In the 1880s, many American newspapers began using ‘chestnut’ in the way we do now, while referring to hoary, oft-repeated stories, and the term eventually becoming established as a reliable part of the lingo.
The ‘old’ part of it was added later for emphasis. Chestnuts themselves are low in fat and also offer a healthy dose of vitamin C. They’re prized for their adaptability and flavour, and work equally well in both savoury and sweet dishes (and while we’re here – drinks!). But while the notion of the ‘old chestnut’ has been used lo these many decades to describe something comparatively old hat, what we’re offering here is anything but; a festive flavour that doesn’t care which hemisphere its being enjoyed.
SIGNATURE SERVE
Chestnut gin with Indian tonic and orange peel.
CHESTNUT
OLD FASHIONED
INGREDIENTS
30ml That Old Chestnut Gin
20ml PX Sherry
10ml Peach Liqueur
GARNISH
Orange Peel
METHOD
1.
Add all ingredients to an
ice-filled mixing glass.
2.
Stir and strain into an
ice-filled old fashioned glass
3.
Garnish.
The traditional Old Fashioned is a whisky cocktail with bitters, soda water and a simple orange garnish. The very first recorded instance of the word ‘cocktail’ in the 6 May 1806 issue of The Balance and Columbian Repository defines it what is basically the Old Fashioned recipe; it wasn’t actually referred to as being ‘old fashioned’ until the 1880s. On Mad Men, it was Don Draper’s beverage of choice. We’ve taken a sharp turn on this vaunted classic by replacing whisky with our chestnut gin, and spiced things up with PX Sherry and peach liqueur. So, this is a new take on an Old Fashioned, proving definitively that everything old is new again.
CHESTNUT FIZZ
INGREDIENTS
40ml That Old Chestnut Gin
10ml Sweet Vermouth
20ml Lemon Juice
10ml Sugar Syrup
1 Egg White
Soda
GARNISH
Chestnut Shavings
METHOD
1.
Add egg white to a dry cocktail shaker and shake hard.
2.
Add gin, sweet vermouth, lemon juice,sugar syrup and ice to cocktail shaker.
3.
Shake hard and strain over ice in a highballglass.
4.
Top with soda and garnish.
While most chestnut recipes would suggest a Northern Hemisphere, white Christmas kind of vibe, those of us in the Southern Hemisphere celebrate the festive season with the air conditioning on. Times like these call for zestier, more refreshing cocktails. Enter the gin fizz. More specifically, enter the Chestnut Fizz. By taking this frothy, creamy classic and infusing it with the sweet, aromatic chestnut flavour, you’re embracing the best of both hemispheres in a cocktail that tips its hat to the cozy embrace of the open fire, while cooling your heels at the end of a long summer’s day.
