Has the dreary economy put a damper on your happy hour? One way to inject some glamour into your next cocktail hour or recession party is to whip up one of these old-school cocktails. They are easy to mix and will make a dent in those dusty liquor bottles at the back of your cupboard- an added bonus as we all watch our pennies. You just need some inexpensive mixes and garnishes, and make sure your ice cubes trays are full!
Got Bourbon or Rye Whiskey? Make an Old Fashioned
If you are a fan of the series Mad Men, you may ask yourself, what is Don Draper drinking? His cocktail with loads of ice and an orange slice is an Old Fashioned. It is said to be one of the first drinks to be called a cocktail, and recipes for it date back to the late eighteenth century. Be dashing like Don and put your bottle of whiskey to work. All you need to invest in is some bitters. You can usually find a small bottle near the checkout at the liquor store for under five bucks. You only need a dash and they give your cocktails a nice kick.
How to Make an Old Fashioned
Put a sugar cube or a teaspoon of sugar into a glass. Add a dash of bitters to soak up the sugar. Drop in an orange wedge and muddle (this simply means bruise the orange with a pestle or spoon so the juice of the fruit is released.) Add two ounces of whiskey (bourbon or rye whiskey works) then fill the glass with ice and stir. Add another orange wedge to garnish, and drop in an optional (but really delicious and highly recommended) maraschino cherry.
Got Brandy and Cointreau? Made a Sidecar
Bartenders started shaking and pouring this classic around the time of the First World War. However it is much debated whether the first Sidecar, a favourite of Hemingway’s, was actually served in London or Paris. There are many versions of this intense drink that is gaining in popularity again, but the best Sidecar has just three simple ingredients that contrast the sweetest of the brandy with the bitter orange of the Cointreau and the sourness of the lemon juice.
How to Make a Sidecar
Chill your glass first, run some lemon around the rim, and then dip the rim in sugar. In a cocktail shaker, combine two ounces of brandy, one ounce of Cointreau, and half an ounce of lemon juice. Shake with ice and strain into your glass. Add a lemon wedge for garnish.
Got Sweet or Dry Vermouth? Make a Manhattan
It doesn’t get more old-school than a Manhattan. You need your whiskey and bitters for this cocktail, and your cherries as well. As with many of the classics, there is endless debate on the composition of a Manhattan. This drink is often made with bourbon whiskey but most traditionalists insist on rye. Either works of course!
How to Make a Manhattan
Combine two ounces of whiskey, an ounce of sweet vermouth, and a dash of bitters with ice into your shaker. Strain into a glass and drop in a cherry. For a Dry Manhattan, substitute dry vermouth for sweet. And for a Sweet Manhattan use equal measures of whiskey and sweet vermouth.
Got Crème de Cacao and Crème de Menthe? Make a Grasshopper
Many a bottle of crème de cacao has been bought for the chocolate martini trend or a variety of shooters, and the classic green liqueur crème de menthe often pops up as an ingredient in baking and dessert recipes. Combine them both and make yourself a fabulously old-school Grasshopper. The only other ingredient you need is milk or cream. Most Grasshopper recipes call for white crème de cacao but dark works as well if that’s all you have. Likewise, clear crème de menthe gives you the same taste, just not the green colour.
How to Make a Grasshopper
In a shaker combine one ounce of crème de menthe, one ounce of crème de cacao, and one ounce of milk or cream. Shake with ice and strain. For a yummy frosty version, throw everything in a blender with two scoops of vanilla or mint chocolate chip ice cream (an ounce of Bailey's Mint Chocolate Irish Creme or Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur doesn't hurt either) and blend until it’s the consistency of a milkshake.
Have fun bringing back the classics while rediscovering the contents of your liquor cabinet at the same time. Cheers!
Rosalie Scott - Rosalie Scott is a business owner who loves to write about all the awesome things to do in the city of Toronto.
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