An Old-Fashioned is the perfect cocktail for Thanksgiving, as it can be customized for the flavors of the season, as well as the whims of those at the table.
As the name implies, the Old-Fashioned is one of the oldest cocktails, dating to the 1800s. Made by muddling a bitter-soaked sugar cube, a glug of whiskey and an orange peel, it can work with just about any spirit, as well as any sweetening agent.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
The go-to recipe calls for ingredients and tools any kitchen or home bar ought to have. In a rocks glass, add a sugar cube (or a teaspoon of sugar) and douse it with a few dashes of bitters. Add 2 ounces of whiskey. Rye is the original spirit used, but bourbon is the more popular choice today, with its smooth sweetness counterbalancing the bitters. Fill the glass with ice and stir, to cool the drink and incorporate the sugar. Twist an orange peel over the glass, then drop it in.
For a holiday variation on the classic drink, you can incorporate corn, a cornerstone of Native American farming and a Thanksgiving staple.
Using the same preparation, substitute Nixta corn liqueur for the sugar. It is produced using nixtamalization of ancestral cacahuezintle maize, as is done with Abasolo whiskey (made by the same distillery). The ancient cooking technique uncovers deep, savory roasted corn flavor in the liqueur. The recipe: Take a rocks glass with ice, add 2 ounces of whiskey, a half-ounce of Nixta and three dashes of angostura bitters. Stir for about 30 seconds. Garnish the drink with a lemon peel.
Credit: Angela Hansberger
Credit: Angela Hansberger
Apples can add another holiday twist to an Old-Fashioned. The early colonists pressed and fermented apples to make America’s first spirit — a brandy called applejack. “Jacking” refers to freeze distillation, where ice is removed from frozen hard cider, increasing the alcohol content.
To make this variation on an Old-Fashioned, add 2 ounces of applejack, a half-ounce of maple syrup and a few dashes of bitters to a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir to mix and cool, then strain over fresh ice. Squeeze an orange peel over the glass to release the citrus oils and garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Pumpkin can join the Old-Fashioned party, as well. To make this variation, fill a shaker with ice and add 2 ounces of whiskey, 1 tablespoon of pumpkin puree, a half-teaspoon of maple syrup and two dashes of Angostura bitters. Shake for about 30 seconds and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with what is on hand — a cinnamon stick, a sprig of rosemary or an orange peel. You even can sprinkle some of the season’s ubiquitous pumpkin spice on it.
A pumpkin Old-Fashioned with bourbon is savory and sweet, and will warm the cheeks.
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