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From recent reading, I know there are a bunch of old fashioned mulled ale drinks. Usually, ale heated just to a bare simmer, spiced, sweetened, then enriched with whiskey or cognac and sometimes an egg yolk or two. Some examples are, "Auld Man's Milk" (scotch), "Ye Olde Gossipe's Bowle" (wine), "Yard of Flannel" (cognac), and Dog's Nose (gin). Along with the boilermaker, in Wisconsin at least, Bloody Marys are often served with a beer chaser. Unfortunately, usually PBR.

Preamble...I've been drinking a lot of dark beers this summer and fall. Sheesh, it is almost Winter! A lot of them haven't done much for me. Too strong, too sweet, not bitter enough... Anyway, boy, I found a tasty one tonight. Moonlight Brewing's Bony Fingers. I like their Death and Taxes black beer and Twist of Fate bitter; but, this one combines the best of both. Fairly strong, very black, very bitter, very delicious.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, November 10, 2005 Breeding ground, W. Blake Gray Following passions from the Dead to big reds, W. Blake Gray Grape-stained hands are a mark of pride, W. Blake Gray Leaving rural Zimbabwe with the gift of pancakes, W. Blake Gray Winemaking really can be a matter of life or death, W. Blake Gray From ballplayer to dropout to winemaker, W. Blake Gray Bargain Wines: Forsake the tried-and-true reds for something a little different, W. Blake Gray Beaujolais, Petit Sirah, Sangiovese, Valdiguie, and some field blends. Wine Business Insider: A 107-year-old winery on Howell Mountain changes hands Jess Jackson's Artisans & Estates has acquired La Jota Vinyards...Vincor feels the takeover bid from Constellation "significantly undervalues" their company...Marketing wine to China...French wine official proposes creation of new wine category. The Cheese Course: Nibble Brinata and savor the uplifting story behind it, Janet Fletcher Pairings: Liver bread pudding has the stuff to take on Cabernet, Lynne Char Bennett Recipe: Chicken Liver Bread Pudding The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $50 & More All due respect to Ms. Bennet; but, if I'm having a >$50 cabernet, it is not going to be accompanying a chicken liver bread pudding...Erik

In "Jigger, Beaker and Glass" baker mentions 6 main bitters. One of them is Quinine or Calisaia bitters. Are these available anywhere? Or a modern equivalent? -Erik

The most recent Sunday NY Times Style magazine featured an article on bitters talking with Joe Fee and about Regan's Orange bitters. (This link will probably expire soon. Registration may also be required.) http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/06/style/tm...h_bitters_.html Coincidentally, I'd been reading through Baker's "Jigger, Beaker, and Glass" and decided I would give making his "Hellfire Bitters" a try. This is my take on it. So far it smells quite nice. I'm not exactly sure what kind of peppers I used. Some sort of bird chile, I believe. The small, festively colored and very hot ones that are available here in late summer and fall still attached to their little bushes. Hellfire Bitters a la Charles Baker Jr. 2 Cups Very Hot Chiles 2 Cups Vodka 2 TBSP Molasses 2 Limes (Quartered) 1/2 tsp. Cinchona (Quinine) Bark Powder 8 Allspice Berries, Crushed It all goes in the blender and then into a sterilized jar to age for a couple weeks, shaking periodically. Squeeze through cheesecloth and bottle. Anyone else experimented with making their own bitters? -Erik

OK, I'll keep quiet next time. I did some baking with them last year, and found I preferred the little bit of acid that regular pears and apples have to the more subtle charms of asian pears. My favorite cooked application for them is something like this simple Steamed Ginger Pears preparation from Martha. Talk about your aromatherapy...

Also outside of the booze realm. I hate to discourage experimentation; but, I have 2 comments about this plan. One is that tart tatin already has a lot of caramelization going on. Adding a caramel or butterscotch sauce to it might be a little too much of similar flavors. How about a seasoned whipped cream? Second, I love Asian pears; but, most of their perceived flavor is in their scent. Cooked, in the method of a tart tatin, I think you will find you might as well have been using jicama.

Yeah, there could be more organic producers. However, if you ask, a lot of the Alemany purveyors are transitional, or at least no spray, if not "certified organic". The two Mission butchers I know by reputation are Lucky Pork (23rd and Mission) and another at 22nd and Mission near La Altena Taqueria. Sorry, don't know the name of the one at 22nd and Mission. I have a friend who had a Goat-Q earlier this year, I will send a note and ask where they got it. -Erik

Hi Bong! Welcome to San Francisco generally, and Bernal specifically! There are a few eGulleters in this neck of the woods. Shopping advice: First and foremost is the Saturday Farmers' Market at Crescent and Alemany. If you haven't been there yet, that should first on your list. I buy most of my produce, eggs, honey, olive oil, etc., from vendors there every Saturday. I assume you have found Good Life Grocery on Cortland. Their produce is good and most things are fairly priced. They also have a good selection of bulk items and dry goods. Watch the quality and freshness of items from their meat counter. High volume items like chicken and ground beef are usually OK. Steaks, pork, and fish I buy at Drewes' Brothers on Church near 29th. There are a couple other Butchers on Mission that are well thought of among some of my friends. I haven't tried them personally. I've found El Ahora (sp?) on Mission near Cortland to be pretty good for dry goods and fresh tortillas. Their small selection of produce is OK, too. I haven't ever tried their meat or other items. I don't know of any Asian Groceries and will be curious to try any which other folks might mention. I usually do my shopping for Asian items in the Sunset or Richmond neighborhoods. -Erik

I know I've used brandy or cognac for some baking in the past. Fruitcake, maybe? Or some Julia Child recipe? Of course, I do come from WI, where brandy is the liquor of choice!

The only thing you seem to be missing is a brandy or cognac. I don't know enough about the various Cognac brands to give specific advice; but, I think any of the well known brands' V.S. bottlings would be fine. I should think Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy might be fun to play with in the kitchen, as well, especially for fall themed items.

If I remember correctly, the last NY Times Food and Living Style magazine featured a glowing article/interview with Mr. Patterson about his work at Frisson and the upcoming aromatherapy book. It was a bit inconveniently timed and neglected to mention that he had parted ways with Frisson at the time of publication. <snarky> Is Patterson the only chef in the bay area they can find with the time to talk to them? </snarky> I agree with most of the folks in this thread. He makes some interesting individual points and gives us some gossip; but, fails to present any sort of cogent thesis about where cuisine in the bay area should be going or insight into the challenges of opening a high profile restaurant in this very competitive city. Hopefully his new venture will answer some of the questions his article raises.

I wonder if they'd reply if I sent a note and promised I wasn't opening a competing bar? Gotta love that guy's mad professor enthusiasm. I've been thinking about it, and wondering if I should seperate the lemon-lime aspect and the bitter aspect. Be pretty easy to make lemon/lime syrup and some sort of quinine bitters. Isn't tonic water really just quinine bitters, syrup, lemon-lime, and fizzy water in a convenient pre-mixed single package? Or am I over simplifying?

Anyone got a recipe for home made tonic water syrup? I picked up some Quinine (Cinchona) Bark for another project, and have some left over. I have always wanted to try a from scratch gin and tonic.

My wife and I caught the show this weekend, as well. We thought the show was pretty well done. The diners certainly were well spoken and fair in their assessments. I'd been curious about Hard Knox; but, parts of dogpatch/hunter's point/bayview can be a little dodgy, so I hadn't tried it yet. Will definitely be on the list, the next time I get a craving for Soul Food.

The cactus weirds you out more than the grasshoppers?! Well, safety first, my friend, safety first! (I was repotting a cactus last week, and it certainly bit me harder than any grasshopper!)

At least here, grappa is always a little expensive for me to consider using for liqueurs or infusing. Anything over $20 US per 750ml is too much for as an ingredient without some consideration. Certainly, you could buy a bottle of one of the more reasonable grappas (Julia or Piave) and infuse it with some vanilla husks and some spices. Probably, though, the same thing made with a very reasonable domestic brandy would be nicer.

Looks good! Makes me wish our local home style Mexican place (Mom is Cooking) was still around. Did you know what Chalupines were when you ordered them? I'd try them; but, there's no way I could convince my wife to order a whole plate!

I got an email from Incanto, saying they are planning to feature truffles on their menu from now until Thanksgiving or so. They don't usually do tasting menus, except on special occasions.

Aside from the one (St. George Spirits) mentioned in the linked article, the distilleries I know of in CA are: Anchor Brewing (Gin, Whiskey) Jepson Wine (Brandy) Germain Robin (Brandy, Grappa) Number 209 (Gin) Hangar One (Vodkas) Sarticious (Gin) Domaine Charbay (Vodka, Whiskey) added link to St. George

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, November 3, 2005 Brewmeisters' pub crawl, Linda Murphy Our intrepid reporter drinks with brew masters at Zeitgeist, Toronado, Black Horse, Pelican Inn, Barclay's, and The Bistro. The Cocktailian: A belt of bourbon stands up to the herbs in a drink named after a 6-toed cat, Gary Regan Recipe: Beezer Cocktail Adapted from a recipe by William "Chili Bill" Eichinger, bartender at Finnegan's Wake in San Francisco. Wine Business Insider: Coppola buys landmark winery in Geyserville Foster's Wine Estates announced this week that it intends to sell its winery in Geyserville to the Coppola including the Chateau Souverain brand...Small bottles, screw tops, and "critters" new hot marketing tools for wine makers. Pairings: Feed a need for chocolate before dessert, Lynne Char Bennett Recipe: Savory Chocolate Sauce The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel Italy's tangy, hard-headed Testun makes a comeback, Janet Fletcher Bargain Wines: A restrained style goes a long way, Leslie Sbrocco An international selection of, "restrained wines meant for sipping and pairing with a wide variety of dishes." Benefits "Sample dessert wines for a good cause Saturday at a walk-around tasting at Far Niente Winery in Oakville...Enjoy the agricultural bounty of Sonoma County on Nov. 7 while aiding in the Hurricane Katrina rebuilding effort...Toast educational opportunities in Marin County by sampling 13 Champagnes and sparkling wines on Nov. 10 at Sam's Anchor Cafe...Charitable bubbles for HIV groups...Five Healdsburg tasting rooms have combined forces to sponsor a Holiday Stroll to benefit hurricane-damaged neighborhoods in New Orleans...KGO-TV weatherman and oenophile Spencer Christian will be the master of ceremonies for a wine auction Nov. 19 to benefit the Napa Valley Language Academy."

I've noticed recently that some restaurants I know don't have hard liquor licenses have begun serving soju cocktails, so I did some digging. From what I've read, Korean restaurant owners banded together in 1998 and lobbied for some sort of special dispensation in CA so that liquor labeled "soju" and below 48 proof could be sold in restaurants with only beer and wine licenses. It took a while for non-Korean restaurants to catch on; but, I've now been seeing it pretty commonly in various sushi bars. I guess I would be slightly more apt to try a soju-tini than a sake-tini. Has anyone been experimenting with this spirit? I thought this combination was nice: 2 ounces of Awamori (Okinawan version of Shochu/Soju) 2 dashes of Angostora bitters 1/2 tsp (or less) rich simple syrup 1 tsp meyer lemon, clementine, or tangerine juice Chill briefly and strain into glass.

You were on the train! Doesn't that automatically add $5 to the price of anything? If it's any consolation, I doubt I can get a Plymouth Martini for much less than $10. How on earth can a Martini with tax and tip cost more than a whole bottle of Plymouth Gin? At these prices, I'm thinking of buying a case!

My wife recently visited Chicago. She was a little underwhelmed with Topolobampo this time around. Perhaps it was an off night. She had a wonderful time at North Pond, though, and is still raving about it. I don't think she got to any of the really trendy places like Alinea or Blackbird.

BTW, I was surprised to discover the Saffron.com folks actually have a store front. I was walking down Valencia last night and suddenly smelled vanilla very strongly. Quite a nice change from the usual San Francisco street smells, I can assure you! I looked up, saw the Saffron.com sign, and remembered this thread. When I first read about them, I had assumed they were mail order only; but, it looks like they have a retail space as well. Will have to get back some time during the day. I can't wait to be at the ground zero for that ambrosial nectar!