I know I’ve said it before, but I’m a seasonal drinker. It seems that whenever the month changes on the calendar, my palate changes with it.
November is my month for Old Fashioneds. I never used to consider myself a good “mixologist” or “cocktailer,” but about five years ago, I got so into Old Fashioneds, I figured I needed to learn to make them. Plus, when you make things yourself, you can make them perfectly to your taste every. single. time. For a foodie like myself, that’s truly a heavenly experience.
One November evening, after I learned how to make these drinks, I found myself at a bar with some friends. I ordered an Old Fashioned and the girl looked at me with a (slightly terrified) totally blank stare. I realized this bartender working at a new semi-hip bar, didn’t know how to make one of THE classic drinks of the 20th Century!!! (Though, to be fair, it’s likely she’d only been alive a couple of years of the 20th Century, and she certainly wasn’t drinking then. But still–she was the bartender.) In the era where “Mad Men” is one of the most popular shows on television, it was surprising that she hadn’t heard of it.
My dad always says there are three levels of learning: 1) learning; 2) understanding; and 3) the ability to teach someone else. It was a huge turning point for non-mixoloist-me that night when I taught her how to make an Old Fashioned in as perfect a way as she could have for her first time, and without access to my secret ingredient.
In a land super familiar with La Croix right now, the secret ingredient of the Perfect Old Fashioned isn’t really as secret as it used to be. An Old Fashioned is a perfectly balanced mixture of bourbon, bitters, sugar, a muddled orange slice and cherry, and a splash of soda water. But to seriously take this classic cocktail to the next level with a modern twist, I used flavored soda water. I generally use mineral water with an orange essence. You don’t need much, and the small amount of orange flavor really rounds out the whole flavor.
So here I am, getting to the third level of understanding when it comes to mixing the perfect Old Fashioned. My life is now complete. 🙂
- 2 Shots Four Roses Bourbon
- 5 Dashes of High Quality Bitters
- ½ tsp. Sugar in the Raw
- 1 Bada Bing Cherry
- 1 Slice of Orange (I use clementines during the winter since they're around)
- ½ Shot of Orange Essence Soda or Mineral Water
- Put the Sugar, Bitters, Orange and Cherry in the bottom of a high ball glass and muddle together. Now, you can buy a muddler in a cocktail kit or by itself at Williams Sonoma or a similar store. However, I don't have one so I use the handle of a wooden spoonula.
- Add the bourbon and add a splash of soda water to taste. Drop a large ice cube in the glass and garnish with an extra cherry and/or a wedge of orange.
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