November isn’t my favorite month, but it’s not about aging—it’s about gaining maturity and wisdom. Just like sipping on Martell Cordon Bleu, a little goes a long way in battling the November blues.
Guests often see November as an indecisive period, sandwiched between more defined months. They might opt for tea on a Friday night, which, despite our quality offerings, can feel out of place. Perhaps it’s time for a change—a more stylish and less familiar choice, like a Punch or an Irish Coffee.
Enter Café Brûlot. My first encounter with this drink was in Schumann’s American Bar book. Café Brûlot Diabolique, created by Jules Alciatore in the late 1880s at Antoine’s Restaurant in New Orleans, is a hallmark of American fine dining. Inspired by French guests, Alciatore crafted a flamboyant technique involving brown sugar, cognac, and coffee—a spectacle and a Prohibition-era trick.
Today, Café Brûlot is a signature treat in esteemed establishments like Arnaud’s, presented tableside—an experience that tantalizes both taste buds and eyes.
Café Brûlot Recipe:
- Peel from one orange
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 0.7 oz cane syrup or 2 sugar cubes
- 1.7 oz Martell VS
- Cup of coffee
Peel an entire orange using a zester to obtain a long, thicker peel. Pierce cloves along the entire length of the peel with gaps of about 0.8–1.2 inches. Some recipes also call for lemon peel for a richer citrus taste; however, don’t pierce the lemon peel with cloves. In a container, add a cinnamon stick, sugar, and Martell. Insert the orange peel. Slowly heat the mixture for about 2–3 minutes. Remember, alcohol evaporates at a temperature of 172°F, so warm it gently as the alcohol will still be needed. Meanwhile, prepare a flambe gun, ready for ignition.
Using tweezers, remove the orange peel from the container, leaving one end inside and the other end spread out along its length. Ignite the peel and gently move it over the mixture.
After 10–20 seconds, once it creates an effect, pour in the prepared coffee. Strain the cocktail through a sieve into a preheated porcelain cup and add the used orange peel.
Of course, as modern bars often do, you can create your own version of this classic drink. You can flavor Martell with butter, add other spices like vanilla or tonka bean, or use spiced syrup. Some older recipes also suggest a touch of triple sec or Grand Marnier, which complement the brandy used quite well.
