Huntsman
Distinguished Member
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2004
- Messages
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In most of America, the cocktail is dead. There are only a few outposts still carrying the banner. Declining standards of taste have dragged the cocktail into near oblivion. Proper bartenders are almost extinct, replaced by glorified waiters whose loftiest goal is to stock the tip jar, rather than to create an elegant experience for their patrons. Bars have become the domain of vodka flavored with the synthesized renderings of chemistry labs, as well as of "˜mixologists' that peddle fluorescent brew, neatly topped off with some FD&C #4 Blue.
An article in the San Francisco Chronicle, "Five Drinks Bartenders Hate to Make" typifies the current state of affairs -- a bartender is quoted saying that if a customer wants a real Mojito, he should go to a restaurant rather than a bar. What? Yet, a bar I sat in last week had 471 Martinis, most of which contained no gin, vodka, or vermouth, but various combinations of candy. Good spirits, good water, fresh juices create that which the 471 variations cannot. It's fusing vs. canvassing in a glass.
It wasn't always this way. With Repeal Day (December 5th) approaching, a thread in honor of the cocktail, elevated to the level of artistry to which we hold our sartorial efforts, seems appropriate.
This is my favorite -- the Old Fashioned, one of the progenitors of all cocktails, and with good reason, as the balance is sublime. If you've only had ones made with red maraschino cherries, you haven't had an Old Fashioned in your life (common maraschinos are bleached, plumped, then soaked in almond-flavored sugar water, which are not appropriate flavors). This recipe requires proper preserved wild cherries -- Amazon carries Amarena Fabbri cherries, which are highly regarded.
Old Fashioned:
1.5oz good Bourbon (I'm currently using Knob Creek)
0.5oz 1:1 simple syrup
3 Dashes Bitters (I use a proprietary bitters, but Angostura is fine)
1/2 slice orange
1 proper maraschino cherry
Add cherry, orange slice, bitters and sugar syrup. Muddle. Add ice, finish with bourbon, garnish with an orange twist.
I am working on my Manhattan (a Sazerac Rye and Vya Vermouth version is in my glass right now), and the Negroni is next.
Share some recipes...
~ Huntsman
An article in the San Francisco Chronicle, "Five Drinks Bartenders Hate to Make" typifies the current state of affairs -- a bartender is quoted saying that if a customer wants a real Mojito, he should go to a restaurant rather than a bar. What? Yet, a bar I sat in last week had 471 Martinis, most of which contained no gin, vodka, or vermouth, but various combinations of candy. Good spirits, good water, fresh juices create that which the 471 variations cannot. It's fusing vs. canvassing in a glass.
It wasn't always this way. With Repeal Day (December 5th) approaching, a thread in honor of the cocktail, elevated to the level of artistry to which we hold our sartorial efforts, seems appropriate.
This is my favorite -- the Old Fashioned, one of the progenitors of all cocktails, and with good reason, as the balance is sublime. If you've only had ones made with red maraschino cherries, you haven't had an Old Fashioned in your life (common maraschinos are bleached, plumped, then soaked in almond-flavored sugar water, which are not appropriate flavors). This recipe requires proper preserved wild cherries -- Amazon carries Amarena Fabbri cherries, which are highly regarded.
Old Fashioned:
1.5oz good Bourbon (I'm currently using Knob Creek)
0.5oz 1:1 simple syrup
3 Dashes Bitters (I use a proprietary bitters, but Angostura is fine)
1/2 slice orange
1 proper maraschino cherry
Add cherry, orange slice, bitters and sugar syrup. Muddle. Add ice, finish with bourbon, garnish with an orange twist.
I am working on my Manhattan (a Sazerac Rye and Vya Vermouth version is in my glass right now), and the Negroni is next.
Share some recipes...
~ Huntsman