Muddle rosemary, salt, and syrup lightly in the bottom of a rocks glass. Add vodka, juice, ice, and a sprig of rosemary.
Today I raise my glass in honor of my late father, my beloved Tata. I was playing Polish Christmas carols as I cooked– I miss hearing him sing. And yes, he did have rosy cheeks and twinkling eyes and a belly that shook when he laughed. It’s no wonder he loved Christmas.
Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake until the frustrations of holiday shopping start ebbing away. Strain into a glass. You can add some cranberries to merrily float around the top. (I didn’t feel the need to rim the glass with anything–after seeing the prices at the grocery store, I was salty enough.)
Listed on the menu: Yes, as “Seasonal Old Fashioned”.
Ingredients: Elijah Craig rye, orange, cherry bitters, and amaretto.
The occasion: Every December, Husband and I plan a “date weekend” as a Christmas gift to ourselves. This year, we selected Roanoke, mainly to see one of our favorite musicians (Louisiana guitarist Tab Benoit) perform on Sunday night in nearby Rocky Mount, Virginia. As for Saturday, I purchased tickets for the Mill Mountain Theatre’s matinee show, Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn. But we needed to eat lunch first.
My rating: **** out of 5. The drink was delicious, with only a bare hint of amaretto at the end of each sip. I think the rye may have been too spicy for the amaretto, almost cancelling it out. The amaretto was the “seasonal” component of the drink, but given the muddled fruit, perhaps an orange liqueur would have been a better alternative–I definitely associate citrus with the winter holidays.
Final thoughts: Roanoke is a charming little city, and plenty of families were downtown to browse, shop, eat, and drink. I selected Crescent City for our meal mostly because of its location–we could sample some bourbons and then walk to the theater! Win, win! We were welcomed us with a beautiful bar, plenty of festive decorations, and a solid selection of whiskeys at very reasonable prices. Husband finally got to try Jefferson’s Ocean Aged At Sea Bourbon, which disappointed me because I couldn’t taste the brininess. But Husband’s second shot, Old Forester 1897 Bottled In Bond Bourbon, was his favorite of the day.
The occasion: Although we were a few days late, Husband and I decided to celebrate our anniversary in Virginia Beach. We hadn’t seen the Atlantic Ocean in about a year and a half, so the water was calling. We booked a hotel room overlooking the Boardwalk and the ocean beyond, and waded in the (cold) waves and even got up early enough to watch 2 sunrises. The seafood is always incredible at the beach, so we enjoyed several lovely meals, but the fanciest was our supper at Heirloom.
My rating: *** out of 5. Our waiter called this drink “a riff on an Old Fashioned” so I had to order it! I also am a big fan of all the bitters produced by Crude (based in Raleigh). The “Attawanhood” was described as having a cherry-clove-cinnamon flavor with a dark spice bite, and the simple syrup was chai-infused. I was expecting a much more unique flavor-party on my tongue, but I didn’t get that. The Four Roses never disappoints, however, so the drink was delicious, and could have passed for a conventional, traditional Old Fashioned. Was the Chai even there?
Final thoughts: Our meal was outstanding–I had the grilled yellow-fin tuna with pumpkin risotto, garlic spinach, cranberry, and creme fraiche. The vibe in the restaurant was trendy, very “barn chic”. The website described Heirloom as “elevated creative cuisine” and I get that…I have been hearing the word “elevated” quite frequently lately to describe food. What was wrong with simply saying “fine dining”?
Whew! At least I got on the flight. (Sometimes being a stand-by passenger pays off. And I was not looking forward to Plan B, which was a 6.5 hour layover.)
I saved some money by not paying for a pre-selected seat.
I was close to the restroom. Super-close. Couldn’t-have-been-closer close.
I sat next to a flight attendant, who didn’t seem distressed about the not-so-mild turbulence we encountered at one point, so that put me at ease.
I was able to pass the time by judging observing every passenger that walked by me en route to the restroom.
The extra steps to/from the back of the plane got me closer to my daily 10,000 step goal.
I was still able to see out the window.
The seat didn’t recline but sitting up straighter was probably better for my back.
There were enough mini-bags of mini-pretzels to go around.
Unlike on the previous flight, there was no super-nervous woman sitting behind me who kept chattering.. And kept chattering, and kept over-sharing about all the anxiety pills she just took and about how she also just drank two beers and about how she now feared she would vomit.
No one was able to kick the back of my seat.
No one was able to inadvertently injure me while retrieving carry-on bags from the overhead bins.
I didn’t get worked up about people trying to “cut in line” and get off the aircraft before their turns (we’ve all seen this happen, right? Right?) since everybody on board was ahead of me anyhow.
Since I was the last to exit the plane, my dropped-off suitcase was already waiting for me at the plane’s door.
Listed on the menu: Yes, as “ Black Sheep Old Fashioned”.
Ingredients: Michter’s Bourbon, Grand Marnier, black walnut bitters.
The occasion: Youngest Son was just finishing week one of a new job. Same employer, major promotion! We were delighted with the news, so we wanted to celebrate over brunch, and to hear all about his new opportunity.
My rating: ***** out of 5. The cocktail was beautifully presented and delicious. Michter’s is one of my favorites, and the splash of Grand Marnier brought the orange taste and sweetness I wanted. No messy muddled fruit needed!
Final thoughts: The Black Sheep, part of a dining/entertainment campus just outside of Manassas, is housed in a recently-renovated two-story historic dairy barn. Our server told us he thought the renovation cost close to $2 million, and I can believe that–it is a pretty fancy barn, with exposed-beam vaulted ceilings, crystal chandeliers, huge windows, and gorgeous furniture. We were impressed by the rustic-industrial-chic, and wondered (somewhat sadly) whatever became of the former bovine residents.
Ingredients:1 large ice cube, 2 oz makers mark, 0.5 oz fig juice, 2 dashes of angostura bitters, garnished with fig and cracked black pepper.
The occasion: Schools open next week, so this was the last Friday of my summer vacation. I definitely needed a cocktail to salute a full summer. We were joined by four of our dear friends for a round of drinks, a relaxed supper, and pleasant conversation.
My rating: *** out of 5. We were delighted by the Maker’s Mark lowball glasses (the bottoms were dipped in red wax, of course). This recipe does not use simple syrup, and the fig juice itself wasn’t enough to sweeten the drink to the extent I like. The cracked black pepper rested primarily on the large ice cube, so I didn’t get the pepper bits–and yes, this was coarsely-ground black pepper–until more than halfway into my sipping. I had to smash the pepper pieces between my teeth to get the full pepper experience, and that just felt odd.
Final thoughts: Whatever happened to people getting a little bit dressed up to go out to eat at a “sit-down” restaurant? Yes, this was a Friday night and we had all had a long work week, but several of our fellow patrons had on gym attire. Then again, my meal was served on a metal tray and not an actual plate. I suppose I should be glad that my cocktail was served in an actual glass.
The occasion: The stars aligned, and somehow, a small family reunion happened in Nashville. My sister, my nieces C and Y, and Y’s fiancé drove down from Indiana for the weekend. Most of us spent Friday together shopping for boots, then eating dinner at a BBQ joint, then attending the Grand Ole Opry. On Saturday afternoon, the Indiana family hit the Honky Tonks on Broadway, and I joined them. (Lordy, we did all the typical-tourist-things, didn’t we?) This particular “saloon”–opened just a week prior– was our first stop of several. I had to start the day with an Old Fashioned, especially due to the name of the bar.
My rating: **** out of 5. I usually scoff when a cocktail is presented to me in a plastic cup, but this is downtown Nashville, and festivities may get out of hand, so I understand. The sweet young bartender gave me a generous pour, which I suspect is not typical, since watered-down drinks and plastic cups often go together, in my experience. Nelson’s made-in-Tennessee whiskey was totally satisfying-I picked up pleasant cinnamon and smooth caramel flavors. The brand promotes itself as “whiskey worth singing about” and indeed, I could see this happening, especially in Nashville!
Final thoughts: During our visit, the band at Whiskey River Saloon was playing Springsteen, Eagles, and Tom Petty tunes. This, I enjoyed. I was out of my element later, when the bars’ bands were playing more recent country hits and the patrons were line-dancing. Maybe I should have had tequila shots alongside the nieces to help lower my inhibitions and get my feet a-movin’.
Ingredients: Bourbon, Amaro di Angostura, Rose Water
The occasion: For the second summer in a row, Husband and I travelled to Nashville to attend the Music City Grand Prix Indy Car race and to visit Oldest Son, who lives there. We wanted to eat in his East Nashville neighborhood, a vibrant but not tourist-focused area.
My rating: **** out of 5. The drink was lovely and easy to sip, but the eponymous rose water was barely discernable. I was hoping for a more obvious floral note, but perhaps a subtle touch is preferred in an Old Fashioned. Husband, however, said he could taste and smell the rose, and he is not a fan.
Final thoughts: I had seen an article about Cafe Roze in Southern Living magazine, and I was intrigued by the owner/executive chef, who credited her Croatian heritage as an inspiration for her menu. Since Husband also has Croatian roots, and since I love all things East European, we had to give Cafe Roze a try. We were delighted by the food (they use dill for garnish!), the drinks, and the casual yet classy vibe. And dining with Son and Jenn is always a pleasure.
Listed on the menu: No, not on the brunch menu, but I later found the drink on the “Evening Cocktail” menu as “House Old Fashioned”.
Ingredients: Four Roses bourbon with vanilla and saffron, demerara sugar, bitters. (Our charming and attentive server told me the bourbon was from Portland, Oregon, and I immediately corrected him. Four Roses is a Kentucky bourbon, I explained, and we had visited the actual distillery just several months prior. Perhaps he was confused because the official nickname of Portland is “The City of Roses”?)
The occasion: We had returned to Seattle from our eight day visit to Alaska the previous day. Our flight home didn’t depart until midnight, so Daughter had a whole day to show us even more of the local sights. She selected a ferry ride to Bainbridge Island, so we could see the Seattle skyline as we crossed the pretty waters of Puget Sound. Soon after we left pier 52, we saw majestic Mount Rainier rising above the horizon. “The mountain is out!” as the locals say. Oh, happy day! No low-level clouds to obscure the view! And Bainbridge Island was delightful, full of cute shops and lovely landscaping. We enjoyed a tasty lunch: I had the Tuna Salad Tartine, with albacore fresh from the Neah Bay area on the Pacific Ocean.
My rating: **** out of 5. I was hoping for a stronger note of saffron, as in the description, but I smelled and tasted mostly vanilla.
Final thoughts: The Pacific Northwest (PNW) is a gorgeous corner of our country. It warmed my heart to see Daughter so enthralled by Rainier, the skyline, the open water, and the city in general. I think she’s landed in the right place for her.
Monica Lists 