Forest

sounds good...i'll give a try with partially set gelatin. thanks for all the other ideas too...i'll keep working on this and see how it comes along!

A friend is having his 40th birthday party soon and has asked me to help him come up with a cocktail menu. Born in '69, the theme is 1969/Woodstock. Not the easiest era for cocktails, I don't think. I have two things in mind so far. In a nod to the flower/hippie aspect of it, I'm thinking a selection of floral based drinks. (creme de violette, elderflower, rose, that kind of thing) I havent decided exactly which ones yet, but am going to sit down with him and test a few and let him decide what he likes and will probably go with three. It's not so much this part I'm looking for help on, but if this sparks any great ideas (floral drinks you particularly like, maybe a punch with floral in it, etc) please feel free to throw any ideas my way. Secondly for a bit of a psychodelic twist, I'm thinking jello shots. Bear with me...not the crazy vodka jello shots consumed in frat houses across the country to get blasted! I've been working on some ideas for awhile to come up with something that makes jello shots asthetically pleasing and interesting from a cocktail standpoint. Not long ago, I bought some silicone ice trays in disc shapes specifically for this purpose. They will be in the form of small round discs - so I thought I'd drop in some yellow food coloring and (somehow...this is where i really need the help) draw smiley faces on them. I don't have the ice trays with me, so I can't take a picture, but hopefully i'm explaining this well enough. but, basically it's going to be a little yellow round disc that looks like a smiley face and has a bit of a kick to it. So far, I've had one thought of doing something like lemon drops - not my favorite cocktail, but it's lemon (thus makes some sort of weird sense in my head being yellow) and then perhaps I could use something like black sugar on the top when done to make the eyes and the smile? This is not my favorite thought...but that gives you an idea of the kind of brainstorming i've been doing in my head. I'm not really satisfied with anything i've come up with yet...so, help! Ideas for both the flavor and how to make the face...anyone? also, this is not a group of serious cocktail drinkers...so, they will probably be more interested in the theme than the actual cocktail. And I'm planning on a classic or two because I don't really want to drink floral cocktail all night long myself. (and not everyone likes floral flavors, of course) Thanks for any advice! (and also, any ideas that are not under these two themes are very welcome)

Just in follow up to my last post on Bars des Roses. I went there last night with a group of 10 + 1 kid and we had the big plates of tapas. We ordered all the same as above, plus the ceviche, a plate of charcuterie, another bread/veg combo and a couple of mixed dessert plates. We all had an apero before hand and went through three bottles of wine. There were a couple of coffees ordered at the end. The total came to 340 - so around 35 each for plenty of food and wine, starting drinks and dessert, which i think is not too bad at all for a meal this fun and this level of quality. Again, I'll mention, the place is not fancy, but it's lively, the service is really friendly and this worked great for a big group. (any bigger than 10 or 11 and I'm not sure they could get everyone around 1 table though as the room is pretty small). But they're very accomodating, so perhaps!

Update on Baxo, which I mentioned I was going to try in a search for cocktails on terraces - yikes! worst drink I've ever had in my life. No gin in the house, so i took the dirty vodka martini off their menu...not my fav, but figured it was the closest thing they offered to a martini. Pretty much undrinkable...warm, served in a glass with chips on the lip and tasted like I was drinking pure olive brine. yuck. I'll post a longer review on my wednesday drinks blog, but you don't really need to know more than I wouldn't go back for a cocktail. (for full disclosure, I did not try a 2nd there and my two companions went for wine...perhaps they have a better handle on the other drinks, but i wasn't willing to waste another 8 Euros to find out)

With John's encouragement, I'm putting up a thread for the Bar des Roses 1, Rue de Vintimille, 75009 where I had a very nice dinner the other night and discussed on the Cocktails in Paris thread, but didn't really want to go OT there and post about the food. (thanks Felice & Fresh_A for the suggestion - i've walked past this place more times than I could count and never thought about going in!) The place seems pretty unassuming - typical bar/cafe on the corner of Vintimille & Rue de Clichy (if you look it up online you'll get it listed under two different addresses on these two streets - they are one in the same). The bar area was packed with a lively bunch drinking wine and eating what looked like very nice charcuterie plates. It doesn't immediately seem like a restaurant because the small room full of tables to the side aren't set for dining. But, they do have a dinner menu. Mainly they serve up tapas, but they also offer four different mains (pork, chicken, beef & tuna). All four of these can also be ordered in tapas size. The tapas prices ranged from about 5 to 11 Euros/plate. There was no one sitting in the dining area when we arrived around 9pm, but by 10 it was overflowing. We had four tapas: tomato bread - basically bruschetta, but that's not what it was called on the menu (pain a la tomate), the beef in tapas size, a salad dish and octopus tentecle. All were excellent. The beef was superb...VERY rare, though, so non-rare eaters beware. (they don't ask how you want it cooked, so if you're going to ask for something more well done, I'm not sure the flavor would be worth it on this one) The service was friendly. Apparently in a few weeks they will be putting some tables outside so there will be somewhat of a terrace. The server told me that it's a good place to reserve for a large group because the chef can do big plates of tapas and the prices get more interesting that way. Between the two of us we had a beer, a dry martini, 4 tapas plates and a half bottle of wine and it totaled 62 Euros, which I thought was a great deal for the level of cuisine. For me, it's a top find because it's a five minute walk from my place. But, I'd say this is worth the trip over if you want to have a variety of well done tapas with some fun wines or good drinks!

So I tried Le Bar Des Roses for drinks and food last night. Someone there knows or appreciates cocktails because the menu's good for Paris. I had a nice martini & they offer up quite a few drinks (including Aviations & Martinez - neither of which are too common on Paris cocktail menus, but pretty standard cocktails in the big scheme of things). The cocktails menu offers a potential upgrade for top shelf liquor (9 for the standards, 12 for something 'nicer') I just asked for a martini and they poured bombay sapphire. The terrace will not be a go for a couple of weeks though. Apparently they are waiting for an okay to put some tables out front (which means you will either be dining facing rue de clichy or the cross street - neither of which are particularly quiet). The food - tapas style was also good (try the beef as a main dish or tapas!). But, don't want to go OT here, so feel free to PM me for details on that front.

thanks fresh_a....wrestling AND cocktails...well, sounds like an unbeatable combination. will check it out for the ambience at least. And, yes, I'm always happy with the Curio cocktails, but as it gets nicer outside, it's harder to drag friends into the dark bars....i really like the decor there, but it feels more wintery. But, i do love to stop in their for the spiced mules...very tasty!

agreed there...although I haven't tried the food or been, it doesn't strike me as a place you necessarily want to eat...but will check out some drinks on the 'terrace' and see how that goes!

Even though Springtime is not consistently cooperating with me...I'm starting to have an eye towards summer and cocktails on terraces! Anyone have any favorite spots for cocktails in Paris that boast lovely little outdoor seeting spots? Just a bit of looking online brings up the possibilities of Hotel Rapheal (which i've been wanting to get to anyway), Barlotti (although i didn't realize they have a terrace?), and Baxo (think I've got the spelling right, but around Canal St Martin). I am specifically looking for places that do cocktails...there's a whole other thread here on terraces in general in Paris, so don't want to mix them up!

Anyone know of anything interesting to eat, drink or do food-wise in Hyderabad? Thanks in advance!

Well, I went down for my weekend and had a really enjoyable meal at La Tupina. (not withstanding the hurricane-force winds that were happening the weekend we were there!) For local food, i think this is a good bet. We went to the "nicer" restaurant, but their website also indicates that they have something more casual. We did a 3 course menu each, two bottles of wine and digestifs and got out of there for a not cheap 100 Euros/person. We wanted to taste some wines as well so a girlfriend and I went to the Bar a Vins on Friday night (i think this is associated the Ecole du Vins). The bar area is modern and looks fancy, but the prices are very reasonable (generally 3 - 4 Euros/glass). We were slightly disappointed with the wines. She had a white graves, i had a couple of bordeaux superieres. They were okay, but for a wine bar associated with the school, we were hoping for a bit more information (either from the server or writen up) on the wines. They weren't bad, i just didn't really seem to appreciate them and maybe a bit more information would have made it more of a learning experience for me. We also ordered some of their munchie plates, which are either cheese or meats. They were small, but also very cheap price-wise. Also of note, this place closes at 10pm. I had a pleasant cafe lunch at Cafe Creme & we also had a decent lunch at l'autre salon du the. (which seems to specialize in freshly baked desserts) it's a beautifuly little city...enjoy your visit!

I just got back from a trip to Japan this month with fellow eGers Little Miss Foodie and Tall Drink of Water. They've been blogging about the trip (with some nice pics of food). We hit both Tokyo and Kyoto and had some really great eating experiences (low, medium and high end). Wendy's much better about remembering and detailing the food, so you might want to check out their blog. They only have the Tokyo meals up so far, but Kyoto should be coming. Of course having been there in Jan, we were only getting winter fair and didn't get anything springish...so I'm sure you'll get lots more info from the active Japan forum regulars. But, it's worth a look at the pics of what we ate...some impressive stuff. enjoy your trip!

hello all... In case anyone is interested, I've created a google map showing the location of the bars I've been visiting on my wednesday cocktail trials. If you're looking for something by area, you might find this useful.

just bumping this up again as am wondering if anyone has any new suggestions on a place to eat in Bordeaux. I'm there for a weekend at the end of the month. We already have reservations for La Tupina on Saturday. I'm looking for something on Friday night - some of the girls get in a bit late, so something fun and casual that will serve after 9 or even 10pm. Maybe a bar a vins that serves munchies or light meals? And, bonus if it's close to our hotel which is the Hotel Continental 10, Rue Montesquieu. Any advice appreciated!

I'm heading to Bordeaux for a girls weekend at the end of the month. We've got some dinner reservations on Saturday and would like to have a cocktail beforehand. We're looking at going to Seeko'o Bar. Possibly might check out the Velvent Lounge and/or Blueberry. Anyone know anything about these bars and if they're worth a visit? Otherwise, anyone have any other suggestions. Thanks!

Good to hear the food was okay...I get a little suspicious of highly trendy places. I went there last night to try the cocktails and was thoroughly impressed by their drinks menu. You don't find things like martinez or brandy crusta in Paris bars. I'll blog on it later, but despite the distance (and it is a bit of a trek for me) I will definitely be going back for drinks again soon. The head bartender there knows his stuff (although my martini could have been slightly colder) but, this is a place with the resources (interesting menu, knowledgeable head bartender, good range of ingrediants) to deliver top notch drinks.

Yes, I did have the same thought that it could be similar to a punch involving sparkling wine, which I'd have problem tossing the wine into. but, I'm with Abra on the one-at-a-time for these. In this case - serving 6 & such a simple recipe - it would be just as easy to make them individually and I think they would be better. Bubbly fizzy champagne is nice and festive and the presentation of pouring it out of my old water pitcher isn't quite as fun as topping up each guest up as they arrive. While I'm sure a side by side comparison wouldn't result in a HUGE difference in taste, I feel like there really isn't much more work to make it slightly better.

Thanks for the great rundown, Felice! I've been thinking of heading over there to explore their drinks on offer and will probably do so next week....so, I'll be checking out that circular bar!

Thanks for the interesting list, Abra! I was looking through it to see if I found something to serve as a festive apero for a dinner party this weekend. I was looking at the Champagne/Honey/Cointreau combo. But, once I starting working through the logistics of that recipe in my head, I'm not sure it's the best plan. They suggest dissolving the honey into the cointreau and then adding the champagane - in an amount that would serve six. This means you'll be pouring the champagne out into something else and giving it a good mix. Seems to me that it would be better to create these individual in the flutes to keep your bubbles fresh. I might give it a little try and will report back if it results in something nice.

I just got back from Athens and gave Alatsi a try. When I arrived at 9:15 the place was empty. It's large and seems sort of modern/trendy. When I told them I didn't have reservations, I thought they were just shoving me off to eat in the bar because i was a single diner. But sure enough by 9:45 the place was packed. And, incidentally, the bar was a fine place to eat - the counter was large enough, there are a couple of extra large chairs with backs at one end and the waitstaff were still attentive. I'm not sure of the actual greek names of my orders because they only had one menu and it was all in Greek so the waiter had to run from table to table with it. However, don't take this as an indication that it's a quaint and tiny little restaurant - they were just in the process of reprinting the menus. I started with stuffed grape leaves that were excellent. Followed by a potato and pork dish that was amazingly tender. Both were very good. The bill - with two courses and two drinks for one person came to 40 Euros exactly. The bartender offered me a digestif on the house following the meal. I was happy with the meal and thought it worth the price. I also checked out the Galaxy Bar at the Hilton mentioned in the article (which is across the street from this restaurant) on another night. The article mentions the great view and expensive drinks. Maybe I'm jaded - I thought the view was fine, but I wasn't blown away. The drinks were very nice, but I'm not sure how expensive as someone bought mine for me and I figured it would be rude to pick up the bill at look at te price after that. I'd say, it's an okay stop - but not a MUST for a drink if the prices are really that high.

Hi nikkib I'd say these days, Experimental is the must for cocktail-lovers as is their 2nd bar Curio Parlor. (I prefer the Exeprimental, but that's just personal preference, nothing to do with the quality of the drinks.) The Experimental is serving up a nice Death & Co Fresa Brava and the Curio has a great Spiced Mule (with Loscombe Ginger Beer & El Dorado Rum) Stolly's and Lizard Lounge are both very popular anglo bars. I haven't had cocktails in either for awhile, but they're worth a stop if you want a lively anglo-crowd, friendly service. The Lizard Lounge does a good club sandwhich or burger for lunch and has a pretty long list of standard and house cocktails. They have a "legendary martini" listed on their menu. It was lunch time so I didn't order it - but when i asked them what made them legendary, no one seemed to know. but, all of those bars in that group are a good time with a young anglo/french crowd, funky atmosphere, etc. I consider cocktails in these bars of a different callibre than those of something like Experimental, which really elevates the craft. But, they're worth a visit for the fun atmosphere and they do do a good job with their drinks. Also, in this league (of good cocktails/fun areas, not in the top echelon, but excellent options for Paris) is Kabanito. You're not going to get a Sidecar exactly the way you might in bars that are following classic recipes to the T, or where you have master mixologists giving you a well thought out take on classic recipes. But, you will get enjoyable drinks at the bar from staff that want their clients to enjoy their drinks! (this is not so much an anglo-crowd & it's funner to sit at the bar) Possibly (just possibly because I haven't tried the Stollys/Lizard cocktails in awhile) a better bet for a Suba connected bar for cocktails is the caveau montpensier. Order off their specialty list: the chili margarita if you like spicy drinks. The usual bartender, Robert, is a very nice Scottish guy and will surely do his best to make you up something you like (although there is not a HUGE selection of booze behind the bar) Yes, check out Costes for an upscale hotel bar experience. Regarding Harry's, it's a bit of an institution, so EVERYONE feels like they have to visit Harry's. I like it fine, but (somewhere upthread I talked about it) probably wouldn't take cocktail-drinking visitors there if they are only here for a weekend. As for the Ritz, it's another one that everyone has to visit. And, while I also wouldn't make this a regular cocktail stop, I suppose it's worth a stop. I went there with Little Miss Foodie and Tall Drink of Water earlier this year when they were over for a visit and I think the three of us were all a tiny bit disappointed. It's not that the drinks aren't excellent...it's just that you are paying for a lot more than the drinks themselves. (we were paying over 30 Euros a drink...and that's not cheap when you are converting it to dollars) if you're a serious cocktail drinker, I don't really suppose there's a way you can bypass this...but it's not my most recommended spot. I'm still pretty smitten with La Famille for their crazy liquid nitrous drinks and the super friendly staff. I had a visitor in town a couple of weekends ago who wanted to try some cocktails so we went in there - and they were, as usual, lively, friendly and fun. The usual bartender there, Houssin, will take the time to make you something extra crazy fancy if you ask for it (and are patient enough to wait for it) And finally, for very good cocktails, I would also suggest the Forvm Bar. Although I think i posted a somewhat coolish post on it somewhere earlier, I think for Paris, they do a damn fine job with their drinks. Happy cocktailing! Let me know if you try any of these or come across anything new and interesting.

Okay, I think the question is iceless drinks for camping, correct? If you're camping & your in Eastern Washington...I assume it's getting colder there now & I'm assuming you've got heating abilities...how about going the opposite of ice-needing cocktails and think warm alcoholic drinks? Not Irish Coffees which would be a pain with the cream...but some kind of toddy's or something. I don't do a lot of warm drinks, so nothing amazing is springing to mind. But...maybe it's a starting place for looking up something interesting.

thinking of small, tasty, portable things you can stuff in your mouth in one bite, another thing I really like (although the are a bit oily/messy) are stuffed grape leaves. Now, I don't go so far as to make them myself, but they are something that you can buy in a can, keep a long time and transport easily...no need for refridgeration, just open and serve (with napkins).

when I'm making cocktail munchies, they fall into one of two catagogries for me: Aperatifs: This is if I'm making guests a cocktail as an apero before dinner and I just want something small to offer along-side the apero. It's just to give people a little taste while they are drinking. I'll serve a small bowl of the things mentioned above: nuts, olives, etc. I'll try and jazz up things a bit (for example, toast pecans in a bit of butter & sprinkle with a nice salt), cut various hard cheeses into cubes, beetroots cut into cubes (apparently I like things in cubes). I don't serve bread and things for this because there's a meal coming after. Cocktail evenings: This is when people are coming over for cocktails and not necessarily a meal, but I want cocktail munchies that are much more elaborate and filling. Here I'll make more elaborate munchies (trying for a balance of cheese, veggie/fruit and meat based things) I'm not sure which of those two your cocktail munchies fall under. If just an apero before something more filling, I'd probably not try and do anything to difficult, but look for one or two very simple but nice things (any of the above-mentioned things, but really special. Some exceptional olives, nuts, etc). Or popcorn flavored with something interesting. I know you don't have a microwave or oven, but you could pop this in advance and dress onsite. (not as fresh I know, but we're working with limited resources here) If you're looking for something more substantial than a few nibbles, what are you pre-preparation possibilities? Can you make some things ahead and transport them in the cooler? For toasts, you can slice and toast baguette a day or so in advance and store in a ziploc bag and top with something fun while there. Recently I did (and I can't remember where I found the recipe - maybe F&W, but I'm sure you could find something on the internet) toasts topped with duck rillettes and then a beetroot salsa on top of that. I also like dried apricots squished up next to a little soft cheese (chevre) and wrapped in pork-product on a toothpic (this you wouldn't make beforehand, but I"m also wondering about your shopping possibilities - can you just pick these things up or bring them and then construct while you are there) Although, personally, I'd like the rillettes/beetroot better with the martini.

I was just flipping through an issue of Prima magazine, and apparently they are also pushing the word "Drunch" which they say is identical to "slunch" - but it's just a contraction of dinner and lunch instead. (why you need two words, dunno??) Anyway, I think "drunch" is more appropriate for describing a lunch where you've had too many glasses of wine.