⁄ ounce (11 ml) Coriander Syrup (recipe follows) The syrup is the nontraditional aspect of this old-fashioned. You could use regular 1:1 simple syrup to make a more typical version. Many purists use granulated or cubed sugar and crush the sugar with the bitters—they like the graininess, and the fact that the sugar level evolves over time. I don’t. Orange twist 3
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EQUIPMENT One double old-fashioned glass, at room temperature Straw or short mixing rod (optional) PROCEDURE FOR A SIMPLE DRINK IN EXCRUCIATING DETAIL I don’t build old-fashioneds in chilled glasses. An unchilled glass represents a relatively large thermal mass at room temperature. When you make a drink in a glass at room temperature, you have to melt a good bit of ice to chill the glass down to the temperature of the drink. This extra bit of melting adds to the initial dilution of the drink, which I like. You can overcome this by stirring the drink more after you build it, but then the initial drink will be colder, which I don’t like. Also, while chilled glasses look great when they are fresh, they attract condensation and don’t look good on a drink like the old-fashioned, which is meant to be sipped. Fine points like this—whether to chill a glass or not—are all a matter of personal preference. Chill your glasses or don’t, but understand the consequences. Some bartenders build their drink directly into the glass before they add the rock, allowing them to stir the ingredients with a spoon to mix without diluting. If you work this way, you should use the time-honored practice of adding ingredients from cheapest to most expensive. Adding the cheap stuff first means you don’t throw away the good stuff if you make a mistake while you are measuring. Almost all professionals work this way, even though they rarely make mistakes while jiggering. The disadvantage of adding the ice last: you have to get a large, ungainly rock into the glass smoothly without splashing, and you have to know in advance that your rock is a good partner for your glass. I prefer to add the rock to the glass before the liquid so I can be certain the rock looks good in the glass. Your large, hand-cut ice cube should be given due respect. Put the ice cube into your double old-fashioned glass. Make sure the ice fits in the glass and reaches to the bottom. A rock that doesn’t touch the bottom of the glass is an abomination. If the ice doesn’t fit properly, spin it with a spoon, and the corners should melt, allowing the ice to reach the bottom. If the cube is really too big, knock the corners off with a knife first.
