipes
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This project was sponsored by a grant from Southern Comfort.
Interviews and photographs by Amy Evans
Bartenders
of New Orleans
In 1838, Antoine Amadee Peychaud played around with brandy, bitters and an egg cup (called a coquetier in French, some maintain this is the origin of the word cocktail), and the American cocktail was likely born…in New Orleans. Almost 170 years later, the Big Easy still serves this concoction known as the Sazerac. The drink itself has seen a few changes, but one thing remains the same: New Orleans is ground zero for the cocktail. Much has been written about this liquid history, and many are familiar with the establishments that offer one libation or another with names like the Hurricane, the Ramos Gin Fizz, the Mint Julep. But not a lot of attention has been paid to the folks who combine all of the proper the ingredients and pass them across the bar. The men and women of New Orleans who carry on these traditions and serve the thirsty masses are the keepers of this history. Whether it’s the tableside performance of the Café Brulot or simply popping the cap off of an Abita, these folks are good at what they do, and they have been doing it for a long time. Cocktail recipes are recorded in books, but the history of drinking in New Orleans is standing just on the other side of the bar.
On the Radio...
Just a couple of weeks after Hurricane Katrina, SFA oral historian, Amy Evans, was interviewed for the Bob Edwards Show, which is broadcast on XM Satellite Radio, to speak about the Bartenders of New Orleans Oral History Project. To listen to the show in its entirety, please click on the link below. Amy's interview ends the one-hour program. Many thanks to the folks at the Bob Edwards Show and XM Satellite Radio for recognizing our work and the bartenders of New Orleans.
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Entire radio show. [13 MB - Audible audio format. Must be an audible.com member to open file. Click here to sign up FREE.]
Or, download an edited version here. [7MB - Windows Media Player required. Go here to download the player for FREE.]
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