Old Fashioned
Chansons de Le Chef et Le Chat
I’ll Remember April - Johnny Hartman
An Old Fashioned is a classy drink that should be accompanied by a classy song. I envision myself in a leather chair, in a library, sitting with a book. As the gentle waft of citrus fills the air, I’m warmed by a crackling fire, the bourbon in my core, and the buttery voice of Mr. Johnny Hartman.
An Old Fashioned is old fashioned but retains its modern appeal.
Ingredients:
Classic Old Fashioned:
2 ounces Bourbon
A Few Dashes of Angostura Bitters
1 Suagrcube or 0.5 teaspoons of Sugar
A Splash of Water or Club Soda
Garnish with an Orange Twist, a Cherry, or both
Serve “On the Rocks”
Over Ice
Consider adding:
Rye Old Fashioned
Substituting Bourbon for Rye gives it a stronger flavor profile.
Maple Old Fashioned
Substitute Sugar for Maple Syrup
Oaxacan Old Fashioned
Substitute Whiskey for Tequila
Consider Smoking with Hickory, Oak, or Applewood
Instructions:
Start with a Rocks Glass
Add with your Sugar Cube/Sugar
3 dashes of bitters
A splash of Club Soda
Add Large Ice
As the ice melts, it will dilute your alcohol, be sure to stir
Add 2 oz. of Bourbon
Garnish with a twist of Orange peel.
Enjoy
As an Irishman, it’s ironic and blasphemous for me to tell you that I don’t drink alcohol too often. My vice is food. I like a good wine with a good dinner, I like a frozen margarita on vacation, and then there’s about 2 days out of the year that I wake up and think, “Damn, I want a beer.” Having said that, sometimes I’ll find myself at a bar with my friends or my cousins and I’m always faced with the anxiety of ordering a cocktail. Since I don’t know what I like, I always try to order something new.
Maybe this opening has destroyed my credibility for a good cocktail, but I am still interested in flavors. What I like about an Old Fashioned is the simplicity. The added water and ice bring a lightness to an otherwise deep flavor. With the citrus and sweetness of cherry and sugar, you get a well-balanced combination of flavors. Another thing to enjoy about this drink in particular is that there is a certain ritual involved. A little extra love makes it feel elevated, despite being pretty simple.
