My Washington Post editorial. 6-14-09

I’ll Take an Old-Fashioned, Please. Regarding the June 5 Weekend article “A New Taste of Summer; 5 Drinks That Aim to Make Mojitos but a Memory”: It was a great article, and my hat’s off to the creative young bartenders who come up with these innovative cocktails. It seems as if this is the future of bartending, one where you might need to visit a world market to get all the ingredients. Jerry “the Professor” Thomas, who wrote the first recipe book for bartenders in 1862, and Harry Craddock, the legendary barman at London’s Savoy Hotel, may start shaking in their graves. Being an old-school bartender, I often wonder: Whatever happened to just a beer and a shot? Or a classic Manhattan? Or a classic anything?These old-school cocktails will always stand the test of time. How many bartenders know that a Manhattan requires a dash of bitters? When anyone sits at my bar and orders a beer with a shot of Grand Marnier, the first thing I ask is: “Where do you tend bar?” Nine times out of 10, I’m right. But hey, let’s go with the flow. There’s got to be something out there that I’d give up my shot of Jameson for.
Nick Wineriter
Washington
The writer is head bartender at Rock Creek Restaurant in Washington

Future of Bartending

Where is bartending going?

Is it going the way of food? Where everything is strategically placed on the plate, and you want to take a photo before you dive into it?

When I go out to dinner, I just want a piece of prime rib hanging over the plate, with some mashed potatoes and gravy. Screw the health-conscious public, and calorie counters.

If you're that concerned, stay at home! Eat your celery sticks and carrots!

When I dine, I just want a plate of food, so I don't have to go to Burger King afterwards.

Same for cocktails: what are all these foo-foo drinks?

Do we have to go to some third-world market to get the ingredients?

I have nothing against new cocktails, but let's keep things in order.