Old Thymer Cocktail. Let's Kick Off This Summer

Every day, (every day) in the winter I get up in the dark around 4:45, snake out of bed, put on running clothes, lace up my sneakers and go downstairs to our basement and pump out miles upon miles on my treadmill. The darkness and bitter cold of the winter makes it impossible for me to run outside for months on end. So I run, inside, my treadmill positioned so I have perfect view of one of our old televisions. As you can image, when you run for at least an hour a day you blow through a tremendous amount of bad programming. I've watched every Real World/Road Rules Challenge there has been in the past four years. Catfish, you bet, I've seen every one of those lame ass stories about people who fall in love with a person on line, whom they have never met, and proceed to send them thousands of dollars for their cancer treatments. KLG and Hoda on the Today Show, sure I've watched them pound gallons of wine, during, Boozeday Tuesday, Wine Wednesday, Thirsty Thursday, you get the point - I watch a tremendous amount of bad tv.

On one day when I had exhausted most of the show on demand I came across a cocktail show. I hate to admit it, but it was hosted by Sandra Lee and it did NOT suck. It was actually a good show, with creative cocktails. One episode she made a cocktail called the Old Thymer. It sounded so good that I went upstairs to alert Chris that "we will be making a new drink tonight - on your way home from work grab an orange." This was all I told him, if he knew it came from Sandra Lee he would have immediately hated the drink.

It takes a tad bit of advanced planning, to ensure that you have the simple syrup and the rosemary sugar, but this is a minimal amount of effort and these can both be made in a few minutes, although the sugar gets better and better the more it sits.

Here it is, you're new summer cocktail. CHEERS!

The Old Thymer

1/2 ounce simple syrup
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 lemon wedges
1 orange wedge
3/4 ounces bourbon, such as Bulleit (I used Gentleman's Jack)
3/4 ounces sweet vermout
Ice, for chilling and serving

Combine the simple syrup, thyme, lemon and orange in a cocktail shaker, muddle together. Add the bourbon, vermouth and ice. Shake and strain into a lowball glass filled with ice.

Rosemary Sugar
Finely chop a sprig of fresh rosemary leaves (make sure they are not wet) and add to 1/4 cup granulated sugar (you can use cane sugar as well, it might even be better). Let sit long enough for the sugar to take on some of the rosemary essence.

Garnish
Cut an orange slice in half and dip into the rosemary sugar to coat both sides and the rind. Float on the top of the glass.

Rating = So Damn Good