slobhan

I'm jealous that NOPA got the Ms. The ingredients are much more my style than the wild Js I witnessed at the lovely Teardrop Lounge in Portland. Neyah is a bar maestro and I was lucky enough to enjoy some cocktails after the San Francisco Cocktail Week finale party in May 2008. And what gorgeous glassware he has!! Their fried smelts are also a tasty snack, thanks to Tim Stookey for the recommendation. *edited to add love for the glassware.

FYI, cocktailians. The annual Tales of the Cocktail event, which turns 5 this year, is hosting the First Annual Spirit Awards on July 22nd at the close of the event. There's an open call for nominations, we blogged it a couple weeks ago at Imbibe Unfiltered. Just wanted to cross post the info here in case any of you would like to make a nomination. Now you can resume your regular mixology questions, connundrums and tasting notes. note: edited to deal with a messy space and hyperlink.

I like the sound of this method! I've made beer-battered before, but I'll have to try vodka. Thanks for the link.

I saw that, it was a nice piece... I always love seeing the Brothers Alström.

That was my concern about the vodka infusion, Will try the simple syrup version and post the rseults ← I can see how that might happen. I may have spoken too soon about thyme's infusability. I've had a good experience with lavender, but I guess time's effect on thyme (oh, geez, Siobhan) could be quite different. Will have to play with it this weekend.... Siobhan

So true. Spoken like a cocktail artiste.

Mmmmm, that sounds delicious! I'm going to have to try it. I'd infuse the vodka with thyme first. Just cut up some sprigs of fresh thyme and put it in the vodka, storing in a cool, dark place for a few days....checking for doneness every so often, adding more thyme if it seems overly weak after 24 hours. You know it's done when you like the flavor, but the longest it should go would be about 10 - 14 days. Strain out the thyme and you have thyme-infused vodka! For the drink, combine the vodka with your choice of lemonade (a homemade Meyer lemonade would be scrumptious) and simple syrup if you like it sweet. A garnish of fresh thyme would finish it off nicely. Ok, now I'm going to have to try this at home!

Did you and I work in the same place in 1997-98? I used to have a cubicle located right next to the kitchen where employees would heat and eat their lunches, it was pure torture. There were the Pavlovian drools when someone brought in something delicious (anything with bacon, microwave popcorn, or some nice soup). Then there was the recurring fish smell like the one you describe above....although, in my case it was the Finance guy eating fish. He was so sweet and quiet, I didn't have the heart to tell him about the offending odor, but he ate fish every Friday, so I made sure I was out of the office. Don't get me wrong, I like fish, but not when I'm snacking on a banana in the next cubicle over.

Oh my, I forgot to subscribe to this thread.... thanks for the insight! I should have mentioned that I am cooking on a ceramic electric stove from the start. I am really tempted to try the thick CI wok, but if it can't be dragged across ceramic cook tops without damaging them, I might have to pass. I am hopelessly careless and messy in the kitchen (I chalk it up to enthusiasm)....and I like to cook like Toliver and lift the pan from time to time. Hmmmm, Octaveman, you are pretty committed and open about your conversion to thick CI, though, it's convincing. I'll read up and shop around and let y'all know what ends up happening. Thank you!

I searched for "wok" in this forum, but didn't find anything. Here we go, folks. It all began in 1999, when my boyfriend's sister, now my sister-in-law, gave me a non-stick stir-fry pan/wok she didn't need anymore. The pan was light, non-stick (which I usually don't buy), big and deep—it did the job. A few years later, I tossed the pan when I noticed the bottom chipping and I didn't want to eat the chemicals used in the non-stick coating with my chicken curry. Little did I know, in so doing, I would be launched into a search to find the perfect replacement that still continues today. I tried to replace it with a Calphalon One Stir-Fry pan and I don't like it. At all. It takes forever to heat and the bottom is smaller in diameter than I'd like. What is your favorite wok/stir-fry pan and where did you get it?

Oh, man!!! I don't regret moving from Alexandria to Portland, Oregon often, but I'm going to have to count this as one of those times. Tahitian Vanilla infused rum? House made cola? Meyer lemon?Yum! Is it still on the menu? I'll send some of my friends who still live in the area over to try it and make me jealous!

Mmmmm, tequila! I feel like so many people in the US are introduced to it under horrible circumstances—bad tequila in bad margaritas. I visited Encanto, the new New Mexican restaurant in my neighborhood, this past Saturday and was treated to two delicious tequila cocktails: The Tangerine Shot - Herradurra Reposado with fresh tangerine juice. Smooth and a little sweet. El Dorado - Sauza Hornitos tequila, muddled lemon and honey. Refreshing! I can't wait until they open their deck for the summer and I can enjoy these cocktails outside on their patio. For those interested, the newly published March/April issue of Imbibe has a feature on tequila by Senior Editor Kate Darling, here's a link to the piece online, but the print edition has tasting notes and recipes: http://www.imbibemagazine.com/feat_2.html

My DH hails from Newton, so we get back to Boston often, but I haven't been to Eastern Standard yet. My boss gets to check it out next Thursday night, 2/15, when we're hosting an event there with David Wondrich (author of Killer Cocktails). I'm jealous!! I can't wait for her full report (and my next trip to Boston in October).

All of the above are faves for me, but I have to hear more about this "Tagliatelle with grapefruit sections in cream sauce (great in summer)"?? Do share.... One of my favorite standards that I'll make tomorrow night when I get home from the airport at 8 pm: Fusilli combined with wilted spinach, some crumbled bleu cheese, and lots of pepper!

Most wine stores in Portland do have regular tasting events, I've "researched" this heavily.

This is a great thread, good points all around. I think that I agree most with the sentiment that what makes a wine shop great is pretty much the same as what makes ANY shop great. For me, customer service is the foundation on which businesses succeed or slip away due to a very powerful marketing tool: word of mouth. I will recommend shops whose staff is friendly, available without being over-bearing, and knows a lot about the product. But one thing that wine stores have had to do to differentiate is something that requires extra work from the staff (at least where I live): offering an e-mail newsletter with picks, listing the latest inventory & sales and/or offer regular tasting in-store events. I haven't come across many shoe stores that have regular try-on events. Why do you think this is? I venture to say it's because a few things: 1. The wine market is highly-saturated and producers/importers fund tastings to help their products stand out. 2. More importantly perhaps, I think tastins and e-mails are essential in establishing the merchant as a resource and building a relationship with customers on a personal level. With so many wine stores around, your choice to remain loyal to one will likely have a lot to do with the relationship. I'd be interested to hear what others have to say about this piece of the biz.

Do you have a Cost Plus World Market near you? They sell some splits at good prices, though the selection varies from location to location.

You beat me to posting it here. Thanks, eje!

Thanks, Katie, for the strategy about air travel. I re-read my message and it sounded like I haven't tried Bluecoat. I have been lucky enough to try it, once. The not-so-widespread blue bottle got an honoroable mention in the gin tasting in our current issue.

I have to say that I re-kindled my interest in gin after a recent blind tasting. I love the freshness that citris & juniper deliver.... I beamed with pride when Bluecoat was so good and from Philly (my birthplace), I hope they get some broader distribution soon! Do the FAA rules allow checking it? I'm going home for Super Bowl weekend (with no Birds in the game).

I know that holiday gifting time has past, but since I just got my gift renewal announcement from Fine Cooking, I thought I'd throw another vote their way. I refer to the mag constantly.

This is pretty much how DH and I do our dinner planning; we decide how many nights per week we'll be home and go from there. We usually under-plan by one night b/c of the reasons Dasha cited above. What's new is how we decide who preps and makes the meal... DH now works from home and is finished at 3pm; I don't get home until closer to 6:30 or 7 pm. At first, I would come home and immediately get to cooking, stew about how DH had been relaxing since 3:30 and not have dinner ready until 8:30 or 9. He'd get hungry and wonder when food might be ready. We've now worked out a plan that on days when I'll be home late, he preps or makes dinner (so long as I leave out a recipe for him or go over the game plan the night before) and everyone's relieved. The worst part about this is now that I wash dishes on days when he makes dinner, something I blissfully avoided when I was doing all the cooking.

I've had Margarita jelly from a producer here in Portland, yum....the website doesn't say anything about having used tequila, but I wonder if it's possible....I'd think that the thickening would be really tough with spirits. But I haven't made many jams or jellies in my life.

FWIW, Paul's article from the mag is also posted online, here. Note: link will change 2/28/07 I haven't tasted many ryes in my day, but Paul's tasting notes have me ready to organize a rye tasting at home....I'll likely start with something like Old Overholt because of both availability and price.

Hi Miss Meglet! I'm learning about cocktails all the time too, and I even work at a drinks magazine! The current Sep/Oct issue of Imbibe now on newsstands covers Vermouth and its origins, brands, storage, and even recipes. Page 26, Elements. I do know I'm going to have to check out some Nolly Prat! - Siobhan