Blood Orange Ritz Old-Fashioned

The long-awaited (awaited by me, if no-one else) return of Cocktail Friday on the blog and this one is an update on an absolute classic: the Old-Fashioned. This particular Old-Fashioned is not really classic and purists would most probably throw their coasters at me or pelt me with ice… But it is a slightly twisted version of the Ritz Old-Fashioned. In any case it is Friday and I will mess around with classic cocktail recipes if I want to! I had some blood oranges in my fruit bowl begging to be used so they ended up juiced and in the shaker before they had a chance to say ‘I thought you were baking a blood orange cake?!’ – even fruit is on my case today.

If I sound like I am in an odd mood it is because I am. Despite (or maybe because) the kitchen remodel being finished I am still feeling out of sorts. I have been working from home for a rather long stretch and it is kind of getting to me. It is all kinds of wonderful but also rather lonely. Bingeing on entire series on Netflix is a definite perk though…

If you wish to make a proper Ritz Old-Fashioned, leave out the blood orange juice and replace with a squeeze of lemon instead. Whatever you do, beware that this is a proper grown up cocktail with a definite kick! Don’t skip out on the sugar rim as it adds a hint of sweetness which I think is needed (the classic cocktail contains sugar or sugar syrup).

Blood Orange Ritz Old-Fashioned 
Serves 2
8 tbsp freshly squeezed blood orange juice
4 tbsp Bourbon
2 tbsp Grand Marnier
dash of Angostura bitters
4 maraschino cherries (cocktail cherries) to decorate
blood orange rind to decorate
granulated sugar & lightly beaten egg white to decorate glasses

Method

1. Place the sugar and egg white in two separate shallow bowls or plates. Dip two rocks glasses into the egg white and frost with the sugar. Fill the glasses with crushed ice.
2. Put a handful of fresh ice into your cocktail shaker and then add the juice, bitters, bourbon and Grand Marnier. Shake briefly and divide between the two prepared glasses. Decorate with 2 maraschino cherries threaded on a cocktail stick with the orange rind.