[MRM]

My favorite Old Fashioned recipe comes from an anecdote from presidential history.

When Bess and Harry Truman moved into the White House the staff explained that one of the perks of living in the White House was that the staff would serve them anything they wanted, all they had to ask. As they were waiting for supper their first night, the head butler asked if the First Couple would like a pre-dinner drink. They did, and Mrs. Truman ordered an Old Fashioned. The head butler considered himself a bit of a bartender, so he took the task upon himself and made Mrs. Truman an Old Fashioned from his private recipe.

The second night the butler took their drinks orders and asked how they found everything the night before. Mrs. Truman replied that everything had been perfect, but her Old Fashioned had been a tad too sweet. The butler was slightly offended, but he mixed the drink himself again, this time cutting the sugar in half.

The third night, the butler again took Mr. and Mrs. Truman’s pre-dinner drink order and asked how things were. Mrs. Truman replied that the second Old Fashioned was an improvement, but still a tad too sweet. The butler was a bit miffed, so to make a point, he went back to the kitchen and filled a highball glass with bourbon and served it to the First Lady.

The next day Mrs. Truman sent a note to the butler saying that the previous night’s drink was the best Old Fashioned she ever had.