The intrepid Nicola Wolf and I set out again last night in search of Comet Cocktail No. 4. We found it at Maurepas Food, in the New Orleans Bywater neighborhood.
I proposed the cocktail challenge to bartenders Tony and Lauren, two very capable and friendly people.
“See this here picture,” said I and, following my usual routine, brandished a reproduction of the cover of my famous novel, THE NIGHT OF THE COMET. “Can you do something like that?”
Tony hesitated. He wanted to take the picture home and study it for a week.
“No, no, no,” I said. “We don’t have a week. You have to do this now.”
Tony conferred with Lauren. “We’ll do it!” they said.
First they warmed a brandy snifter with hot water. We ate cheese and waited. Then Tony did something secretive with Pisco, 151 Rum, and Blue Curacao. He held a lit match to the concoction:
Watch out! Fire!
Lauren grated cinnamon over the flames, a nifty bar trick that produced a sparkly golden meteor shower above the glass:
Here’s the finished drink. It was potent and delicious. Lifted me right up into space. I got lost on my way home.
Salut, Tony and Lauren at Maurepas!
