*Amendments to the original list And, while I might not dare to call any of my Old Fashioned-inspired creations an "Old Fashioned,” lest I incite rage, I do see the Old Fashioned as a perfect starting place for trying an infinite variety of customizations. I like herbal, floral, and citrus peel syrups with gin: lavender-lemon, grapefruit-rosemary, or rhubarb-rose, for example. While the origins of certain iconic drinks can be attributed to a specific clever bartender at a single glorious place and time, many others are nearly impossible to trace. Very glorious we would say! Get really exotic and try aquavit with cherry syrup, orange peel-black pepper syrup, or celery syrup for a sweet-savory spin. Don’t like whiskey? Shake … One of the remarkable things with cocktails is that subtle changes in ingredients can make a big difference in the final drink, and so it is with changing your bitters. You can be even bolder and create your own new base spirit by infusing it with something else. No need to infuse a whole bottle of booze: Just take a cup of your base spirit, combine it with what you want to infuse it with (use 1/2 cup of chopped fruit or nuts or around 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs, spices, or tea) and let it infuse for 2 to 24 hours, giving it a little shake and tasting a tiny nip every couple hours to check its progress. Nick’s invention was a matter of necessity. The history of booze is, perhaps unsurprisingly, frequently hazy, confused, and debated. Try changing your base spirit. Then strain it. The Cosmopolitan, a stylish pink concoction in a martini glass, was the signature cocktail in the 1990s for Carrie Bradshaw and her “Sex and the City” friends.. It is now a well-known fact that the word “cocktail” was first defined in 1806 by The Balance and Columbian Repository of Hudson, New York as “a stimulating liquor composed of any kind of sugar, water and bitters, vulgarly called a bittered sling.”. In a cocktail shaker, mix an egg white, lemon juice, pisco, simple syrup, and ice. Majority of historians claim the first ever cocktail is Sazerac. Death & Co. in New York brought this old idea back with their, now oft-copied, Oaxacan Old Fashioned, which not only uses an unexpected base spirit, but actually combines two different base spirits; it’s mostly tequila with a little extra boost from smoky mezcal (their recipe calls for 1 1/2 ounces tequila, 1/2 ounce mezcal, 1 teaspoon agave nectar, and 2 dashes Angostura bitters, stirred with ice and garnished with a twist of orange peel. Here are some ideas: 1. I would, however, advise you to lean toward the well-researched explanation of cocktail historian David Wondrich: He argues that cock-tail was a (somewhat vulgar) slang term for something that would course through, give you a surge of energy, lift your spirits, and basically cock your tail up (in the sense of lifting it or making it jaunty) like a prancing horse’s. A lump of sugar is the original (an old Old Fashioned usually came with a little spoon to allow the drinker to keep stirring the drink until the sugar was fully dissolved), but a teaspoon or two of simple syrup dissolves more easily. Hmm, a bit different than the recipe we’re used to now. Read on to learn everything about the origin of the cocktail here. I myself am a Norwegian-American dual citizen. Seeing that this list was originally publish in 2005, new information might have come to light since then. This can add a nice flavor to your end drink without requiring as much extra sweetener as you might need to use if you were using an infused syrup. Byron's 1884 'The Modern Bartender' where it is listed as a variation to the Manhattan. The Moscow Mule had been invented circa 1941, and although Martin often said that he and Jack Morgan, owner of the Los Angeles British pub Cock ‘n’ Bull, created the drink, such might not actually be the case. The more changes you make, the more you have to think about how the flavors will harmonize together in the final cocktail, but use your culinary common sense and don’t be afraid to tweak something until you like it. Indeed, the first known recipe for a Martinez appears in O.H. What is it:Rye, Bénédictine, sweet vermouth, Herbsaint or absinthe, Peychaud’s Bitters. Or change up your sweetener. Bee’s Knees Gin Cocktail History of the Bee’s Knees Cocktail. Or do all three! A cocktail, then, was just four key ingredients—the combination of which work together in wondrous alchemy—that should sound like a pretty familiar list: booze, bitters, sugar, water. In response to a reader questioning the off-handed mention of “cock tail” in a column from the week before, the editor explains, "Cock tail, then is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters. The cocktail was supposedly first invented at the Manhattan Club in New York City in the early 1870s. A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink, which is either a combination of spirits, or one or more spirits mixed with other ingredients such as fruit juice, flavored syrup, or cream. At first, the canners used the overarching term “fruit cocktail” as any home cook would, incorporating any leftover fruit bits they could. Seven years later, it launched the world’s first flavoured vodka, Peppar, flavoured with pepper, and followed it with one flavoured with lemon (Citron). I also have a doctorate in food policy, for which I studied the changes in diet and health of new immigrants after they come to the United States. Emily walks us through the history of the beloved Old Fashioned—and gives us tips for how to make a new age version. 2 1/2 ounces dark Rum1 to 2 teaspoons roasted pineapple syrup (see below)2 dashes Angostura bitters. You need to include Wisconsin's classic version, made with brandy - I think it may be the semi-official state drink. What we wrote in 2008: “We do know that the term [cocktail] originated in America, showing up in publications around the early 19th century. And at Bar Agricole in San Francisco, you can sometimes find a velvety gin Old Fashioned made with St. George’s Rye Gin and a twist of citrus. ), See the full recipe (and save and print it) here. An apothecary called Antoine Amedee Peychaud, invented mixed drinks in New Orleans around 1795. The first known written mention of cocktail as an alcoholic beverage appeared in The Balance and Columbian Repository (Hudson, New York) May 13, 1806. The Cosmpolitan In 1979, a Swedish vodka brand called Absolut entered the US. The first cocktail recipe recorded seems to be attributed to Capt J.E. It defined the drink as “a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters.” It could be made with whiskey, gin, or anything else you had on hand, as long as it contained the ot… And once you’ve veered into syrup territory, it’s an easy step to try maple syrup (excellent with bourbon), honey (nice with blended Scotch or rye), or agave syrup (a good choice for agave spirits like tequila). The history starts over 425 years ago in 1586. The first cocktail I ever tasted was invented by a guy named Nick I went to high school with. The Manhattan is a cocktail made with a mixture of whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters and garnished most often with a maraschino cherry. The Bee’s Knees is one of those cocktails whose history we don’t know for sure. And we likely owe the name "Old Fashioned" to purists (or at least the change-averse). The latter drink, purportedly invented by bartender Frank Fogarty in 1922, combines gin, chartreuse, maraschino liqueur and freshly squeezed lime juice. Angostura bitters have a way of harmonizing and augmenting the flavor in nearly anything, but there are so many exciting flavors of bitters, from orange to grapefruit-hops, to cherry-vanilla, to chocolate-mole, on the market, I think it’s totally worth exploring. Pisco Sour. And, as a way of CYA this is as far as we know, if we're wrong tell us in the comments! The early to mid-2000s saw the rise of cockta… Old-Fashioned – first mentioned in the Farmer’s Cabinet on April 28, 1803. Sidecar – Ritz, Paris. It is unclear where, who, and what went into the creation of the original cocktail, but it seems to be a specific drink rather than a category of mixed drinks during that time. Claims To 'Inventing The First Cocktail': 1. But before that, it was favoured by Madonna and other celebrities from South Beach to New York to San Francisco. One of the earliest records of a Manhattan cocktail recipe comes from William Schmidt’s “The Flowing Bowl,” published in 1891. Who invented it: Obscure; Stanley Clisby Arthur lists it in his 1937 book. The first published definition of the Cocktail appeared in an editorial response in The Balance and Columbian Repository of 1806. s * 1810-1840; Tom & Jerry – invented by British journalist Pierce Egan in the 1820s 1888 - Ramos Gin Fizz Cocktail. In the 1960s, it was a recipe on Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice bottles, then called the Harpoon. Even the origin of the word cocktail has several explanatory stories from which a person could choose. The purists will be crying for you to stop the insanity, but I suspect you’ll be having fun. It is vulgarly called a bittered sling…”. https://www.thedailymeal.com/drink/classic-cocktail-origins As a result of trying to make a less disgusting medicine, Antoine Peychaud made his groundbreaking discovery. From the 1800s in the plantations of North Virginia to the supper clubs of San Francisco in the 1980s, tapsters across the globe have been busy crafting our favourite cocktails over the last 100 years. How glorious are the sounds of delicious spirits and unique mixtures shaking vigorously in the hand of a well-trained barkeep? An old fashioned cocktail originally could use any spirit, so you most certainly can, too! We don’t know precisely how or when Americans began taking their medicinal shot of bitters (which originated as medicine) tempered with alcohol, sugar, and a bit of water, or when they began terming it a cocktail. Yum.) So I have a lot of Scandinavian pride, which especially shines through in my cooking on special holidays. They have several versions and they are outstanding and so is the food. According to a 2007 article in the Wall Street Journal penned by the reliable Eric Felton, the Cock ‘n’ Bull’s head bartender Wes Price also laid claim to the recipe. People have been mixing drinks for centuries, but it wasn't until the 17th and 18th centuries that the precursors of the cocktail (the Slings, Fizzes, Toddies, and Juleps) became popular enough to be recorded in the history books. See the full recipe (and save and print it) here. At the cocktail room at our distillery, we’ve had a number of drinks that were inspired by the Old Fashioned, including one we called the “Old Cedar”—cedar wood aged gin with grapefruit-rosemary syrup and grapefruit bitters—as well as the "Cold Fashioned," a cocktail of cognac barrel aged aquavit with maple syrup and cherry-hazelnut bitters. If you are ever visiting Nashville, TN, try one from Etch. Try gin, rum, brandy, apple brandy, tequila, you name it. And here, while it’s still summer, is a very tropical rum-based variation on an Old Fashioned! An Old Fashioned is my favorite cocktail. But we do know that one of the earliest written references we can find comes from an 1806 edition of The Balance, and Columbian Repository, a conservative newspaper in upstate New York. Here’s an extract from the Larousse Cocktail book of dates in history of the most famous recipes and the origins of the greatest cocktails of our time. In England this was typically a spicy ginger libation, but in America it evolved into something considerably stronger. The gin-based Ramos Gin Fizz cocktail was the secret recipe of Henry C. Ramos, who opened his … The story goes that a … A cousin to both the Sazerac and the Vieux Carré with elements of each. Want to get creative from the Old Fashioned template? The actual answer. One story says that it was invented by Frank Meier, who was born in Austria but worked in Paris. The origins of the word cocktail have been debated. Then you can also change up your bitters. But, purists aren’t really that fun are they? There are various types of cocktails, based on the number and kind of ingredients added. Beyond loving all facets of food, I'm a Renaissance woman (translation: bad at focusing), dabbling in a variety of artistic and scientific endeavors. ** New additions to the original list. I drank it out of a plastic bottle, and I have no idea what was in it. In fact, there's a great bar/tavern on Capitol Square, near UW, called The Old Fashioned. I’ve enjoyed gin infused with cucumber, strawberries, rhubarb, or grapefruit peel. Four ingredients is a great jumping off point for creative additions, and the 1870s and 1880s saw bartenders adding dashes of this and splashes of that to the cocktail, delighting some but absolutely appalling others. The story goes that back in 1838, Creole apothecary Antoine Peychaud invented the Sazerac in his shop at 437 Royal Street. Drink name: Cocktail à la Louisiane Where it was invented: Restaurant de la Louisiane, New Orleans. The Wisconsin Brandy Old-Fashioned is it's own delicious beast, and I find myself frequently explaining the differences to my cheesehead friends. If you order a Sidecar at the Ritz, Paris, (as of 2017) it may cost you 1,500 … I like to infuse bourbon with figs, peaches, cherries, pecans, coffee beans, or cacao nibs. I like to say I'm a lazy iron chef (I just cook with what I have around), renegade nutritionist, food policy wonk, and inveterate butter and cream enthusiast! Rye is nice with apples, pears, chamomile tea, or hazelnuts. Apothecary owner Antoine Peychaud made the first cocktail ever in New Orleans, in the 1800s.