Cocktail Column – Sweet Old-Fashioned inspired by Campus Walk

By EMILIA MICHALKIEWICZ

Staff Photographer

One of the most notable things about UMW is the way our campus looks. UMW has a beautiful campus with plenty of spaces that are wonderful places to spend time. It is well loved by students. One of the most memorable aspects of campus is Campus Walk, the main path through the campus that runs from one end to the other. This week’s cocktail is inspired by Campus Walk and the history-steeped environment of UMW. 

Senior English literature major Alexandra Slaughter, remarks, “you can walk down Campus Walk and get a glimpse of what our history is and what it was like. Campus Walk allows you to forget that you are in a major city and it gives you that small historic town feel, which I love.” 

The wonderful buildings that line Campus Walk should not be forgotten. There are many historic buildings on campus that established the style of UMW that has been continued with the newer buildings, resulting in a cohesive look that represents UMW and its unique history. 

Senior Sarah Parker, double major in women and gender studies and English, says of George Washington Hall, “[it] has an excellent dark academia sort of aesthetic. The marbled floors, the old portraits of past alumnae and academics, the offices of the university’s president and of multiple academic deans, alongside the lantern-lit effect on the main hallway of the building as you walk in gives excellent dark academia vibes. The presence of Dodd Auditorium, which was built around 1940, really adds to this too.” 

UMW has a very beautiful and well preserved campus that creates a welcoming space for future, current and past students, as well as faculty and staff. I remember feeling at home as soon as I was on campus for my first tour and even more so after I arrived for my orientation over a year later. The brick paths and buildings create a unified, warm environment that makes students feel at home, creating a campus they never forget and keep with them even after graduation. 

Recipe:

The cocktail this week has a simple recipe, and it is a classic that anyone who is interested in making cocktails should learn: an old-fashioned. Since most of the students reading this column are likely somewhat new to drinking, I put a spin on this cocktail that makes it a bit more likeable for new drinkers. Instead of a regular whiskey, I used Southern Comfort, a liqueur that originally had a whiskey base that was created to make low quality whiskey more pleasant. This warm and flavorful alcohol is a great base for a classic old-fashioned. You will need 1.5-2 ounces of Southern Comfort, a few dashes of bitters (I used Peychaud’s, which I got from Bowman’s Distillery right outside of Fredericksburg) and either water and sugar or simple syrup. 

If you have a jigger you can use that to measure for the cocktail, if not, a shot glass works fine too. If you don’t have simple syrup, take equal parts sugar and water and stir it in a pot over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. You can keep it in the fridge for about a month. It is a common cocktail ingredient, definitely worth making or buying if you are interested in making cocktails.

First prepare a glass with ice and a piece of orange peel. If you want to make it extra fancy looking, you can curl the orange peel into a swirl.

To make the cocktail, simply pour the Southern Comfort, a few dashes of bitters and a bit of simple syrup into a glass. Stir to combine and then pour it over the ice and orange peel.

This cocktail is simple and easy and a great introduction to aged liquor like whiskey, brandy and bourbon.