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LOL. Well, if you're throwing a Prohibition themed party, you might want to pick that up. It's really the US equivalent of the Irish Bunratty Potcheen. A bottled approximation of home made liquor. I haven't tried it; but, I expect it is quite "bracing".

No problem! Sorry, they have a store in the Ferry Building and stalls at at least 3 Farmers' Markets in SF, so they're obvious to me. Really great mushrooms, good prices and nice people. Highly recommended.

Seems a bit obvious; but, have you tried giving Far West Fungi of Moss Landing a call? They are at quite a few Bay Area farmers' markets and often have interesting mushrooms I've never seen before.

<sigh> I can't believe no one said, "Hey dope! If you're reading the Derrydale Press version of Jigger, Beaker, and Glass, check out page 178." Here Baker has a chart listing measurements for all the drink measures in his book. He clearly gives the ounce equivalents for Jiggers and Ponies as 1.5 ounce Jiggers and 1 ounce Ponies. What this means for his comment in the recipe for The Spanish Orange Flower Cooler, "Use a 2 oz. jigger, not one of those scant 1 1/2 oz affairs which squeezes 4 or 5 extra drinks out of every bottle for our up-to-date barkeeps," I leave as an exercise for the reader. Though, at least I feel safe in assuming that a "Pony" is 2/3 of a "Jigger", whatever size I choose to make the latter.

Got to Jai Yun last night with some friends, and wasn't disappointed. It isn't cheap, it is cash only, you must make reservations, and street parking is nearly impossible. However, the 15 minute walk up from Montgomery BART isn't bad at all, and gives you a chance to experience both San Francisco's North Beach and China Town neighborhoods. Once you get inside Jai Yun, the only choices you are offered are beverages and how much you would like to pay for dinner. The per person cost ranges from $35-$150 (on the weekend, the minimum charge is $45). We opted for $45 and were treated to a whirlwind tour of the tastes and textures of Chinese cuisine. I lost count of how many plates we were eventually offered, however, soon after being seated, as a first course, we were offered 8 different cold vegetable and meat plates. The chef's artistry with textures, tastes, and the knife was evident in every dish from the Abalone with fluffy clouds of egg white to the amazingly unctuous and delicious pork. One of my main complaints about a recent tasting menu at a well known restaurant, was it seemed as if it were nothing but a "parade of meats" with vegetables serving as nothing but plate garnishes. Not so at Jai Yun, where many of the dishes featured distinctive and vibrant vegetable flavors. In any case, if you are at all enthusiastic about Chinese cuisine, you owe it to yourself to save up and give Jai Yun a try. edited for spelling

It's really hard to tell, actually. ← Thanks for the reply mbanu! My question re: Baker's jigger size was answered last night when I ran across a snarky comment about how bartenders were using the "new" 1.5 ounce jiggers instead of the old fashioned 2 oz jigger to get more drinks out of a bottle. Seems safe to assume his jiggers were manly 2oz portions! Still unclear about Thomas' measurements and the ounce equivalent for Baker's "pony".

This is a great resource. Very cool! RE: Measurements in Classic Cocktail books Been reading Baker's, "Jigger, Beaker, and Glass" and wondering about measurements. For Baker, are the correct interpretations for "jigger" 1.5 ounces, and "pony" 1 oz.? There are so many different size jiggers I'm never quite sure. For Thomas' recipes, what is the equivalent in ounces for "Wine Glass" and "Half Wine Glass"? Thanks!

My wife and I really like it. The lime brightens up the cocktail and brings another layer of flavor that it needed. Hopefully, I will try it out on some other "victims" in the near future. I also tried it with a white rhum agricole, and found I preferred the tequila. The gelatinous texture of the jamaica tea really does come very close to approximating the mouth feel that egg white usually brings to a sour. Plus, it's vegetarian. Of course it is pretty dark red... The Jamaica tea (Hibiscus, Karakade, Sorrel...) part has a similar sweet/tart flavor to other dried fruit like rose hips and tamarind. It has a darker and very "red" flavor, not overly fruity; but, closer to cherry than either rose hips or tamarind. To me there is also something smoky and very earthy in there. I did find a few recipes for "Jamaica Sour". Rum, grenadine, and lime usually. While I'm sure they have grenadine in Jamaica, I don't imagine there are many pomegranate trees in Jamaica. I wonder if grenadine was a European or American substitution for what I'm calling Jamaica tea or Jamaican Sorrel Punch? unhappy with flavor description.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, October 27, 2005 Interlocking ambitions , Thom Elkjer John Scharffenberger's original wine venture, "Eaglepoint Ranch is run by agrarian idealists". Older wines at the heart of Vallejo warehouse fire, W. Blake Gray Letters to Wine Pairings: Taste the earth in mushrooms and Mendocino Pinot Noir, Lynne Char Bennett Recipe: Savory Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Mendocino County Pinot Noir What? A round up of Anderson Valley wines and no Lazy Creek? Great wine and nice people! Plus they have a very attractive pig! The Cheese Course: Campus creamery captures Cougar Gold in a can, Janet Fletcher Wine Business Insider: Are you Overwhelmed, or a Satisfied sipper? Constellation Wines releases study which purports to easily classify wine consumers...Pinot Grigio sales continue to sky rocket...Diageo will not purchase Allied Domecq N.Z. Assets will remain with Pernod Ricard...Group Laroche has completed its acquisition of L'Avenir Estate Wine in South Africa's Stellenbosch region...Sidney Frank (Grey Goose, Jagermeister) takes the leap into wine.

Reformulated Jamaica Sour: 1 oz. Jamaica Tea (1 cup Jamaica flowers steeped in 3 cups water, strained and cooled) 1/2 tsp. sugar syrup 1.5 oz Blanco Tequila (Herradura is my current fave) Juice of 1/2 lime Combine in an iced cocktail shaker and shake, shake, shake. Strain into a cocktail glass. My wife's current suggestions for the drink's name are either the Chupacabra or the IV.

Bone in pork country spare ribs are very nice for chile stews. Not sure if it really qualifies as "Chili". There is a tasty version in Diana Kennedy's "The Art of Mexican Cooking" called "Chilayo" which I have made many times. Country spare ribs, tomatillos, and a simple pureed sauce of 3 kinds of chiles, onions, garlic and a little cumin. Some folks advise making your own chili powder using a "spice" grinder. I've found that my demoted coffee grinder doesn't really do that great a job of grinding chiles. I've gone back to either making chile puree or buying chili powder.

Thanks for the writeup of No. 209. I've been wondering about that one! Sounds like it will make it to the buy list. I've been sticking with mostly traditional gins lately. I guess that is another thread. One piece of advice, if your eye is tempted by the lovely crockery bottle of Schlichte, you might want to try to think of an alternative use for its contents. Perhaps solvent or window cleaner? The alcohol tastes pretty rough on the tongue and there is a banana-like flavor that reminds me of wheat beer. Diacetyl, I think they call it? Some new-ish gins that I've heard good things about but haven't had a chance to taste are: the Martin Miller gins, Magellan, Van Gogh, and the organic Juniper Green organic gin. Plymouth and Anchor's Junipero are my current favorites. Plymouth for Martinis and Junipero chilled in the freezer and drunk straight up. -Erik PS. I was incorrect about diacetyl being responsible for the "banana" flavor in beer. Diacetyl gives a slick mouthfeel and "Butterscotch" flavor. Iso-amyl acetate is the one responsible for the banana flavor. added correction

One of my favorite punch flavors is hibiscus flowers (aka. Jamaica, Sorrel, Karkade, Roselle...). I recently picked some up at a local Mexican Grocery to experiment with. I've found some recipes on the internet for what is probably a very red rum "Sorrel" punch allegedly from Jamaica and spiced with Ginger, Allspice, and Cinnamon. Anyone have a tested recipe to share? Or other interesting cocktails for this delicious tropical beverage? I'd also be interested in what anyone considers an accurate recipe for Planter's Punch. It's something I sometimes enjoy; but, I have never been able to find two recipes that agree.

High proof distilled herbal liqueurs like B & B, Benedictine, Jagermeister, and Chartreuse keep basically forever. Fruit based liqueurs last maybe a year after opening. They usually don't go bad; but, the fruit flavor fades. Lower proof and cream and chocolate based liqueurs should be refrigerated after opening and probably last less than 6 months. Homemade liqueurs also should be refrigerated after opening, and might last 6 months. Though, you should keep an eye on them for unusual activity.

Sorry, this was really more like venting about my experience on Saturday night than participating in the discussion. I'm over it now. At least the food at said trendy restaurant was better than the cocktails.

Of course top shelf ingredients and high prices are no guarantee of quality. The $5 Old Overholt Sazerac made by the surly 60 year old bartender and served in a chipped Old Fashioned Glass at the Le Richelieu hotel bar in New Orleans may well be better than the $10 featured cocktail using top shelf rye made by the well coiffed actor wannabe and served in a Martini glass at the trendy new restaurant in downtown San Francisco. -Erik

One of the things I've noticed in the last few years is the proliferation of restaurants serving cocktails. In the 90s, when we first moved to San Francisco, it was relatively rare for new independent restaurants to have a full bar. Wine with dinner was the thing. Many of the most well known bay area restaurants still do not serve liqour. Now it seems to have tipped the other way, with few new restaurants opening without a full liquor license and some sort of custom cocktail menu. I'm not a front of house person. In fact, when I worked in restaurants, I studiously avoided having anything to do with service, money, and the like. But, I'm curious, how much can full bar service add to a restaurant's bottom line? -Erik

Sam, All the agua fresca or liquado recipes I've seen, call for the dried "flowers" to be simmered briefly in water and then steeped for a couple hours (or overnight). Without heat, I don't think you would get very good expression of the color or flavor. Maybe if you could get the flowers fresh? Not sour related;but, new to me, click here for the most cohenent and pop up free of several recipes I ran across for a Jamaican Sorrel Punch that looked pretty darn tasty. Might have to get some Wray & Nephews to go in it... -Erik

As hoped, the Jamaica (sorrel, karkarde, etc.) liquid thickened (coagulated!) slightly overnight and when shaken vigorously with ice formed a 1/4 inch thick froth of tiny pink bubbles which floated attractively atop the blood red cocktail. However, with just 1.5 oz silver tequila, a bit of sweetener, and 1 oz of Jamaica liquid, the drink was a bit single noted. I think the juice of half a lime is in order for a truly delicious and sour cocktail. -Erik

Well, I guess it depends who you talk to! The dried flowers of this particular hibiscus are called by several names in various cultures. In Mexico, and more commonly to me, it is typically called "(Flor de) Jamaica" (ha-my-kah). Another common name is "Roselle". The plant also has various medicinal and culinary uses in the Middle East and Africa. Not sure what it is called there. Click here for more information than you probably need. -Erik PS. According to the website above, in "North Africa and the Near East" it is called, "karkadé or carcadé". added note.

Picked up some Jamaica blossoms last night at a local hispanic market and made a strong Jamaica "tea" by combining 1 cup of rinsed blossoms with 3 cups of water and steeping for 2 hours. Strained and squeezed through cheeseclost. Added about a cup of sugar and stirred to dissolve. Definitely more intensely colored and flavored than the agua fresca I've had in restaurants. I'll have to post a picture, because, man, if you are looking for a "blood substitute" for halloween, this is the stuff! Also, non-reactive stainless and glass containers and cooking vessels only, unless you want a lovely red hue. In any case, I am hoping to give it a try with tequila and/or rum in a sour tonight. One interesting thing I noticed when I was stirring in the sugar was a tendency to rather easily form persistent bubbles. I was hoping this might be the case, since Jamaica (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is in the same family as "Marsh Mallow". I might be able to skip the egg and still get a nice foam. -Erik

Well, OK, I'll add a comment. I took a look at your MSN web page and noticed that you serve your fizzes in what I think is called a frappe glass. Not a bartender or expert; but, I think those might be a nice mid-point between the v-shaped cocktail and champagne glass. Like Sam, I don't think the highball or old-fashioned glasses are appropriate, unless you are serving your sours on the rocks. I know double whiskies and the Sazerac are traditionally served in an old-fashioned glass; but, I'm struggling to think of other "up" drinks which might be. -Erik edited for spelling

The Rocky should only set you back a little over $200 US, however, unless you are doing esspresso several times a day, it probably doesn't make sense. There is a doserless version which might make a little more sense; but, it is actually more expensive than the one with the doser. However, neither of them have a handy attached container to contain the ground beans, so unless you enjoy sweeping coffee grounds off your counter... I got a Capresso Infinity Conical Burr grinder to replace a blade grinder and been very happy with it for drip and the odd press pot. To me it is quieter and easier to deal with in the morning than my old blade grinder. I just put my beans in, turn the switch, and go put on the kettle. I don't have to stand there and count to 15, (or whatever you do to get an accurate grind from a blade grinder). So just for that, it is worth the investment. As a bonus I get a more consistently ground coffee which seems to taste better to me. There is some added work cleaning it every so often and it is a little bigger on the counter. YMMV. To me, either the Capresso Infinity or the Solis Maestro are perfectly good mid-level grinders for home use. -Erik added comment

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Section for Thursday, October 20, 2005 Growlin' good grapes , Steve Pitcher And a roundup of Howell Mountain wines. Wines cooked in warehouse fire could still be sold , W. Blake Gray Letters to Wine Pairings: Portobellos add substance to a vegetarian sandwich, Lynne Char Bennett Recipe: Portobello & Tomato Sandwich The Chronicle's Wine Selections: Napa Valley Syrah The Cheese Course: A Gruyere stand-in doesn't take long to hit its stride, Janet Fletcher The Cocktailian: Steeped in fine cocktail lineage, this drink gets its kick from tea , Gary Regan Recipe: Earl Grey Marteani Adapted from a recipe by Audrey Saunders, co-owner of Pegu Club in New York City. It's time to pop the corks and Zorks of some hearty wines, Leslie Sbrocco

I think it Yak Milk anyway is part of cuisine and culture in Mongolia. Is that considered Asia? I also seem to recall the late Paul Pena sharing some sort of Yak Milk based moonshine in "Genghis Blues" which takes place in Tuva (Southern Siberia).