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Tipples → Mixed Drinks → Slings → Cocktails → Plain Cocktails → Plain Cocktail Basic Forms

Old-fashioned Cocktail Basic Form

Terminus post quem: circa A.D. 1855 ↔ Terminus ante quem: A.D. 1883

Have the folowwing items:

Service-ware

• 6 fl-oz. old-fashioned glass tumbler
    #1: 6 ½ fl-oz. Stölzle^™ 350-00-47
    #2: 7 fl-oz. old-fashioned glass tumbler^*
• 4-inch demitasse spoon
  #1: six-spoon set^*
• 4-inch beverage napkin
    #1: cotton (five times washable)^*
    #2: paper^*

Tools

• cuting board
    #1: composite board (no plastic)^*
• paring knife
    #1: culinary school issue^*
• sugar tongs
    #1: stainless steel^*
• jigger-and-pony measure
  [2 fl-oz. by 1 fl-oz. / ~60 ml. by ~30 ml.]
    #1: stainless double-bell^*
    #2: twentieth century-style^*
    #3: Japanese-style^*
• 3-to-1 split pony
  [¾ fl-oz. by ¼ fl-oz. / ~22.5 ml. by ~7.5 ml.]
    #1: Liberty Ware Jig-1434
• barspoon with disc
    #1: twelve-inch stainless^*
• ice tongs
    #1: steel, with teeth^*

Ingredients

• lemon (whole, for zest-cutting)
   (Citrus limon: Eureka or Santa Theresa)
• gentian bitters
   : Angostura^™ Aromatic
• old-fashioned lump white sugar
  (must be dense – do not use modern sugar cubes)
    #1: French import^*
• water (spring, or purified)
• service ice
    #1: cubes ~1¼ inches per side^*
• liquor
   (spirits are default)

Instructions

1. Cut a ~1” wide and ~3” long strip of lemon zest with minimal pith and reserve it.
2. Set the old-fashioned tumbler in the work area. Into it goes:
• • gentian bitters — 2 dashes
   [1 scruplespoonfull / ¼ tsp. / ~1.25 ml.]
• • sugar — 1 lump
   (the size is not very important – see step #7)
• • water — ¼ ponyfull
   [¼ fl-oz. / ~7.5 ml.]
3. Use the disc of the barspoon, or a bar masher, to crush the above into cocktail water without fully dissolving the sugar.
4. Remove the tool and take the old-fashioned tumbler to the ice. Into it is added:
• • service ice — 1 cube
5. Return the old-fashioned tumbler to the work area. Into it is added:
• • spirit — 1 jiggerfull
   [2 poniesfull / 2 fl-oz. / ~60 ml.]
• • optional service ice — 2^nd cube (if desired)
6. Garnish the drink with:
• • lemon zest (reserved in step #2) — 1 strip
   (twisted zest-side-down over the drink, rubbed on the rim, and put into the drink).
7. Insert the demitasse spoon. Do not stir. Let the drinker stir if more sweetness is desired.
8. Serve the drink on the napkin, with the spoon standing out at three o'cloock (from the drinker's point of view).

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