T.Thrasher

Everyone on this thread should take a look at playboy this month the March issue. There are 3 pages dedicated to Molecular Mixology. I guess this means it has hit the main stream now. If you only want to look at the articles I think it is page 77.

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! ← Running it as a special right now on the weekends.

I have a New / Old cocktail I put into rotation at Eve a few weeks back. Rhum and “Cola” I have been messing around with making my own cola for about 5 months and I think I have it now. One of the big steps forward was purchasing a carbonations machine rather that using a soda siphon. Anyway I classed up the cocktail a bit I serve it up with Tahitian Vanilla infused white rum, house made cola, and a Supreme of Meyer Lemon. It is a ode to the first drop of liquor I ever put in my body at age 21, Captain Morgan and Coke with a Lemon Wedge. Still to this day 15 years later my drink of choice.

To make Cocktails with foam there are a few options. Gelatin, Egg Whites, Egg white powder or Xanthum Gum. With Gelatin for 750ml of liquid I use 2 1/2 sheets of gelatin (be sure to bloom the gelatin in cold) So first I take the gelatin and bloom it (about 2 minutes) take about 50 ml of the liquid and put it in a pot let it warm but not to a boil. pull it off the heat and add the bloomed gelatin wisk it in off the heat until all of the gelatin is dissolved then wisk in the rest of the liquid all the while whisking. Then I just roll it back in forward into to mix everything completely. The let it rests for an hour or so in the fridge. Then transfer it into a foamer bottle (do not fill it completely use about half of the 750ml is usually enough for batches) the add only 1 N2o cartridge shake it vigorously and let it rest for about 15 minutes in the fridge. Then you should be ready. I always put the foam in first and then pour the liquid right in the middle so the liquid goes to the bottom and the foam floats on top. I also use egg white powder in making hot foams for 750 ml of liquid I use about 25 grams of powder I heat the liquid to a simmer and add the powder and wisk vigorously making sure all is dissolved. Then I pour it in a Thermal ISI Foamer and it stays warm for about 2 hours. I use this for a hot sherry cocktail I am doing at our small bar called PX. With the raw egg whites I was doing a Pisco Sour 3 ways at Restaurant Eve. One way out of the foamer, the other a granite, and the final in liquid form. Good Luck

This is the best I mean the best quote ever from the New York Times yesterday November 17, 2005 from one of our on E Gulleters!!! Nick Cho From The Times Mr. Cho is known in the blogosphere as the guy who made famous chefs angry when he described restaurant coffee as appalling. "It's true," he said, "restaurant coffee is swill. People just don't know what good coffee even tastes like, but guys like me are going to teach them." I cannot make things like this up!!

La Cuisine in Old Town Alexandria (703) 836-4435

Crazy Thought but make your own mint bitters ( it is not that hard) if you want to use bitters in your Mojito. But really all you need is Mint, Brugal Silver rum, cane water and a splash of soda water.

You are clearly not understanding what I am saying. I am talking about my experience at Murky coffee. My wife and I went in to Murky and my expereince was The Tattooed guy that took my order grunted to me when I said to him good morning, I handed my money to him and he put my change back on the counter not in my hand and I said thank you and have a good day to him and he said nothing to me. Not once ever looking me in the eye. So really I am not sterotyping I am just relaying my experience. The coffee was probally the best I have had at a coffee shop. My whole point is There is alot to service not just pouring a fabulous cup of coffee.

If you want people from the coffee world to respect what you are doing and stop stereotyping your product, I'd suggest showing a little of the same in response. Wow! Do you mind if I ask how much you charge for the Esmerelda? I think you might be the only place I've heard of that is selling the Esmerelda brewed. ← Actually not sterotyping that was my actual experience! And I am not looking respect from the coffe world, I am just stating the facts. And the Esmerelda is $12 for Small Pot

Todd, big props to you for what you're doing with the coffee at Eve. ← Finally, Todd, you are getting the recognition you deserve after so so long. It must be nice to be validated at long last. I'm still waiting on my $1000, though. An interesting side note that I have resisted sharing until now: On Memorial Day I stopped into Murky Coffee in Arlington and ordered a hot tea (coffee makes me speak my mind a little too freely). It was 3:40 and they were closing at 4 due to the holiday. I was told that they would only serve me tea in a paper to-go cup, not in the proper ceramic pot, because they were getting ready to close. Not really service to crow about. I can't say how the tea was since I declined. I don't know, maybe it should be doubled to $2000. Michael Landrum Chef/Improprietor, Ray's The Steaks ← Michael, I tried not to tell about my experience at Murky Coffe either but did you read the first paragraph of my post? Again Service is not putting a swirly in my coffe it is the TOTAL EXPERIENCE, from the greeting to the goodbye, you have to treat people like they are a guest in your house!

Sure - every day I learn how little I know and gain more respect for those who are pushing the boundaries of "what is good coffee and espresso". Plus I now know that manic-depressive behavior from a guy like Murky really is the new heroin chic Admittedly his earlier posts were pretty far over the top in some people's estimation but that fact is that he speaks the truth about restaurant coffee in nearly all places and he's 100% correct about espresso in restaurants. I wouldn't go so far as to say that the coffee served in any number of higher end restaurants in the US is crap but more significantly - it fails to live up to the potential that coffee offers. Here's a challenge - I'll offer up $1 - you heard it right - that's 100 PENNIES!!! to the person who can find me a restaurant in the US that 1) Sources coffee from a roaster who gets it to them within 2 - 3 days of roast date 2) Stores their coffee at room temp in light-proof air-tight containers 3) Weighs the beans per brew batch and uses the appropriate amount of beans for the amount of water 4) Grinds the beans for each brew batch just before brewing 5) Brews with a drip/extraction system that consistently brews at 203 to 205 degrees F 6) Offers single origin estate type varietal coffee (at least one varietal in addition to their house blend) 7) Brews into airpots or offers press pots There are dozens (if not over a hundred or more) independent coffeehouses in North America alone that can fulfill every condition on that list. But restaurants? I'll be surprised if there are more than one or two. Or even that many. It's not rocket science but it does require having an individual on staff who takes responsibility for the coffee program. Also - a good roaster/supplier who can assist with setting up the program and management/owners who are willing to trade off slightly lower margins on coffee in return for the opportunity to offer the very best. A factor not yet discussed but significant is that most people, even those who are very food savvy and have highly developed palates, have not actually tasted exceptional coffee. Oh sure... they've had very good coffee but not the truly exceptional. And don't get me started on the possibility of having truly great espresso in a restaurant. Thomas Keller uses Illy pods for the espresso he serves at Cafe Bouchon. I rest my case. In many instances (especially for those of us who eschew alcohol) coffee and/or espresso is the final note in a fine dining experience - the last set of taste sensations that one can savor before the evening ends. I remain baffled as to why more restaurateurs and chefs don't "get it". Pursuit of excellence in cuisine should encompass every single aspect of the dining experience - why not coffee? ← Here we go again. I will just say one thing about service, Service is pouring a wonderful cup of coffee and it is also giving people what they want; having the overly Tattooed guy give you a smile in the morning not a grunt when they go into your shop to get their first cup of the day, not just putting their change on the counter actually putting it in your hand and look you in the eye and say thank you and have a nice day. We think the coffee portion of our service is very important, remember it is the last course you usually get in a restaurant. I have to thank Vincent Iatesta the owner and Roast master of Café Pronto. So onward with our coffee program at Restaurant Eve 1) We use Café Pronto in Annapolis Maryland, We order our coffee on Friday they roast on Monday and we get it on Tuesday. 2) We actually use containers that have hermetic airtight seals that open at both ends so we always have the first in first out mentality, stored at room temperature. 3) We do not actually weigh the beans for each use; we use three different measuring cups for each size press pot we offer. 4) We grind for each order. 5) We have a water tower that dispenses water at 203 Degrees F 6) We offer 4 coffees (Plus 2 espresso blends)1 Decaf, Decaf Colombia smooth and light, and 3 caffenated coffees, Mokha Java, Classic Blend of Yemen Mocca and Indonesian Java. Rich, Full Body, Complex & Sweet with Cherry & Chocolate, Eve’s Blend Med-Light Roasted, Good Body, Zippy Acidity. Oh yeah that single origin estate type coffee, Esmeralda Special – Panama It comes from Hacienda La Esmeralda in the Boquete region of Panama. 7) We only use press pots and not an ordinary glass pot, we use Frieling press pots that are insulated (which I have never seen in a coffee shop) Please remember there may be lots of independent coffee houses in north America that can fulfill every condition on your list as far as the coffee service, but I know of none where I can get a Braised Pork Belly and then an Esmeralda Special! There are a lot of restaurants that take their coffee service seriously but we also have a lot of other things to take seriously also not just coffee and pastries. I would prefer a Susan B. Anthony Dollar I collect them! Todd T.

Seriously for the finest coffee experience from a true perfectionist contact Vincent at Cafe Pronto in anapolis. I am going to ask him to join the discussion.

Yeah. Don't get me started on 'fine restaurants' and coffee. I'll bet $1,000.00 that I have hands-down better coffee and espresso than ANY restaurant in the U.S., probably in the world. In that, I don't mean to hype my shops; more it is an indictment of the culinary world when it comes to coffee. At least today. People are working on changing that though. ← For some reason I don't see myself heading up the hill for a cup of coffee any time soon. Actually, I'll take that bet and use the $1,000 to take cabs to Restaurant Eve, where the coffee is as exquisite as the service, for my morning cup. I'm not sure what one does or says to earn respect in the specialty coffee world, but I might have some kind of idea how to lose it ← Well said, Thank you!!!

The matter? Can you answer my questions?

"Yeah. Don't get me started on 'fine restaurants' and coffee. " I was just wondering where have you travelled to source your beans? What is the optimum temperature for roasted Mocha Java? How often do you roast your beans? What "name brand" coffees do you like? Do you really know what a fine restaurant is? What style of roasting do you use? What kind of roaster do you have? What do you look for in your roast profile for Columbian Beans?

xoxoxo

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If you have good Hair Flair it gets you everywhere!

This final comment is so unnecessary. Café Atlantico admitted they made a mistake and apologized for it. Restaurants are businesses that are operated by PEOPLE! Sometimes…. people make mistakes! Imagine that.

John where is the wine glass?

Mark the cocktail will be making an apperance tonight and tommorrow

New Age Gibson Saffron Infused Vermouth (which I put one sheet of gelitan with) in the soda siphon. Saffron infused Pickeld Pearl Onions (House Made) Bombay Saphire Gin Bruised

I have a trick with the soda siphon! If you add one sheet of gelitan per litre of liquid it will hold the bubbles alot longer and actually give a litle foam on top. I have a gibson here at the restaurant that I use the siphon with.

I just polished off the rest of the Palena burger I couldn't finish last night (just stunning cold - really), and am enjoying a glass or two of Rioja, Lan, Crianza 1999. I vowed to never miss tempranillo blind, but after three in a row missed I need to get my Spanish on. And you Mssr. Thrasher, what are you sipping on at this instant? At this moment a day later I am starting a "G" from Dehesa Gago, vintage 2000. A wine from Toro Maria brought it home and it is Bery Bery Nice !

John what are you tasting at this point in the night?