The Old Fashioned a national institution

This is John Apodaca from Daddy-O's Martinis. One of my favorite classic cocktails of mine and has been honored in music and movies is the Old Fashioned. It was invented around 1900 at the Pendennis Club in Louisville Kentucky by Colonel James E. Pepper ( a Kentucky distiller of bourbon) and the bartender. It was once referred to as a "palate-paralyzer" by bartender David Embury and has a song in it's honor Make it another old fashioned please by Cole Porter. It's also mentioned in a scene of the movie It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World were Jim Backus plays a rich lush with a twin-engine plane.  Mickey Rooney and Buddy Hackett convince him to fly them to a buried treasure. Backus asks Mickey Rooney while flying the plane to make him an Old Fashioned and after having two of them tells the other two characters to fly the plane because he's going to make an old fashioned the old fashioned way that dear old dad used to make them. Mickey Rooney says, "what if something should happen and Backus tells them, what could happen with an Old Fashioned?

I've done research on this cocktail and have made it and after several trials along with tastings at home and at some of my favorite drinking establishments have found a delicious balance. It's build in an old fashioned or double rocks glass without muddling fruit. Some recipes call for muddling orange and maraschino cherries with sugar, bitters and water. I find it become too sweet but after tasting it at Seven Grand in Downtown Los Angeles and 320 in Seal Beach, I found the taste was just right and the only fruit in it was a flamed orange peal. I followed this method at home and found that's the only way to enjoy it. Give it a try or go to bar that serves up vintage style cocktails this way. Let me know how you liked it.

Cheers,

John Apodaca


The Old Fashioned

1 1/2 oz Bourbon or Rye Whiskey ( Rittenhouse Rye or Buffalo Trace )
2 - 4 Dashes of Angostura bitters
1 Sugar cube
1 Splash of soda water
Flamed orange peel

Place the sugar cube at the bottom of an old fashioned or double rocks glass. Soak the sugar with 2 - 4 dashes of Angostura bitters and add a splash of soda water and muddle (crush) the ingredients until dissolved with a muddling stick or with the back of a bar spoon. Add the whiskey, slice an orange  peel very thinly
(about 2 inches long), light a match hold it underneath the peel with a back and fourth motion for a few seconds, turn it over and do the same for a few seconds while holding it over the glass. Pinch the peel while still holding the lighted match it to release oils, you should see a spark from the release of the oils. Put out the flame and wipe the rim of the glass along with the peel and place it in the glass and enjoy the drink.

Cole's Pacific Electric Buffet

This is John Apodaca from Daddy-O's Martinis. If you haven't had the opportunity to make the trek to Downtown Los Angeles and eat at one of the oldest and thriving restaurant / bars, I encourage you to do so. Cole's P.E. (Pacific Electric) Buffet was opened in 1908 at the bottom level of the Pacific Electric train building where the red cars were stored. I recently watched two documentaries on the demise of the street cars by corporate giant GM and it's so sad that they killed the best public transportation system Los Angeles ever had. In one of the shows it mentions P.E. Cole's that was famous for it's French Roast dipped sandwiches and bar that has been there all this time and survived all the changes in L.A. even it's own renovation two years ago. 

Not only do they have a great selection of sandwiches and pies with fresh ingredients but also the famous Red Car Bar which serves up vintage style drinks such as the Old Fashioned, Pisco Sour, Whiskey sour and their own creations what else but the Red car and Ginger Rodgers. I've never been disappointed with the food, drinks, or service and highly recommend it for all to experience. Something else I need to mention is that Cole's is also home to one of my favorite vintage style bars the Varnish which unless you know it's there you could almost miss it and you don't want to do that. By sure to check them out, I hope to see you there. 

Cheers, 

John Apodaca

P.S. If you're interested in watching the documentary on the demise of street cars in Los Angeles click on the link. http://www.documentary-film.net/search/watch.php?&ref=158