Sunday night, we went over to our friend Martin’s place, and we usually drink wine. Martin said he just made himself an Old Fashioned and asked if I wanted one.
Did I want one? Come on! I love bourbon and whiskey, so sure. Martin is a chef but has also spent plenty of time bartending as well. I think the two go hand in hand.
I watched how he made his Old Fashioned and took mental notes. He added a small amount of fresh orange juice in his version that he squeezed with his hand. A little sugar & 2 dashes of bitters. He added ice and bourbon, then stirred it. It was delicious!
I duplicated his recipe last night because I wanted to put it into my memory. Ok, who am I kidding? I wanted one. I had a bottle of small-batch bourbon that I just picked up and wanted to try.
My Old Fashioned was also delicious and almost identical to Martin’s. I added a maraschino cherry to mine. My love for maraschino cherries is one of my dirty little secrets.
The Old Fashioned originated from the Whiskey Cocktail that was popular back in the early 1800s. Louisville, Kentucky, claims the Old Fashioned to be invented by a bartender in 1880 at a private social club called The Pendennis Club. Many people disagree with this, but Louisville isn’t giving up this claim to fame.
The original Old Fashioned consisted of a teaspoon of sugar in the bottom of a rocks class. A little water and a couple dashes of bitters were mixed in with a small spoon to dissolve the sugar. Ice was added, and the glass was given to the customer with a bottle of bourbon to pour their own. Can you imagine that today?
Over the years, the drink has had so many variations. The first variations started during and after prohibition. It was said that bartenders started adding muddled fruit, orange, and cherries to help cover up the taste of lousy bourbon available at that time.
The Old Fashioned remained popular and held on with other classics like the Martini & Manhattan for a long time, but took a dive during the second half of the 20th century. Drinks like 7&7, Rum & Coke, Sex on the Beach, Cosmopolitans, Alabama Slammers, B52s, Red Deaths, and Mind Erasers became people’s new favorite cocktails. BTW…they are all very good too!
In the last decade, speakeasy-type drinks have made a massive comeback and are now crafted by bartenders or mixologists. Local, small distilleries making small batches of whiskey, bourbon, rum, and gin is all the rage. At each of our farmer’s markets, at least 8 local distilleries are selling their versions of different types of liquor.
Each bartender or mixologist has their own way of crafting the Old Fashioned. Some use simple syrup; others use maple syrup. Some muddle fruit or set an orange peel on fire and throw it into the glass. Purist will still make or order the classic original version.
I love making, drinking, and appreciating a good cocktail, just like a good bottle of wine. Good doesn’t always mean crazy expensive, world-renowned or fancy; small, local distilleries and wineries can produce it.
People suddenly became aware of where their food was coming from during the pandemic. It became important to many people who wanted local meats, produce, and other products. Knowing where your booze comes from and supporting small local businesses is also a great thing to do.
Cheers! 🥃