The Willett Family

The Perfect Old Fashioned

One of my favorite ways to end a great meal is with an old fashioned. I’ve been experimenting with different recipes for years, but it wasn’t until recently that I discovered the magic of walnut bitters. They really take my homemade cocktail to the next level.

When I make an old fashioned, I don’t use a high-end whisky because the bitters will hide the nuances of the flavors. At the same time, I don’t use a cheap whisky either. I like to pick something that is middle of the road. I also tend to favor ryes over bourbons, but I love them both. A few whiskies that I like to use include Basil Hayden, Willett Rye, Chicken Cock, and Elijah Craig.

Recently, my wife has gotten me on the band wagon of eating better so I can loose some weight.  I recently had lettuce wraps at Saul Good in Lexington.  They were really good and I wanted to make something similar at home.  I found a couple recipe’s and decided to combine them for a light lettuce wrap meal.

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This recipe originally appeared in a story in the Herald Leader, however the story is no longer available.

If you have been to Malone’s or Drake’s, you have seen this drink on their menu. It’s a fun and easy cocktail to make, but you will need to hunt down a few pucker products to make it.

1 lb Velveeta Cheese
1/2 C Beer (dark beer is best, I think)
1 T Worcestershire Sauce
2 t garlic powder
Cayenne Pepper and/or Frank’s Hot Sauce to taste.

I usually use a lot of Cayenne and not very much Frank’s (maybe a tablespoon of Frank’s). I like my beer cheese really hot. I blend it altogether in a food processor.

Here are two of our favorite margarita recipes, one for a high end fresh margarita and one for an easy to make margarita for parties.