Spice, caramel, woodsy, citrus
In winter, keep a jar of Rock and Rye on your counter and serve a shot alongside holiday cookies such as gingerbread men, molasses cookies, or fruitcake. It’s also a good mixer.
Back in the old saloon days, you could step into a bar and request a nip from a large murky jar containing a dark potion full of citrus rings and cinnamon sticks. The Rock and Rye, as it was called, combined rock candy and rye whiskey, along with horehound—a bitter herb used as a cough suppressant—and was employed as a bar mixer and home remedy. Mothers spooned it into hot water for sick children, and barmen ladled it into toddies and other concoctions, blurring the lines between medicine and mixology. Even songs pay tribute to it, including a 1934 dance hit “Rock & Rye,” first performed by Earl Hines and his orchestra, and later by Benny Goodman. Much loved in the 1800s, it shot back into prominence in the ’50s and ’60s, alongside martinis and highballs.
Note: Look for horehound tincture at a natural foods store. Rock candy strings are available online or at old-timey candy shops. You can make this in one large 1-quart jar or a pair of pint jars so that you can keep one and gift the other.
MAKES 1 QUART
1 bottle (750 ml) rye whiskey (Rittenhouse)
2 ounces (60 ml) maraschino liqueur (Luxardo)
1 orange, sliced into rings with the top and bottom discarded
1 lemon, sliced into rings with the top and bottom discarded
1 string (6 inches) of rock candy
2 large cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
6 star anise
12 drops of horehound tincture (optional)
Fill a 1-quart jar with citrus rings, spices, and rock candy. Add rye whiskey, making sure all the fruit is submerged. Drop in the horehound or add it later to drinks. Store on the counter for at least 2 days before serving.
Serve this neat or on the rocks, or combine with hot water and honey for a soothing “tea.” It’s excellent in a Hot Toddy (page 216) or an Old Fashioned (page 28).