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eje

eGullet Society staff emeritus
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Everything posted by eje

  1. I thought it was rather embarrasing that I was giving my opinion in this topic without tasting actual Singapore Slings. So I embarked upon a research project this evening. First up was 1/3 Tanqueray, 1/3 Benedictine, 1/3 Trimbach Kirsch, topped with soda: It was OK. Rather like a glass of somewhat alcoholic and herbaceous ginger ale. Refreshing in its own way I suppose. Still, nothing I would go out of my own way to sample. Next, 1/3 Tanqueray, 1/3 Benedictine, 1/3 Heering, topped with soda: Alcoholic Cherry Soda? I suppose I could see how the first or this could be popular in a hot climate. Still, nothing earth shattering. Last, but not least, from Charles H. Baker Jr.'s South American Gentleman's Companion, The Paramaribo Park Club Gin Sling from the Dutch Guiana Capital City of Suriname 2 oz Best Dry Gin (Tanqueray) 1 Pony Cherry Brandy (3/4 oz Heering) Juice & Hulls 2 small limes (juice 1 rather large lime) 1 tsp each Cognac (Germain-Robin Brandy) & Benedictine Well, I'm afraid this one takes the prize. Whether or not citrus may have been included in the original Singapore Sling, this is the only one I would make again. Strong, dry, and tart, even the wife approved. Yum.
  2. eje

    Liqueurs

    Odd! I wonder why they didn't just release it as a pear brandy? Did they think there was more of a market for liqueur? Or just liked it better that way? I do like their Pinot, and I think they also only sell that at the vineyard. Perhaps a trip is in order. Since most liqueurs are made by macerating fresh fruit in alcohol, and then simply filtering and sweetening, it's certainly unusual that they took this route. Are the French Pear liqueurs (Belle de Brillet, Brizard Poire) made this way? Seems to have more in common with Maraschino liqueur than other liqueurs.
  3. In the "Science of Deliciousness" episode of "Diary of a Foodie" they covered Heston Bluementhal's Hot and Cold tea. He makes two slightly thickened tea gels (Using Sodium Alginate? I forget.) pours them into either sides of a glass with a divider in it. When they remove the divider the gels do not mix, giving you a drink which is cold on one side and hot on the other. I was thinking it might be neat for cocktails with different colored ingredients. Vertical Pousse Cafe? Has anyone experimented with this? How finicky is the gelling agent?
  4. eje

    Liqueurs

    Huh, distilling and liqueurs seem to be the new trend in the wine country. Was the base spirit distilled from their wines? Did they distill it or grow the pears?
  5. There's also a provencal thyme liqueur called Farigoule that might be interesting to experiment with. Or Pastis...
  6. Booster Cocktail 4 Dashes Curacao (teaspoon Brizard Orange Curacao) The White of 1 Egg 1 Glass Brandy (2 oz Korbel VSOP) Shake well and strain into medium size glass. Nutmeg on top. Shoulda been more generous with the Curacao or maybe used a nicer brandy. Dash of bitters? Certainly no Pisco Sour. Drinkable; but, not that interesting.
  7. aznsailorboi, My wife is a bit superstitious and born in the year of the snake. I had sent her a link to your post some time ago and she made me promise to find her a Pi Yao. Sometimes I underestimate just how superstitious she is, and put it off. Finally, yesterday she reminded me of my promise, so we made a mad dash to our local Chinatown to locate a Pi Yao. I thought that it would be an easy thing to find in the tourist shops near the gates of Chinatown. Sadly, no luck there, just responses like, "I don't know anything about that Feng Shui stuff." Fortunately, we were able to stroll further afield and find a small shop with a helpful shopkeeper, a larger selection of charms and locate a Pi Yao bracelet for her. Whew! For dinner last night I made Barbecued Pork with Noodles in Broth (Cha Shao Tang Mian according to Nina Simonds), except I used mustard greens instead of american broccoli, slightly increased the sauce instead of making soup, and used flat rice noodles instead of plain thin noodles. Not much of a banquet or anything; but, quite tasty all the same. Also, wow, Tepee, what a great spread and pictures! Happy New Year to everyone!
  8. Boomerang Cocktail 1 Dash Lemon Juice 1 Dash Angostura Bitters 1/3 French Vermouth (1 oz Noilly Prat Dry) 1/3 Canadian Club Whisky (1 oz Forty Creek Barrel Select) 1/3 Swedish Punch (1 oz homemade) Shake (stir - eje) well and strain into cocktail glass. (Squeeze lemon peel over glass. - eje) Tasty; but, the whisky didn't seem to stand much of a chance. It's all about the punch and the lemon. Apparently, a version of a cocktail with this name is still made. I'm told, though, it is usually made with Gin, Bitters, Dry Vermouth, and Maraschino Liqueur. Beyond the name, it doesn't seem to have much to do with the version here.
  9. I've been forgetting to post this... I found it interesting that the Margarita had not yet made it into the public (or bartender) consciousness in 1951. The ones that I was most surprised to see make the list were were the Sherry Flip and Milk Punch.
  10. It's hard to add much to all the learned advice above, except to say, I find it useful to think more in terms of what type or brand of spirit is appropriate for a cocktail. To use gins as an example, I usually have at least a couple in the house. Beefeater, Plymouth, Junipero, and now, thanks to the encouragement of certain enablers on these boards, Tanqueray. They all have pretty different flavor profiles, and work better or worse than each other in certain cocktails. Beefeater works well in sophisticated Martinis and other dry cocktails. Tanqueray works well when there are more ingredients to fight with and a strong juniper flavor is required. Plymouth works well with darker flavors, like orange and Maraschino liqueur. I find the Junipero the hardest to mix, and almost never use it anything beyond the simplest cocktails, unless it is specifically called for in a recipe. Of course, Gin, as a flavored spirit, is the easiest example. The differences between various quality Bourbon Whiskeys, while existent, will be less significant. Though, there are types of spirits with a wider variety of flavor profiles, like the Cane Spirits and Scotch Whiskys. To give some concrete advice, I seldom mix with spirits that cost more than around $30 US per 750ml. The exceptions are tequila, where it is almost impossible to get a decent 100% Agave blanco tequila for under that price, and Absinthe. But, you know, it's your household (or bar) budget, and you're the one who has to balance the books or account for expenses to the powers that be.
  11. Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Digest and 96 Hours section, Friday, January 17, 2007 Sonoma on the verge, Tina Caputo THE SIPPING NEWS: Moldova, a landlocked country between Romania and Ukraine, is the world's 10th largest wine exporter Ring in the year of the boar Drink to Rumfest Sports fans spending more on wine Guess who has the largest per-capita wine consumption in the world. Biodynamics sheds kooky image, Jon Bonné Cocktailian: A drink for your chakras, Gary Regan Recipe: The Welcome 10 Adapted from a recipe by Xavier Herit, head bartender at Daniel in New York. The Cheese Course: Wisconsin Parmesan strays from Italian tradition, Janet Fletcher Pairings: Bandit Steak, Cabernet Franc turn up the heat, Joyce Goldstein Recipe: Hungarian Bandit Steak Chronicle Wine Selections: West Coast Cabernet Franc, W. Blake Gray 96 Hours Bar Bites: Press, Christina Ducklow "This lounge has stolen the Napa Valley spotlight because of its industry-veteran owners and its obsession with pristine local ingredients and wines. The menu's sensibility (good food, served unadorned) translates well to the slightly more casual bar, and the barnlike space, both cozy and elegant with its enormous fireplace, makes everyone, from vintner VIPs to local workers and out-of-towners, feel at home." Bargain Bite: Ichiro, Carol Ness "You wouldn't expect to find a sake cooler stocked with 70 bottlings at a bargain sushi place in downtown Oakland. Or just about anywhere. But there it is, across the rear wall at Ichiro, otherwise a bare-bones Japanese restaurant where good, well-priced sushi is the other main draw." Critics Picks: The reign of Spain "Spanish food is hot these days, what with ingredients like sherry vinegar, the smoked paprika called pimenton and silvery marinated anchovies called boquerones more widely available than ever." Dining Out: Edgy fare mixes sweet, savory, Miriam Morgan "NO ONE COULD EVER SAY THAT ELIZABETH FALKNER plays it safe. She opened Citizen Cake as a South of Market bakery, then moved it to her present location in 2000. She added a full-service bar and restaurant, all the while maintaining an in-house retail patisserie and ice cream shop."
  12. Looking forward to an enlightening week, Ah Leung!
  13. Kurt, I guess I was thinking Angostura or Orange. But now that you mention it, Peychaud might be pretty nice. Anise and Orange are flavors I like a lot together.
  14. Well, there's a Zazarac and a Sazerac. My to do list: 10 - Stinger 15 - Creme de Menthe Frappe 20 - Scotch Mist & Gin Buck 21 - Orange Blossom 23 - Singapore Sling 26 - Rock & Rye 28 - Milk Punch 29 - Sherry Flip 31 - Sloe Gin Fizz 32 - Zombie 34 - Tom and Jerry 35 - Ward Eight 36 - Paradise 38 - Horse's Neck 39 - Gin Daisy 40 - Zazerac (if it's the Zazarac, if it's the Sazerac, that's well taken care of)
  15. The only beans I'd wonder about this method working with would be garbanzos, limas, broad beans, and runner beans. Has anyone experimented with those? I also don't think it's a horrible idea, along with sorting, to give dry beans a good rinse before cooking.
  16. Wow. I had no idea. At some point, do you have to call it well marbled suet, instead of well marbled beef? I can't even imagine how the cows those err... steaks came from can walk around. But, I'm sure they're very happy for their short lives, what with all the beer and massages. I look forward to seeing the final culinary applications.
  17. While I agree that recipes which specify "Dry Cherry Brandy" probably mean kirsch, there were a couple reasons I came to the conclusion that Baker meant something like Heering. First, Baker's pretty consistent with ingredients. When he means kirsch or kirschwasser, he says kirsch or kirschwasser. In the Gentleman's Companion, there are separate entries in the glossary for "cherry brandy" and "kirsch or kirschwasser". While he doesn't say explicitly that "cherry brandy" is a liqueur, he does say that the Dutch aged versions of cherry brandy are the best. Heering is a Dutch aged cherry brandy. He recommends using Cherry Brandy he calls "kirsboer" (sp?), which turns up nothing on google. Kirsbaer appears to just be a german/scandanavian name for cherry. Second, in the South American Gentleman's Companion he gives a couple citrus including Gin Sling variations, saying, they are improvements over the "...sweetish Raffles Bar Slings." In one of these variations he actually specifies Heering. To my mind, the two notable features of the Raffles Bar Sling, are, that they are sweet, and that they are pink. If you're using kirsch, Benedictine, and gin, they ain't going to be pink. edit - By the way, Baker's personal recommendation is to use 2 parts old tom gin to 1 part Benedictine and 1 part cherry brandy with two ice cubes, instead of the equal parts recipe with one ice cube that Raffles uses.
  18. Booksellers' (Special) Pride 1/4 Orange Juice (3/4 oz Blood Orange Juice) 1/4 Calvados (3/4 oz Germain-Robin Apple Brandy) 1/2 Gin--Booth's Dry (1 1/2 oz Plymouth Gin) A green cherry that has been macerated in Orange Curacao. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass, afterwards adding the green cherry From the "New and Additional Cocktails section" of the second edition of the Savoy cocktail book. Skipped the puzzling green cherry procedure. I'm not sure that the cherry or use of the suggested Booth's Gin would significantly change the cocktail. As is, it's a perfectly fine cocktail, which could probably be improved with a drop or two of bitters. Sadly, I've finished off the last of my old-style Plymouth gin bottles, and finally had to crack the new style one.
  19. Interesting Vermiere's specifies "Dry Cherry Brandy". Do you think the original was made with something like Cherry Heering or the Dry Cherry Brandy Vermiere indicates? For some reason, I seem to remember getting the impression Baker was specifying cherry liqueur.
  20. eje

    Canteen

    We had a really nice Valentine's Day dinner at Canteen last night. I'd have a hard time picking a favorite dish; but, a couple of my highlights were the borlotti bean and crab soup and the pork tenderloin on licorice stick skewers. Well, plus the profiteroles filled with molten chocolate. Oh, and the pears served with gouda fondue. Well, like I said, hard to pick. The Valentine's Day twist was, no cutlery given. It was all designed to be eaten with your fingers.
  21. What about Russian Imperial Stouts? None of them seem to contain any Russians or Imperials. So disappointing. On the other hand, don't forget Cock Ales! Yes, actual chickens are involved.
  22. Sorry to get a bit off the Saffron topic... So what is the story with Ponche? Spanish or Portuguese liqueurs? Anything else to tell? Googling doesn't turn up much in English and I've ever only seen it the once in American stores.
  23. Bombay Cocktail (No. 1) 4 Dashes Lemon Juice 3/4 Wineglass East Indian Punch (1 1/2 oz Ponche Raja) Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. About "East Indian Punch" cocktaildb sez, "Defunct. Likely to have been a brand or other descriptive designation for a Swedish Punsch-style liqueur." When I was questing for Swedish Punsch a local liquor store suggested I purchase this product as a replacement. I am really glad it was not expensive. I figured I'd use it here, what with the maharaja and East Indian theme on the bottle. It is just awful. Sweetened grain alcohol flavored with vanillin. The only nice things are the shiny bottle and kitschy label. If you value your brain cells, I'd suggest avoiding it. This is going down the sink. From here on out, I'll be substituting my homemade Swedish Punsch. Whether or not it really tastes like Swedish Punsch or East Indian Punch, at least I know that it tastes good.
  24. It appeared she was putting some sort of green chiffonaded vegetable or herb on top of the beef towards the end of that scene.
  25. Given the amount of "work" I've put into decoding Savoy recipes, I do need to stop there, if only to say I've been there and take some photos. Thanks for the other recommendations! Feel free to PM me with any additional info. I thought, one of the most interesting things about the article was the discussion of the pros and cons of tipping. On the one hand, Audrey Saunders argues that the lack of tipping in British bars encourages better overall service and more of a professional attitude among bartenders. On the other hand Mr. DeGroff argues that the lack of the financial rewards from tips results in less stability among bartenders, and a greater fall off rate. As soon as bartenders are well enough known, they step out from behind the plank to take more rewarding consulting gigs or jump to bars offering better salaries.
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