Today’s drink comes to us courtesy of the Chapel Hill Farmer’s Market. The whole family, even the pupper, popped down to the park this morning to see what was on offer. We purchased handmade soaps and baked goods, some fresh mushrooms and veggies, plus some big beautiful Cherokee Purple tomatoes, and a new neckerchief for Fiona. So, brunch was bacon and tomato sandwiches on fresh sourdough bread. A little mayo, pinch of salt, cracked black pepper, as one does. That inspired me to go ahead and make one I’ve had waiting for a bit, so join me as we stand and make, the Bacon Old-Fashioned. 

This is another of those “three day” drinks. So get Sherman and Mr. Peabody to give you a lift back to Thursday. When you get there you can bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan and never let me…I forget what. Anyway, once your bacon is ready, you have all kinds of options, you could eat it with eggs, put it on a sandwich, blend it with some ice cream, feed it to the dog, nobody is judging here, the thing is, we don’t need the bacon, we need the grease. 

Take 1 part grease and add it to 2 parts whiskey, I opted for Corsair Artisan Distillery Wildfire, because the bacon plays nicely with the hickory smoked whiskey. Give it a good shake and let sit 24 hours, then give it another good shake and pop it in the freezer. 24 hours after that, remove the frozen grease cap and strain your whiskey. Now it’s ready to use. Let’s do that.

In a mixing pitcher combine 2 ounces of bacon fat washed whiskey and 1/2 ounce of maple syrup, a dash of Peychaud’s and a dash of orange bitters. Add ice and stir, 15-20 seconds should do. Strain over a large cube into a rocks glad, express a bit of orange peel over it, garnish with bacon and serve.

It’s a bit over the top, granted, but it’s fun and has a nice flavor. Laura is not an old-fashioned fan, but she enjoyed the sweet, bacony goodness of this one. It’s fun, it’s good, you should make it…and here’s why. When you made your fat-washed whiskey, you also made whiskey infused bacon grease. Make sure your cardiologist is distracted when you take that bacon grease and heat it up in a skillet. Toss in flour to make a slurry and then add milk while stirring to make gravy. Some fresh cracked black pepper and you are ready to serve, preferably over some just baked biscuits. OMG, whiskey bacon gravy is such a thing. If I had a restaurant, this would be the crown jewel of our brunch menu. That subtle whiskey flavor is what biscuits and gravy have been waiting for all these years. The next step in fancy AF country cooking and a great drink to wash it down. You’re welcome, citizen. Stay safe, stay hydrated and stay sane, my friends.