When it comes to the types of alcohol you can drink, you have plenty of options at your disposal. Beer, wine, and spirits are the most popular ones, but cocktails are a close second to them. Drinking straight shots isn’t a thing that most people are accustomed to, but cocktails help to take the edge off by adding a multitude of other ingredients. Nothing emphasizes this better than one of the most famous cocktails to make: the old fashioned! The old fashioned is a storied cocktail with a rich history behind it. We go into more detail about it below!
Origins
To talk about the origins of the old fashioned cocktail, we need to rewind back to the origins of cocktails themselves! It was actually first created during the 19th century before advanced bartending tactics and more complicated drink recipes started to take form. Several publications claim that their restaurant or business was the one that invented it, but the first recorded recipe came from George Kappeler in 1895. From there, the old fashioned recipe became more widespread and commonplace.
Ingredients
In the beginning, old fashioned cocktails were made from more unorthodox ingredients. Liquor like absynthe, curacao, and holland gin were commonplace in the earliest forms. As time progressed, however, the ingredients became a lot simpler. Older cocktails were much more complex in that they contained a wide variety of ingredients. As the recipe evolved, it turned into the classic rendition we see on our drink menus: sugar, bitters, whiskey, and water garnished with an orange slice or cocktail cherry.
Variations
Like many other classic cocktails, different regions and countries have different interpretations of the recipe. Some recipes, like the one featured on our wine and cocktail menu, choose to use the agave plant in addition to some of the more classic whiskey variations out there. Others try to make the drink sweeter by using orange and cherry soda in place of water. Mushing strawberries to create a strawberry old fashioned is a practice that’s also risen in popularity. The old fashioned is a drink everyone seems to make differently, but all are enjoyable!
Cuisine and Cocktails at AquaPazza
If you’re looking for historic cocktails, classic cuisines, and an ambiance that encompasses the majesty of Boston’s North End, AquaPazza is a great destination! We specialize in seafood and Italian cuisine to bring Boston’s two favorite food groups together in unison. For the most authentic dining experience you can get in the North End, click here to make a reservation with us!
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