Chris Amirault

Thanks. That's one of the things I had assumed based on similar tips with other filters (coffee, stock), and it made a big difference. You don't have to pump continuously, as the pressure is only reduced a little by the liquid trickling down; about 10-15 pumps at the start, then 5-10 as needed, seemed to do the trick. Here's the set-up ready to go. I wasn't careful enough with the ceramic funnel and chipped a tiny sliver of glass off the beaker as I was preparing to wedge the funnel and stopper into the beaker. No crack, though, so it didn't have any effect on the function. Here are the liquids I was filtering in their "before" state; even though i had poured off a lot, you'll see sediment and louche throughout. First, pineapple-infused rum: Pineapple-infused Campari (for Toby Maloney's Riviera): Hess house bitters: John Deragon's grapefruit bitters: Pimento dram: Here's the funnel filled with pimento dram being filtered for the first time: I started pumping away, getting a good strong flow, and as it slowed, I pumped harder and harder. Mistake. Here's the source of the great sucking sound you've heard so much about: Basically, for the first filtering, it pays to take a bit of extra time. If you're in a hurry, it's easy to put too much pressure on the filter paper. I also learned that carefully pouring liquid off the top (instead of shaking it, say), letting that liquid filter first, and pouring in the louche and sediment at the end was a good idea; otherwise, that stuff sinks to the base of the funnel and impedes the action of the filter. As you progress, the papers are, of course, covered with less and less sediment, which is a good indicator of how you're doing. Here's the pimento dram's penultimate filter: There were big differences in the final filterings for each liquid. I focused on the pineapple-infused rum, as it was easier to see the results. Here it is after two filterings: Pineapple-infused rum after four filterings: The Hess house after four filterings was also very clear: I didn't bother doing four filters for everything here, but that seemed to be the magic number. I've got a new batch of a Hess house bitters variation steeping, so I'll try to document that at each stage. The effects are quite drastic, as you can tell. As for tips, it definitely pays to be patient and to resist the desire to increase the vacuum strength. Wetting the filter and pumping it a bit before adding the liquid you're filtering works well, too: you'll hear hissing noises that mean that there's a slight fold in the filter through which air is passing -- and thus through which the liquid could pass. Placing the filter directly in the center of the funnel and leveling the funnel are both good ideas, I found.

What exactly happens if you overprocess the almonds? I fear I might have done that this time around. The flavor and mouthfeel are off....

As a regular Flor de Cana drinker, I really have liked the two bottles of Montecristo white that I've had, especially in Daiquiris and related variations.

As I mentioned in the All about Bitters topic, I purchased this pump, Büchner funnel, filter paper and beaker set-up, and thought some others out there might find some detailed photos and notes to be useful. I've never used one before, so feel free to chime in with advice, corrections, and the like. First off, the equipment. Here's the pump and filter papers: The flask -- which for my purposes will be plenty big: Funnel from the side: Perforated funnel base: More later tonight when I take a crack at filtering a few different things at home.

I second OnigirFB's main point. I was in Chiang Mai in June and ate a ton of Isan sausage, never once getting sick and loving every bite. I've also made these to good effect using a variation of the recipe in Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet and David Thompson's Thai Food. We're all still here.

Toby captured my feelings about brunch perfectly, both as a server (worst gig always) and as a diner. As for brunch at home, that sounds like fancy language for grazing.

I did some snooping around and this Alvita tea is the only source I can find for Black Cohosh that appears to be the root and not a powder or a tincture. Any other sources out there?

Dave, if you had to try to replicate it with something that wasn't, um, deadly, what would you do?

Boy, this is a long list. I'd say the Pegu Club, Pisco Sour, and most Manhattan variations qualify, as do these favorites. Ted Haigh's Barnum (Was Right) Cocktail: 2 oz gin (Plymouth here) 1 oz Apry 1/2 oz lemon 2 generous dashes Angostura Shake, strain, up, lemon twist. Gary Regan's version of the Bennett Cocktail: 2 oz gin (a rare instance where Aviation gin works very well) 1 oz lime 1/2 1:1 simple syrup healthy dash Angostura bitters (dash green Chartreuse if you please) Shake, strain, up. www.cocktaildb.com's Master of the Hounds: 1 3/4 oz rye 3/4 oz Cherry Heering 2 dashes Angostura Stir, strain, up with a brandied cherry. drinkboy's Stargazer Cocktail: 1 1/2 oz rye 1 1/2 Lillet blanc dash Angostura Stir, strain, up, lemon twist. Another from Haigh, the Widow's Kiss: 2 oz calvados (I use Laird's bonded apple brandy) 1 oz Benedictine 1 oz yellow Chartreuse 2 dashes Angostura Stir, strain, up.

Does anyone know if you would substitute gentian for snake root 1:1?

I could deal with a few hot spots. But cold spots in the center of a pan: they really, really suck. I too sing the praises of electric. Unlike Dave, Cheryl, and and Janet, however, when our electric range started going kaput I went with a midrange gas range. I've figured out how to deal with its various difficulties, but I'd toss it in a second for a cheaper electric range. I think Janet's right: just about everyone I know who "must have gas" either hasn't tried the new ranges or has a fetish for the flames licking the sides of a pan. I get that fetish -- I had it and I've promptly lost it. I want the heat on the bottom, not the sides, and I want it even, not licking around like a sophomore playing "Spin the Bottle."

You guys all clearly have better options than I do. Don't you wait in line for 45 minutes, crowd into a noisy room, get served lots of re-reheated food that wasn't very good the first two times it was prepared, and generally find the entire experience to evoke the garbage disposal? Maybe I'm not drinking enough the night before....

Well, now that you've brought him up again, I'll toss Thompson's Thai Food into the ring. If you want to learn techniques about a sophisticated, non-Western cuisine, there's no better place to start. The essay on rice and the tutorial on tasting sauces as you prepare them are remarkable -- and that's before you get to the recipes.

The Cook's Book is deceptively simple. There are sections that aren't that strong -- I'm a big fan of David Thompson and I think that part's just ok -- but there are other sections that are stunning. You gotta read the whole thing in detail, try out some of the techniques, to really see how fascinating it is. Bittman it ain't.

Now, see, that's a brunch I'd attend, with two milk punches to keep Monday at bay. Up here, you get the coffee, scrambled eggs, and not much else on that list. But you knew that, didn't you.

Good point about Eggs Benedict. There are not many better opportunities to indulge in egg yolk and pork that don't involve bacon zabaglione. But I'm confused: most places at which I've had the displeasure to brunch don't serve lunch fare like burgers or sandwiches, unless they have unfortunates like peach salsa or aged avocado added to them. Instead, menu items tend to hyperbreakfast plates like brioche french toast over cinnamon-candied apples with "creme brulee" sauce and a dusting of powdered sugar for good measure.

I've been reading this topic on brunch over in Restaurant Life, and I keep wondering: what the hell is brunch, anyway? I surely don't have a good definition for it, and the bad definitions follow unpleasant paths (brunch is that which you have not yet sold by Sunday morning, e.g.). Googling "brunch" doesn't help, either. My favorite response is the first: Call me Amireaux and sign me up. What is this meal called brunch that you people eat?

I second Shalmanese's recommendation. Seems like just the thing for you.

All right, Deragon. Spill it.

I'm hearing more good things about this place, including the cocktail menu. Any updates?

Bruce, why feta? No queso around?

So what's the scoop, E?

Wow.... The FoodSaver pump.... Very interesting idea....

Tweaking the Hess House Bitters again: 1 cup brandy 1 cup vokda 30g raisins 15 g ginger (julienne) 6 g dried gentian 2 g cloves 2 g allspice 2 g star anise 7 g green cardamom pods 7 g cinnamon 10 g mahlab 2 g mace Burnt sugar later.

Thanks. I'm definitely able to deal with less than 1 liter amounts, so I just ordered this. Will report back.