Today's lesson: Orange Fashioned So I had another request by a guild member for a cocktail. Sook, our fearless leader, wanted an Old Fashioned recipe that you, "muddle the hell out of it," so in other words an Old Fashioned that was not an Old Fashioned. So I said, "Not a problem, challenged accepted." The Old Fashioned is credited as being the oldest cocktail and should only have bourbon, sugar, bitters, and water. A sugar cube moistened with bitters and drops of water is dissolved in a glass. You then add the bourbon, stir, then add the ice and stir some more. Done. In fact, back in the late 1800's bartenders would place a sugar cube, bitters, and an ice cube in a glass in front of you with the bottle of bourbon for YOU to pour to your taste. All for fifteen cents or two for twenty-five. I decided to follow Sook's request and created a variation that works well. Unfortunately, it costs more than a quarter. Here is the recipe: (My exact ingredients are in brackets) If an ingredient is specifically listed then it is mandatory. 3oz rye (Redemption Rye) 0.25oz Solerno blood orange liqueur 0.25oz simple syrup (3:2 ratio of sugar/water) 2 dashes Angostura bitters 2 very high quality maraschino cherries (Luxardo) 1 orange peel for garnish 1 Deathstar shaped ice sphere (or your large ice cube of choice) In an Old Fashioned glass drop the cherries, bitters, and simple syrup and muddle to a pulp. Add the rye and stir. Add the ice cube and stir. Peel the orange over the drink to capture the natural oils, squeeze to release some more, rim the edges, then place it in the drink. This cocktail is great. The spiciness and sharpness of the rye is tastefully softened by the cherries and orange liqueur. While it has orange in the name it is not forward at all. The orange and cherry flavors are subtle. This has a heft or velvet mouthfeel that the original does not. I tried many different iterations of this drink to get it right. (Research is horrible, is it not? lol) It is a simple cocktail that requires the best ingredients. This drink works well with a high rye content spirit. Redemption has 95%, but there are other great choices. The Solerno orange liqueur is a much higher quality product than other choices like triple sec and such. A more concentrated simple syrup than the normal 1:1 helps to reduce the dilution of the rye and prevents and graininess unlike a sugar cube. Do not, DO NOT buy those neon red cherries sold in supermarkets. Make sure you purchase exceptional cocktail cherries like the Luxardo brand. Their price is justified. I tried muddling an orange peel with the cherries, but it came out too orange strong. Cheers.
