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This week's Cocktailian column in the SF Chronicle covers Zirbenz, including a recipe for an, "Austrian Martini". This martini rocks, Gary Regan

Absolutely get an oven thermometer to check the accuracy of your oven's temp, as viaChgo sez, many are off by a certain extent. Mine is about 25 degrees too hot. Even if you don't get a hearth kit, a pizza stone (or set of quarry tiles) on the bottom can do wonders to even out heat distribution.

A friend of mine recently picked up some Zuidam Dry Gin and was kind enough to allow me to try it. It made a good dry martini with Noilly Pratt vermouth. Very lightly flavored, though, with more of a general spice flavor and not that strong a juniper accent. Base spirit seemed relatively smooth. We both thought it would be a good stepping stone gin for vodka martini drinkers. Probably not much good for mixed drinks needing a stronger gin flavor, though. ~Erik edit - add comment.

Kurt, I'll be sure to come home from my next trip to the liquor store with a bottle of beefeaters, and give it a try with plain old limes. Still unclear about the best Curacao substitute. I don't like the Bols Curacao I have, so that is out. Cointreau? Gran Torres? Gran Gala? Luxardo Triplum? Curacao of Curacao? ~Erik

Kurt, Oh, I'm sorry, did I give the impression I didn't like this version? No, no, I liked this one quite a lot. What I didn't like was my previous sloppily measured version with a cheap Curacao. It is unfortunate that Plymouth's price has gone up in most stores, but I've still got a couple secrit places that sell it for around $10, so until they run out, I'm golden. Yeah, I'll admit they probably aren't ideal for a Pegu. That's why I dialed the amount down. They're just what I had in the house. They are tasty in a daiquiri or caipirinha, though.

Kurt, The prose is entertaining enough to cause me to search on alibris for both books; but, wow, is that a dry cocktail. These sorts of recipes always give me a headache...isn't it something like 1/6 of an ounce of vermouth and 1/3 of an ounce of cucumber juice for a 2 oz portion of vodka!? Big glass of cold vodka, is what that is! ~Erik

This time I did sort of "slow chili". First time I've tried it with dry beans; but, given the results, it won't be the last. Picked through a cup of Rancho Gordo Anasasi beans, washed and soaked over night. At about 3 PM the next day I dumped the soaking water and poured the beans into my trusty dutch oven along with 3 cloves of garlic (peeled), 1 small onion (roughly chopped), 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp mexican oregano, and two bay leaves, covered with water, and brought to a boil. Lidded dutch oven, and placed in a 325 oven. An hour or so later I chopped up one large onion, one bell pepper, and three more cloves garlic. Browned one pound ground beef, removed from pan, drained excess oil. Sweated until tender, onions, peppers and garlic along with 2 TBSP chili powder, 1 tsp hot smoked spanish paprika, and 1 tsp. salt. Checked beans for doneness, and added good portion of salt, 1 14 oz can diced tomato, 1 14 oz can tomato sauce, beef, sauteed onion and chili powder mixture, 1 more tablespoon chili powder, and 1 bottle Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale. Brought back to a boil on top of the stove, and returned to oven. About 45 minutes later, checked seasoning again, and served it with grated sharp cheddar, sour cream, rice and flour tortillas. One of the most delicious and clean tasting chilis I can remember making. edit - add instruction to remove beef from pan.

Taylor's at the Ferry Building is fine, if expensive, fast food. However, at their prices, their use of pre-made items and approach to service has always bothered me. I think they are the only restaurant in the whole of the Ferry Building to sell the disgusting syrup based minute maid lemonade and lipton iced tea. Is it that much work to squeeze lemons for lemonade and make some sort of half way decent iced tea? I also dislike their fries, which are clearly made from frozen product, not fresh potatoes. They're just details; but, to me, they prevent Taylor's from being a real destination. Especially with places like Lulu Petite, Mistral, Delica rf1, and the take out sandwiches from Golden Gate meats available. ~Erik

No on the ice; but, I will repectfully disagree with docscontz on the brandy snifter for tequila. I haven't had reserva de familia; but the aromatics of "wild" spirits like tequila and rum can be a bit overwhelming for most folks when served in something like a brandy snifter. A lot of people prefer drinking these sorts of spirits in something like a double rocks glass or tumbler. My personal favorite glass for most straight spirits is a small-ish white wine glass. Something that doesn't over concentrate the flavors yet still allows an appreciation of the aromatics.

Kurt, Thanks for pointing out that thread. For some reason it seems I missed it last year. I use Plymouth gin, unless a recipe specifies otherwise. I know I should get a proper London Dry gin like Beefeater. I just really like Plymouth. Clement's Liqueur Creole Shrubb is a rum based orange liqueur from Martinique with some spice elements. For some reason I found it quite commonly available in Boston and Providence (RI), but, haven't seen it here in CA. I like it. Its flavor profile is a bit more complex than Cointreau. Though, like Cointreau, it's not exceptionally sweet and it's 80 proof, so it has a bit more kick than some of the other triple sec. I'm also using mexican key limes. I guess I should have mentioned that. They are a bit tarter than the usual persian limes. I get a big bag of for a couple bucks at hispanic stores. You get about 1/4 ounce of juice per lime. I find more than that, in a typical 4-5oz "up" drink, gets a bit sharp. ~Erik

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Thursday, May 04, 2006 THE FACES OF ORGANIC: Many vines; few wines, Janet Fletcher THE FACES OF ORGANIC: Glossary: Parsing the meaning of farming terms, Janet Fletcher THE FACES OF ORGANIC: Wooly workers: Sheep help tend the vines, Heather Irwin Pairings: Even Miles might drink Merlot with this lamb pilaf, Lynne Char Bennett Recipe: Lamb Pilaf The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Washington Merlot less than $20, Linda Murphy The Cheese Course: Only sometimes does Castelmagno get the blues, Janet Fletcher Wine Business Insider: Vintage labeling standards loosened, Cyril Penn ...The vintage date on some U.S. wine bottles will have less meaning in the future, thanks to a new federal regulation passed this week...Screw caps gaining ground...SF State plays matchmaker...Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger applauded California's vintners and winegrape growers for their economic contributions and "steadfast commitment to the highest standards of excellence" by issuing an official proclamation designating September 2006 as "California Wine Month."...Kimberly Brock, who was most recently with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), is the new communications manager for Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America, Inc... Letters to Wine: Trumpeters spit with better accuracy Bargain Wines: Dashiell Hammett's ghost possesses good values, W. Blake Gray Really, the thin man was drinking martinis not wine... World View: Giant 'teabags' of oak chips now legal in Europe, Jancis Robinson Book Review: A buffet of recipes provides 101 ways to waste away again, Linda Murphy Write up of, "101 Margaritas" (John Wiley & Sons, 128 pages, $15.95). Recipes: Classic Margarita Avocado-Cilantro Margarita Chipotle beer heats up Cinco de Mayo, Linda Murphy 96 Hours Bargain Bite: Talavera Cafe, Karola Saekel CRITICS' PICKS: Risotto "At restaurants, good risotto is even harder to find. It doesn't reheat well, so it must be made at the last minute. It's a great flavor carrier, making it an ideal choice to show off expensive ingredients like saffron or truffles." Dining Update: Palio d'Asti, Bill Addison

I was pretty underwhelmed by a Pegu Club I made some time ago. However, after tasting my Bols orange curacao all on it's own, I became convinced the reason was not the drink itself; but, lackluster liqueur (and possibly sloppy measuring). This evening's Pegu Club, from the usual cocktaildb recipe, was a big improvement. The only slightly unusual thing I did was to use Clement Liqueur Creole Shrubb instead of curacao. Well, that and measure more carefully. In any case, at 1 3/4 ounce gin, 1/2 ounce Creole Shrubb, 1/4 oz lime, plus orange and angostura bitters, it's more like a slightly tropical martini, than a daiquiri. Tasty.

This variation on the Monkey Gland cocktail was nicely potent, if a bit "pink". 2 oz gin (plymouth) juice 1/6 grapefruit (probably 1/2 oz or so) bar spoon grenadine generous bar spoon green chartreuse Shake until chilled in an iced cocktail shaker and strain into cocktail glass. edit - add amount for grapefruit.

Nice Mark Bittman piece about the Ferry Building in last Sunday's NY Times Travel section: San Francisco: A Place Like No Other for Takeout Like No Other* Write ups of Taylor's Automatic Refresher, Boulette's Larder, The Slanted Door, and Hog Island Oyster Company. *Link requires registration, and will probably expire in a week or two.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong; but, it was my impression that only the head table got origami cranes. ~Erik

My wife has been after me to re-create the drink with which Alberta Straub won the '06 Centennial Cocktail Competition here in SF. Based on the slim coverage of the event and ingredients, I did my best. We both thought it quite tasty. Something Like Lotta's Fountain 2 oz Gin (preferably Junipero, for quake's sake) Juice of ½ Lime ¾ oz Cucumber/Ginger Juice* Splash of spicy Ginger Ale or Beer to top Thinly sliced cucumber to garnish Assemble ingredients in an iced high ball glass, stir gently to combine. *Hopefully you have a juicer. Otherwise, like me, you'll have to follow something like this procedure: Grate 1 cucumber with a box grater into a cheesecloth covered colandar or sieve. Grate 1” length of ginger with microplane grater into same. Gather up ends of cheesecloth and squeeze out as much juice as you can. 1 cucumber yields about enough juice for 4 drinks.

My that is tasty! Doesn't quite knock the Floridita off the pedestal as my current fave rum cocktail; but, it will definitely go into the rotation. Cheers! Erik

Canteen falls a bit between the categories. Pretty pricey for a bistro; but, it isn't as expensive or formal as, say, Jardiniere. Canteen should be open again, at least I'm hoping, since we have reservations tomorrow night. Will report back. There has been a turnover of chefs at both Campton Place and Cortez, so perhaps people haven't been back recently enough to give their opinions. I like Clementine and have had a couple fun evenings there; but, I don't think they are doing anything particularly unique cuisine-wise that would cause me to recommend them above any of the other restaurants on your list. It's very good French Bistro food and homesick French friends of mine love it.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Thursday, April 27, 2006 Spring White Sale, W. Blake Gray How do I love thee? Let me count the sips, W. Blake Gray Celebrate unusual varieties, Linda Murphy Wines for hot dogs and other foods of spring, Lynne Char Bennett Wine Business Insider: Costco wins key ruling, Cyril Penn ...U.S. District Court judge Marsha Pechman issued a ruling last week that strikes down many liquor control board policies in Washington state...ACNielsen reported this week that sales of wines in screw caps and boxes are up more than 50 percent...California state Sen. Wes Chesbro (D-Arcata) is sponsoring a new bill that would prohibit wineries from using the names of certain counties on their labels if the wines weren't made with grapes from those counties... Letters to Wine: A conspiracy theory about high-alcohol wines The Cocktailian: Pomegranate liqueur juices Shanghai Tea, Gary Regan Recipe: Shanghai Tea Adapted from a recipe created by Evelyn Hsu for Peacock Alley, the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York. Home winemaking made easy, Tim Caputo Bargain Wines: Think inside the box for inexpensive Merlots, W. Blake Gray Pairings: Spring vegetable salad plays nicely with Sauvignon Blanc, Lynne Char Bennett Recipe: Shrimp & Vegetable Salad The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Linda Murphy The Cheese Course: Dutch-made Parrano leaves a sweet impression, Janet Fletcher 96 Hours Bargain Bite: Todam Tofu House, Tara Duggan CRITICS' PICKS: Outdoor Dining "Spring is in the air -- finally -- and it's time to gather friends and go outside. Of course, if you are a nine-to-fiver, that may mean after hours. At least there are plenty of Bay Area restaurants with patios and decks, or windows that allow the fresh spring breeze to come through." Dining Update: Blowfish Sushi to Die For, Bill Addison

I tried Pyrat White Rum last year and had a similar response to it. So clean as to be nearly vodka. On Ed's recommendation I picked up the Flor de Cana Extra Dry, and quite enjoy it. Makes an excellent daiquiri, is very reasonable, and has a decent amount of rum character. There is a one page feature on 10 Cane in this month's Gourmet magazine. Reading it, I was interested to discover that they don't burn the cane fields before harvesting. I guess, they just cut them green and press.

BTW, if you have friends or loved ones that must have their enchiladas made with flour tortillas minimize the time the tortillas are in contact with the sauce and filling. Pretend you are cooking in a taqueria or restaurant. Have your sauce and filling hot. Fill your tortillas, roll, sauce, cheese, microwave briefly, and serve immediately. I haven't had it for years, but, I used to be partial to mixed seafood filling rolled in flour tortillas and covered with a southwestern style green chile sauce. RE: Mole I'm never quite sure where a Mole sauce starts and a Pippian or Red Chile sauce stops, either. Does anyone have a concise definition or set of criterion for the various sauces called Moles? My impression is Moles tend to be sort of special occasion versions of other sauces. A lot of ingredients, some of which might be more costly or unusual than you'd use for everyday.

LarsTheo, Flour tortillas take on a slimy texture when cooked in sauce for any period and often just fall apart, dissolve, or break up. Save them for burritos and fajitas. As far as I know, flour tortillas are used seldom in traditional Mexican cooking. Probably a relatively modern introduction. I think it is safe to assume, that, unless a recipe specifies flour tortillas, it is referring to corn tortillas. -Erik

IMO, blood oranges aren't all that exciting for 'cello. Most of the flavor is in the flesh, the zest isn't significantly different than a regular orange. On the other hand, they're pretty cool for things like ratafias, where the juice and zest of the orange is used. I haven't ever made one; but, I think you also use the whole orange for vin d'orange. edit - fix typo

kai-m, On the whole, San Francisco is a pretty safe city. Recent newsworthy random crimes have included things like laptops stolen from patrons in internet cafes and iPod theft on public transport. I wouldn't walk alone down a dark alley at bartime carrying a laptop or leave anything desireable sitting on the seat of a parked car in any of the neighborhoods you mention. In other words, reasonable big city precautions, and you will be fine. Watch out for pickpockets downtown, though. -Erik

From the Swells section of Sunday's Chronicle... At the Centennial Cocktail Competition last week at restaurant Tres Agaves, Alberta Staub's "Lotta's Fountain" took top honors. With a cocktail composed of Junipero Gin, Fresh Ginger, and Cucumber Juice, Straub won in a field composed of, "The Big 4's Ty Saunders; Eartha Jordan of Sam Jordan's of California; the Orbit Room's Alberta Straub; the Balboa's Brendon Card; Gige Hughes of Scoma's; and Tres Agaves' own Jacques Bezuidenhout." Surrealistically, the results were announced by former Secretary of State George Shultz. His wife, "Charlotte's sure it's a health drink, too. 'When you're finished, you can put the cucumbers on your eyes.'" edit - typo