jsmeeker

I was at the Food and Wine Festival last weekend while I was in town. I enjoyed it, even though the food part wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I was expecting it to be all local restaurants. Instead, there were lots of commercial food vendors (though most were local/regional). Still, lots of good stuff. After we were done at the festival we walked around the area. We were still hungry. I actually DID see Fish, but it appeared to be closed for lunch. We saw Monza Pizza on King Street. Decided to eat there when we saw the food fired pizza oven. Good thing we did. Great pizza. Very well done.

while buying mussels yesterday, I was checking out the various oysters that were in the case. "Gulf Oysters" were about 50 cents a piece. Chesapeake Bay oysters were about $1.40 a pop, IIRC. There were two or maybe three other varieties available as well. Can't recall how much they cost, though. I've never ever bought oysters in a store to take home. But I'll order them in restaurants. Not sure how these prices compare with other places, but my guess is that they aren't all that great based on other posts here. Still, i should buy some to try them out. Like comparing the Gulf Oysters (not sure if they are Texas Gulf Coast or some other state) with the Chesapeake Bay oysters. My initial temptation would be to simply eat them raw on the half shell like I would at a restaurant. But I would give the quick broil method with some butter, shallots, etc. a try as well.

The formula of spirit, Cointreau, sour is a classic combination which forms the foundation of many of the greatest classics as well as familiar modern cocktails. For example... Sidecar: cognac, Cointreau, lemon Margarita: tequila, Cointreau, lime Between the Sheets: rum and cognac, Cointreau, lemon Cosmopolitan: citrus vodka, Cointreau, lime (touch of cranberry) And so on... ← Circling back to the previously mentioned "Joy of Mixology", Regan calls this family of drinks "New Orleans Sours". I think every home bar should always have Cointreau on hand. Add in fresh lemons and limes, you can make a lot of good drinks.

last night, I brewed a cup of some lapsang souchong Richard sent me. I gotta say, I really like this tea. The smoky smell was great. For me, that's where most of the smoke was. In the smell. Not as much in the taste. But since it was a black tea, it had a really good, full bodied flavor that I like in a tea.

That sounds interesting. How did you infuse the gin? Just empty a bottle of gin into a container, add some amount of dried flowers, then steep at room temp for some period of time?

I've used hibiscus to make a syrup, then used that in cocktails. I steep the hibiscus in hot water, then strain out the flowers and make a 1:1 syrup with sugar. 1.5 oz gin .75 oz. lemon juice .75 oz hibiscus syrup shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. top with champagne. lemon twist. ← That sounds like another interesting way to use it. I assume that when you steep the flowers, you aren't using sugar since you essentially use that "tea" as the water in a 1:1 simple? You're drink sounds like a interesting twist to the French 75. Do you have a name for it?

I was in my local Hispanic supermarket today picking up some dried chilies when I spied the Jamaica. I've had agua de jamaica before, as well as the Jarrito's jamaica flavored soda. But I have never made it before at home. So, I picked up a half pound bag. For those not totally familiar, Agua de Jamaica is made from the hibiscus flower. It's made like brewing tea. The dried flowers so into hot water, along with sugar, to steep. The end result is a tasty beverage that is very popular south of the [u.S.] border. Popular in the USA, too. The flavor of it is tart. Like cranberry juice. The color is dead ringer for it as well. I immediately wondered if this could work in cocktails the way cranberry juice does. I was thinking a variation of the Cosmopolitan. Use the jamaica "tea" in place of the cranberry. I think it may also work nicely in a margarita. Just a little splash of it. Has anyone else ever used this in cocktail?

finishing up my sample of Imperial Dian Hong from Norbutea.com.

I really do like a good, "plain" Creme Brulee. For recipes, I consulted a few sources and found that many used the same ratio of cream to egg yolk. 1 yolk (USDA large) + 1/3 cup heavy == one reasonably sized portion. Of course, there is a bit of sugar in there, too. I find that this ratio scales well. If I have a cup of cream and some eggs, I can make 3 and have it turn out just as well as making 8 servings. My method is to use some vanilla bean in the cream. Bring up to a bare simmer. Then off heat. Allow to cool. When it's cool, whisk in sugar with yolks. Pout in cream. I don't bother to temper because by this time, the cream is barely warm. Into little glass Pyrex custard cups. Into a water bath. 275 degree oven for about 15 minutes. I check them then. If they need more time, they get it. Remove. cool. top with turbinado sugar. Torch. back in fridge. let it cool more so any hot custard sets up again. (not a restaurant technique, but works OK in the home). Good stuff. I actually make them fairly often. Discovering the ratio was key. I can make three one day. Eat one that day. Have one the next day, one the day after that. Seems to keep just fine. (I don't brulee until shortly before eating) A dessert that a lot of people that would think of as being fancy can be an "everyday" dessert.

Pepsi is introducing a new line of products, adding the name "Throwback" to the name of popular brands such as their flagship cola and the popular "Mountain Dew". No HFCS here. It's made with actual sugar. Just like it was when you were a kid. So, what's behind this? Rising corn prices? Going "retro" I am not sure if it will be priced like the standard (i.e. with HFCS) version or priced like a premium version. Will others (Coca-Cola) follow suit?

one of these days I need to make some turbinado sugar syrup. I suppose it would work best in cocktails with darker spirits like whiskey/bourbon and darker rums.

I just made a cocktail and I am not sure what it's called. I'm pretty sure I didn't invent whatever it is I just made and that it has a name. I made some mayo and figured the best way to use the white was in a cocktail. I was thinking of what sour to make to add it too. I decided an Amaretto Sour might be nice. As I was pulling bottles out of the liquor cabinet, I got the idea to to grab the bottle of Cointreau. So, I basically made an Amaretto Sour (Disarano) and added a bit of Cointreau in addition to the egg white. I also added some simple, foolishly forgetting the sweetness of the other ingredients (when I make sours, my base spirits aren't typically sweet). Anyway, this drink was great! Yes, a bit sweet for my tastes, but that can be easily corrected next time. The added orange worked very nicely. So, what is this drink called?

The mug I use to brew one cup hold about 8 ounces. I brewed first infusion at 4 minutes. Second at 5. I didn't go more than that because I did this in the evening. Also, I find that multiple infusions aren't really convenient for me. Brewing tea one cup at a time seems cumbersome. Besides, the most I might really drink in any one setting would be three.

breakfast tea. I had a very small amount of my Twinnings English Breakfast leftover. I had bought a small amount of Republic of Tea's "All Day Breakfast" the other week. With what I had left of that was combined with the Twinnings to give me enough to brew a full pot.

I got my tea yesterday and brewed up a cup tonight. Drinking it right now. the dry leaf is long and thin. It made measuring it out with a round measuring spoon a little clunky. A scale would be easier. I used a little more than 2 tsps. Had to sort of eyeball it. Since this is a black tea, water was at full boil. Steeped for 5 minutes. I like this. For me, it tastes like the way I expect tea to taste. It's very much like the western type black teas I have buying. It's full flavored. I really think that is what I like about black teas.

Starbucks already has a number of branded products in grocery stores (coffee beans, ice cream), so perhaps that's the market for it? My mother will happy. *wry* ← Right.. They do. But based on what I read, this will be sold in their actual coffee shops. I suppose it may be sold in other outlets as well, but if it's sold in the coffee shops, is the intent for the customer to actually walk out of the store with a hot cup of coffee made with this instant stuff?? ← What I gather from the article is that customers will walk out with hot coffee. It seems as though it's being pitched at those who are in a rush. Can't wait the whole 2 minutes for your $4 coffee? Wait 30 seconds for $4 instant coffee! ← I am not sure how much time it saves if you were just going to buy drip coffee. you still have to stand in line and pay. And you still need them to fill a cup with hot water. If they can fill the cup with hot water, they can fill it with brewed coffee. I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this.

Mine is "trapped" at the local PO. I just have not had a chance to drive over there and fetch it. If I wake up early tomorrow morning, I'll try go get it before heading to work. Even with all the teas I have on hand, I am looking forward to trying this.

Starbucks already has a number of branded products in grocery stores (coffee beans, ice cream), so perhaps that's the market for it? My mother will happy. *wry* ← Right.. They do. But based on what I read, this will be sold in their actual coffee shops. I suppose it may be sold in other outlets as well, but if it's sold in the coffee shops, is the intent for the customer to actually walk out of the store with a hot cup of coffee made with this instant stuff??

Right now, 2008 Spring "Natural Habitat" Wu Dong Feng Huang Daucong. (that's what is says on the bag I have ) Brewed it 2 tsp. and 6 oz. 195 F water. Steep for 4 minutes. Did a second infusion at 5 minutes This is OK. I still am having a hard time describing teas and especially having a hard time comparing it to similar teas I've had previously. I've got a lot of these Chinese oolongs kicking around that I need to work through. But as I do, I keep thinking I like "regular" black teas better. I think once I work through all of these small sample, I might start exploring those some more. I'd be interested in getting some of that English Breakfast Ceylon from TCC that Richard mentioed a few days ago. I bought some Ceylon Sultane from them a while back and like that. Not sure why I'm just not getting into these Chinese teas. They seem "softer" and sort of soothing to me. But I guess what I like in a tea is something pretty bold.

Is it freeze dried? Is it a liquid concentrate? How exactly does this work in the store? Do you walk out with a hot cup of coffee or do you get a packet of it in whatever form it's in then mix it up elsewhere?

Here's some information ← Thanks. I think I have actually seen this before. Probably when I asked a very similar question about making potato chips at home. I guess the real question is how can I get my hands on potatoes with specific sugar content?

no specific recipe, but I would do some sort of roast chicken in one.

I have a question about the color of the finished fry. As I look at all the pics posted so far, they all pretty much look the same as what I get when I make fries. A deep golden brown. Yet when I get fries at restaurants, they are usually much lighter in color. Not usually brown. Just a golden yellow. Not much brown. But they will be crispy. What accounts for this? Is it the type of potato? Type of oil used? Temperatures used for first and/or second cook?

how about Jacuqes Pepin's books? His "Complete Pepin" might fit the bill rather nicely.

ah... OK.. If it's in the canal shops area, then that explains it. I don't spend much time there. If it's not on "restaurant row" in The Venetian, then I may have never seen it.