Enjoyed: Thursday, August 5, 2021

Listed on the menu: Yes, as Man in Black, the closest cocktail to an Old Fashioned that I found on the bar menu

Ingredients: Jack Daniel’s, Jack Daniel’s Honey, Simple Syrup, Lemonade, Club Soda

The occasion: This was our first full day in Nashville, and our first trip to Lower Broadway, which is full of honky-tonks with live country music. We decided on this bar, adjacent to the Johnny Cash Museum, in hopes of hearing more “classic” country music, and indeed, the band there was playing covers that we recognized, such as music by the Charlie Daniels Band.

My rating: ** out of 5. Admittedly, this drink was not labeled as an Old Fashioned per se, but the basics were there, namely whiskey, sweetness, and citrus. We sat at the bar, indoors, but the drink was served in a plastic cup anyhow. (I suspect this is standard practice in a honky-tonk.) The drink wasn’t unpleasant, but it lacked subtlety. This was a guzzle-it-fast-and-get-drunk-quick type of drink. (Again, I suspect this is standard practice in a honky-tonk.)

Final thoughts: What would Johnny drink? This Man in Black cocktail was definitely much too weak for my tastes, and I wonder if Johnny would approve of its name. Maybe I should have ordered a straight shot of whiskey, because it burns, burns, burns…

Enjoyed: Sunday, July 11, 2021

Listed on the menu: Yes, as Seasonal Old Fashioned.

Ingredients: Ragged Branch Wheated Bourbon, hibiscus and orange blossom syrup, tart cherry lime bitters, and a lime zest.

The occasion: A casual celebration of the retirement of our friend, MC.

My rating: ***** out of 5. The tart bitters played well with the syrup and added interest to an already superior bourbon.

Final thoughts: This IS a whiskey distillery, after all, and the master distiller at Ragged Branch once served in the same capacity at Maker’s Mark (love that distillery! great memories!), so anything less than a well-thought-out Old Fashioned would have been disappointing. And the mountain views from the terrace of Ragged Branch can’t be beat!

Throwback to April 2, 2015

1. “Did you put my wet clothes in the dryer?”

2. Music coming from his room at 2 AM.

3. His alarm going off before mine, especially on mornings right after I still heard music at 2 AM.

3. “Have you seen my iPod?”

4. “Have you seen my sunglasses?”

5. “Does this shirt look too wrinkled to wear?”

6. “My car is almost out of gas.”

7. “What’s a good synonym to use here?”

8. “How do you cite this in MLA format?”

9. “No, I definitely don’t want to go to prom. I think.”

10. “I know this tea is your favorite, but can I have the last bottle for my lunch?”

11. “Did you put my dry clothes in my room?”

12. “Will you proofread this 12 page paper?”

13. “Yeah, I know it’s 2 AM, but will you look at the final slide of my Powerpoint?”

14. The shower running at 2:10 AM.

15. “No, I haven’t decided on a college yet, but I have it narrowed down to 3. I think.”

1. Everyone on the plane gets a FULL can of their own, individual soft drink. Were any of us ever really satisfied with one half-filled plastic glass of Diet Coke?
2. Hotels have less decorative bedding. Although the bolsters, throw pillows and bed scarves may have looked attractive, I always struggled with where to put them once I turned down the bed…and whether they were clean enough to use.
3. People are still–perhaps subconsciously–keeping physically distant from one another when approaching displays in museums and visitor centers. This is making us all more polite and more patient.
4. The aforementioned museums and visitor centers, especially ones administered by federal or state agencies, all display signs stating that mask wearing is no longer required for the fully vaccinated. So when I look around and see almost none of my fellow tourists wearing a mask, I internally rejoice that oh-so-many of us believe in science and have indeed been vaccinated! Wow! So many people in compliance!
5. Being able to travel again has made me mellow, so I tamp down the righteous indignation that wants to erupt in me, because I know that many of the people I mention in #4 are probably less than truthful about their vaccine status, but I choose to be blissfully optimistic.
6. Many young kids are wearing masks (way to go, responsible parents!), which muffle the sounds of whining and hide drool and runny noses.
7. More people are actually washing their hands when done using the restroom.
8. Many restaurants still have their tables spaced further apart, which allows for more intimate dining experiences and fewer opportunities for others to eavesdrop on my snide remarks. (See #4, for example.)
9. More people than ever are enjoying the great outdoors, and specifically our beautiful national and state parks.

Enjoyed: Sunday, July 4, 2021

Listed on the menu: No menu. RM has a well-stocked bar, which includes a beautifully-displayed collection of fine whiskies from around the world, so he offered us a range of options.

Ingredients: Homemade Luxardo cherry and juice muddled with a sugar cube drenched with 3 dashes of Angostura bitters, Four Roses Single Barrel bourbon, and ice.

The occasion: A casual supper to celebrate Independence Day.

My rating: **** out of 5. The extra dose of cherry juice made the drink pleasantly sweet, and the quality bourbon made it smooth.

Final thoughts: This was the first time since the pandemic that Husband and I ate indoors at a non-family-member’s home. How refreshing it was! Our hosts, SM and RM, are very hospitable and listened graciously to all our (long) vacation stories. They are fabulous human beings. A toast to enduring friendships!

Enjoyed: Monday, June 28, 2021

Listed on the menu: Not specifically, but the cocktail menu did say, “Ask Us About Our Old Fashioneds!” So I did, and our bubbly server actually pulled out a chair at our table and sat down and told me about my options. (I think the poor young woman was delighted to find an excuse to simply sit!)

Ingredients: Bulleit rye, simple syrup, and Burlesque Bitters (described as a blend of hibiscus, acai berry, and long pepper).

The occasion: This was our final night in South Dakota. I usually try to end our vacations with a splurge, so we were staying at the most recognizable hotel in Rapid City, Hotel Alex Johnson, built in 1927. From the outside, the hotel looks staid and proper, but the lobby area impressed me immediately with its Lakota artwork, stone fireplace, and mounted bison heads. Happily, the tenth floor was devoted to a multi-level roof-top bar and restaurant with a full 360 degree view of the second largest city in South Dakota.

My rating: **** out of 5. The bitters gave the drink a specific taste, which enhanced the spiciness of the rye. However, I think these bitters would have been better suited to a gin cocktail.

Final thoughts: I had made a reservation for post-supper cocktails at sunset, and the shadows and colors playing off the surrounding Black Hills did not disappoint. A guest at a neighboring table pointed out the outline of a dinosaur (maybe a brontosaurus?) on a hill in the distance. Husband chuckled as he sipped his Lagavulin. South Dakota, thanks for treating us well.

Enjoyed: Sunday, June 27 , 2021

Listed on the menu: No, but this was a restaurant inside a casino, for heaven’s sake, and the bar looked to be very well-stocked. And yes, an Old Fashioned could be made! Shortly after my first sip, I asked our waitperson about the ingredients. She sent the bartender our way, and he happily explained his version of the cocktail to us.

Ingredients: Yellowstone Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon, caramel simple syrup made with a Four Roses Bourbon reduction, bitters, large ice cube, orange slice, maraschino cherry.

The occasion: This evening was our second in Deadwood, and the end of our sixth day of vacation. In the morning, we drove to Wyoming to see Devil’s Tower National Monument. (Yes, so worth the trip!) After a hike around the base of the tower, we drove home via Sundance (yes, and posed for photos with a statue of the Sundance Kid) and then down the Spearfish Canyon Byway. (Wow, this part of the world is so beautiful!) We are not gamblers, so the casinos did not entice us, but the restaurant’s high ratings did. We opted for the $42 per person all-you-can-eat tasting menu. The restaurant was only half-full this evening, so the chef actually came to our table several times to ask which “petite” dishes we enjoyed most–and he suggested a few of his favorites. By the end of our long meal, we had sampled blue-cheese wedge salad, Caesar salad, sashimi, grilled shrimp cocktail (Husband’s favorite), bison filet with hearts of palm, filet mignon with cherries (my favorite), asparagus, twice-baked potato, salmon, scallops, cheesecake, and chocolate-coconut gelato. Best meal of our entire trip!

My rating: ***** of 5. The bartender was proud of his work–all our drinks this evening were delicious. The Old Fashioned was as carefully thought out as all the food on the menu. The rich caramel flavors– from both bourbons he used– coated my mouth in a most pleasant way.

Final thoughts: We spent more money tonight on alcohol than on food. (Oh, boy!) And then the restaurant offered us $20 of free play at the slot machines. (We didn’t win anything.) We asked the chef how he kept his prices so low, and he chuckled and told us that the casino was heavily subsidizing his costs. So, we would like to thank all the Tin Lizzie patrons for helping us to have an incredible experience.

Enjoyed: Saturday, June 26, 2021

Listed on the menu: Yes, with a choice of bourbons.

Ingredients: Knob Creek Bourbon, maple simple syrup, bitters, Luxardo cherry, orange slice for garnish.

The occasion: This was Day 5 of our South Dakota adventure. (The previous day, Husband drove us through rocks and mud and gravel and mud in our rented ATV. There are hundreds of miles of trails in the Black Hills National Forest, and we managed a 110 mile trip in 6.5 hours. Alas, only wine was available at last night’s meal, so the much-desired Old Fashioned had to wait. Oh, and I needed to be sober, since I was the designated driver to Mount Rushmore. We chose to go in the evening, to see the illumination. I loved it.) In the early morning, we rode the 1880s Train from Hill City to Keystone and back, and then we drove all the legs of the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway. Iron Mountain Road was our favorite, especially the “pigtail” bridges. The Needles Highway was impressive, but frustrating to Husband, since it was drizzling and fellow drivers were not being careful nor courteous. Our next stop was the Crazy Horse Memorial–likewise impressive–and then a leisurely drive to Deadwood. We were exhausted and hungry, and soon discovered that all the steakhouses near our Main Street hotel were closed as of 9 PM. We were not expecting that, since the casinos in town are open 24/7. We finally found an empty table at Mustang Sally’s and had to settle for hamburgers. By now, I was so very ready for a drink!

My rating: **** out of 5. Knob Creek is a solid bourbon, so that’s a win. I also enjoyed the slight maple flavor of the simple syrup. Plus, even though we were seated outdoors, the drink came in an actual glass! The higher rating, however, comes mostly from the value of the drink: this was definitely a double shot of bourbon and the price was $8. Unbelievable!

Final thoughts: In the last 145 years, Deadwood has attracted gold miners, outlaws, card sharks, and prostitutes. In 1991, casinos became legal, and now the town is re-vitalized and teeming with tourists. We arrived on a hot Saturday night, and the gamblers and drinkers were out in full force. A young man at a table behind us was clutching a life-sized inflatable doll. Cheers! Let the cheap drinks flow! And, oh, yes, the Black Hills are gorgeous.

Enjoyed: Thursday, June 24 , 2021

Listed on the menu: No, but the menu stated that cocktails were available. I asked our very friendly waiter if an Old Fashioned was possible. He thought for perhaps 10 seconds and told me that one could be made.

Ingredients: Orange juice, whiskey, probably a splash of Angostura bitters, and an orange slice. The drink was served in a glass from the neighboring brewery.

The occasion: This was the third day of our vacation in South Dakota. We had left the Badlands National Park area in the morning. Our first stop this day was Hot Springs, where we swam and soaked in warm mineral-rich pools. In the mid-afternoon, we joined a cave tour in Wind Cave National Park. Then we drove up scenic roads to Custer for a 2 night stay. Downtown Custer was filled with souvenir shops and hamburger joints, but we wanted Mexican food, and the Begging Burro provided an excellent meal. I had scrumptious pork tacos, and Husband had the pork shank with fried leeks. For dessert, we shared a mole brownie with strawberry sauce.

My rating: ** out of 5. The drink was tasty, yes, but this was not really an Old Fashioned, so I gave it a lower rating. Husband described it as a “Whiskey Screwdriver” and that’s exactly right. The main ingredient was definitely orange juice.

Final thoughts: I would return to this restaurant, but next time, I would copy Husband and drink margaritas, which were unsurprisingly, the house specialty. Oh, yes, and the Black Hills are gorgeous.

Enjoyed: Friday, June 18, 2021

Listed on the menu: As The Captain “Slingback” Dick (named after the establishment’s mythological patriarch, who was in the Navy, travelled around the world, and enjoyed the finer things in life. “This is his composed, pipe smoking, whiskey sipping cocktail.”)

Ingredients: Woodford Reserve bourbon, muddled Luxardo cherry, bitters, orange twist, smoke.

The occasion: Husband’s birthday and Father’s Day, which again fall on the same weekend. We also took along Youngest Son, to celebrate his most recent job offer. Husband had the day off for the new Juneteenth federal holiday, so we took advantage of the gorgeous afternoon. So much to celebrate!

My rating: ***** out of 5! Delicious, with a lovely mouthfeel. Smooth and so easy to sip. Patrick, our bartender, added to the fun by showing us how the drink is made. Since Husband and I both ordered one, Patrick muddled and mixed in a beaker-type container, and then he placed it in a glass chamber and piped in applewood smoke. Oh yes, we watched that baby SMOKE! Patrick then removed the container (still slightly smoking), strained it into glasses with large ice cubes, and added orange twists. Happily, the drink was not overwhelmingly smoky, like some Scotches may be. The smoke flavor was discernable, as was a pleasant sweetness. Husband was also very impressed, and he is picky about his bourbon drinks.

Final thoughts: Although Basic City is a brewery that makes fine beers (we have enjoyed all the ones we have sampled), The Showroom is likewise fun! The menu tells a story about every cocktail, and all are presented with flair. (Husband also recommends the Coon Skin Nightcap cocktail, a Manhattan-like drink with maple syrup. Son enjoyed his One for the Pot, One for the Cook, made with aquafaba instead of egg whites. ) Go to Basic City, get a cocktail first, get a sandwich, and chase it all with a beer. I am thinking we just may make this a Father’s Day tradition. Support local businesses!