The old fashioned is about as straightforward as cocktails come. Spirit, sugar, bitters and a twist. That’s it. No bells, no whistles—just a glass of something strong, stirred until it’s just right.

Milwaukee writer Jeanette Hurt has published books on a variety of culinary subjects, from a paean to cider to the history of Wisconsin cocktails to a how-to on embracing cauliflower to a cookbook ...

The old fashioned is the first American cocktail, and uses whiskey, sugar, bitters, and water. It was designed to allow bar patrons to better enjoy the poorly-made whiskey of the early 1800s. Today, ...