jmfangio

Resurrecting a long dormant thread to show off my latest Ebay score - a vintage Playboy Club martini pitcher and glasses set. Now I just need some silk pajamas, a robe and a pipe. And seven blonde girlfriends. Just to complete the look.

Something a bit like a 1000ml Erlenmeyer flask?

I saw something kind of like this being done in the India episode of No Reservations. The bartender assembled the ingredients in a large snifter, then stirred the drink by swirling the base on the counter (scroll to around 6:40 in the video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4j3oxsawL4 Definitely looks cool, but I wonder how effective it is.

Here's a little tidbit from the Sunday New York Times Magazine: I'm wondering if my Foodsaver has the juice to pull this off...

I just picked up a bottle of the St. George Absinthe Verte today...and so far all I can do is stare at the bottle. I think I'll have to cook up a nice dinner first, try it in the classic fashion, then flip a coin as to whether a Sazerac or an Atty is the first cocktail I make with it.

All true...sadly, LA is not a great cocktail town (though I did just find a new bartender at Campanile who looks promising). The original Father's Office in Santa Monica is a great place - they were one of the first micro-brew pubs in LA, and they have fantastic food - and I look forward to trying out the new location, which is much, much closer to me. But, Yoon was probably far from the best person to go to on this subject. I wouldn't call up Dale DeGroff for an article on sous vide.

There's an article in today's LA Times on stirring vs. shaking, and the movement towards stirring.

Think Julie and Julia, but with booze. I could get into that.

Oh, the things we do for science. I don't think that I can wait until next year. I'm thinking more like tomorrow night.

Just re-discovered it the other night, and have been merrily sending the link along to all my dipsomaniac friends. Thanks for the early birthday present! (It's Sunday, by the way, which I only mention just in case someone has an extra copy of Embury's The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks laying around).

The NY Times has an article on the new crop of absinthes. Eagerly awaiting the Absinthe Verte from St. George...

Yay! My bottle of Genevieve arrived today! At noon, mind you, so I had to resist the temptation to make it a liquid lunch. First, I tried it in the Improved Gin Cocktail, and wow. This is really something. Incredibly complex. My initial reaction to it was something like the first time I tried a Last Word. First sip - hmmm...I'm not sure about this. Last sip - I can't wait to make another. But, I resisted the temptation, and decided to try something I just read about in Imbibe!, mentioned almost as an aside in the bit on the Sazerac: So, 2 oz Genevieve, scant teaspoon simple syrup, and 3 healthy dashes Peychaud's, stirred with ice, strained into a chilled rocks glass spritzed with Verte de Fougerolles, and garnished with a lemon twist. Double Wow. One of my new favorite cocktails, and a new addition to the short list of what to make on Repeal Day.

Saw one today at Sur La Table. Maybe, just maybe, if it's powerful enough it would be good for drinks like Ramos Gin Fizzes, so you can mix up a few without throwing your shoulder out. But it seems to me that you can actually stir or shake your cocktail yourself in far less time than it would take to put that contraption together. That set, I would love one of these Stevens Electric Mixers

With most of a split of champagne left over after making the Prince of Wales cocktail from Imbibe!, I tried a French 75 variation last night, using St. Germain in lieu of the sugar. For two: 2 oz gin (Bombay) 1 oz St. Germain 1/2 oz lemon juice top with champagne (sorry, didn't measure - just topped off each glass using the remainder of the split). Fantastic.

It looks like both the Kubler absinthe and Lucid are now available in Southern California. I've read many review of Lucid, but none on the Kubler yet. Is there anyone here who's tried both, and would recommend one over the other?

Stephan Berg of Bitter Truth Bitters and I were tossing this idea around. There might be something in the works... ← Oh God. Yes, please. It just occurred to me that if someone uses Ted Breaux's Perique liqueur as a base, that'd be three vices (alcohol, fat, and tobacco) in one.

Bacon Bitters. I can see it now...

Just got my copy yesterday, and I'm loving it. The only reason that I'm not taking it on vacation with me on Tuesday is that it'll be too painful to read all those wonderful recipes, and the stories associated with them, and not be able to pop into the kitchen and whip something up. (I am, however, bringing along a pile of Raymond Chandler and Ian Fleming novels).

The LA Times also has an article on it today, with recipes for the Sazerac, Japanese Cocktail, Prince of Wales cocktail (new to me - sounds tasty), and Crusta. I just hit the Amazon pre-order button.

Stephen Colbert is on to Absinthe's comeback. The Word last night was Absinthetinance. edit: changed link from Crooks and Liars to Comedy Central.

Finally broke open my bottle last night for a date (Vespers, steak frites, Aviation sorbet for dessert, and a screening of Casino Royale). I can't say that I was ever a huge fan of the Vesper when made with Lillet Blanc but, out of deference to Bond, will always make them when screening a Bond movie. However, with the Cocchi (and I used Junipero gin and Ciroc vodka) it's absolutely wonderful. I can't wait to try it in a Corpse Reviver #2.

This is just a joy to watch,

I picked up some loose leaf Yerba Mate from a local health food store yesterday, and just brewed myself a cup as I plan to be up late to watch the Chinese Grand Prix (if there are any other F1 fans on this board, I'm rooting for Lewis Hamilton). I quite like the taste; as the Wikipedia entry describes it, not unlike green tea, with a slightly grassy flavor to it. Where to start on trying it in a cocktail? I'm thinking either the Cota or the Hercules, as they're the simplest recipes, and doing it a little ass backwards, by infusing it in a little gin (I'm figuring that it'll be easier to gauge the infusion by working with a clear spirit) and see how the Yerba Mate flavor works in the drink.

For the sours, I'm quite fond of The Jasmine, which I've effectively used to turn both avowed Gin and Campari haters into lovers. Plus, you'll have Campari for Campari and soda, or for those who like Manhattans, you can turn them on to the Old Pal.

This is turning into a very interesting thread. There are a couple of herbal apothecaries in my area; I'll try to drop by in the next day or two to see if they have any loose yerba mate, or at least a straight tincture to start experimenting. Regarding the flavor, Wikipedia says,