Chris Amirault

Fine-tuning a genever toddy for the bar at which I'll be working, and I'm curious to know if anyone out there has recipes for such a thing.

What I've done is get a pot of salted water boiling, drop three sheets of the fresh pasta in, and then lay them onto a clean kitchen towel to dry off briefly before laying them into the pan. Sauce, cheese, repeat. I have a rolling cart that provides counter space that I can move to the stove, which makes it easier (no dripping sheets to carry around). Having said that, I've never tried the no-cook method, so I can't comment on whether it's worth the trouble.

Help me understand: how can a 1/2" diameter stalk of choi sum lose its integrity if it's cut in 2" lengths instead of 4" lengths? What does "integrity" mean in that context?

Website's under construction, but will go live in 2008, so that's good.

We were wondering what a good next cook-off would be when Restaurants and Institutions posted this list of the Top 10 Most Googled Recipes of 2009. We compared it to our eG Cook-Off Index and realized that we'd hit most of those main dishes save one. So: Welcome to the latest eG Cook-Off 52, lasagna! We've had a few discussions on the dish (click here and here) but long ago. Given the poke from Restaurants and Institutions, it seemed an update was in order. I've often made both the bolognese & bechamel version as well as the Italian-American red sauce & ricotta, mozzarella, and parmiggiano version, and I love 'em both. I'm also a convert to using as many fresh ingredients as possible, most especially the pasta itself. With kids in the house, it's a fun dish to assemble, and they wolf it down. So is anyone up for some lasagna al forno?

My question might be better phrased in the following way. Choi sum arrives at our table in 3-4" pieces. Gow choi fan (garlic chives) arrives at our table in 2" pieces. By most reasons I can imagine, it should be the other way around, so why are they cut to these sizes?

As I was digging through my leftover choi sum just now, I realized that I was having to bite the 3-4" pieces in half in order to eat them. This seems to run counter to the prevailing aesthetic in Chinese cookery, in which items are cut into bite-sized pieces. So what's up? Why is choi sum cut that way? Are there other examples? And, in general, what are the aesthetic rules governing sizing?

Great ideas, everyone: That's genius. What a great idea! Sort of reminds me of McSorley's in NYC but with better product. You'd sell more simply by having it out, I'd bet.... Rule #1: Everyone gets a water back. So, folks, what recipes are you using for these snacks?

With and without the citrus; using and not using the cherries (idea: soak cherries in the mezcal...); different mezcals; agave, honey, demerara syrups; about 10 different bitters. There are a few things that didn't seem to work at all (Peychaud's, for example), and some that I'm thinking will work if only I can figure it out (an Improved Mezcal Cocktail, in particular).

I love those Momofuku pickles, too -- but what drinks do you think go with them?

Drinking this new absinthe cocktail and tried a few Cheez-Its with it. You can't taste them. What works with potent cocktails, especially those with absinthe?

I use cocktaildb.com when I'm trying to find some new, strange combination. With the Glad Eye, I found it: peppermint schnapps and absinthe. I've been having a blast fiddling with Branca Menta, and had some gum syrup to account for the bitterness. It louched, of course, and the Branca Menta is brown: so, here's... Mud in Your Eye 2 oz absinthe (Kübler) 1 oz Branca Menta 1 tsp gum syrup Stir with crushed ice; strain. I had no garnish, though lemon or orange peel might work nicely.

I've been screwing around with mezcal Old Fashioneds at home, using gum syrup and Angostura. I'm a firm believer. The possibilities are endless.

We have a Ready to Eat salty snack topic. I'm interested to know what salty snacks you can make yourself, either at home or at work. I'm part of a team thinking about classic-cocktail-friendly bar food, in particular, at a new restaurant, so anything that marries nicely with gin, rye, rum, and so on would be particularly appreciated. What salty, crunchy snacks are your (or your customers') favorites?

Interesting. Here's that link: salt 'em, brine 'em (sherry vinegar the only real tweak), eat 'em. Sounds good to me.

Any chance we can see some photos of what we're looking for?

I like Whitley Neill too, but it's not rare here anymore. I know of at least five shelves on which you can find it around town.

I find myself for the first time with a few fresh bay leaves and want to know two things. How do I know that these aren't those awful "California" bay leaves, the ones that every cookbook tells me to avoid, instead of "Turkish"? And do I use them just as I would dry?

While we ponder this question, can we also ponder what, exactly, "sour" means? I am having a hard time learning about how sourness works as a flavor in relation to brix, ph, and so on, and knowing that may help explain the role of sourness in the evolution of the lemon.

That's an extremely useful piece of advice. Thanks, and welcome! I'm also realizing as I develop recipes that I have to be more thoughtful about glassware than I am at home. Things will be more standardized at work, I'm sure, but I don't want to be pouring off 2 oz of drink bc the glass is full....

Excellent. I definitely lean toward chunky fillings, so the star tip is going to be tricky. Snipping a Ziplok may be the method of choice.

No, I haven't, myself. I can't find them online either. Do you have a link?

Just ordered two of the Muji silicon ice ball makers. Will report back.

Gosh, I hope I don't need protection from falling knives and flying glass. Not the sort of joint I envision Cook & Brown will be...!

I have a deviled egg problem. I've been working on a few different recipes (trying to nail Ana Sortun's Oleana eggs currently), and the flavors are pretty strong. However, as you can see, the technique is deeply flawed: How do you shape the filling for the eggs? I've tried melon ballers (the filling sticks), quenelle-esque spoon work (no Escoffier here), hand-rolled little balls (freakishly regular). Can't settle into a technique that works. Help!