Alchemist
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The Container Store on 6th Ave. around 18th has the tincture bottles as well. So, Ed you could swing by there and then have a cocktail at Flatiron.
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... A bartender from out of town (S.F.) and you sit at Little Branch and talk about ice for over an hour. Then we talked about shaking, and stiring for half an hour. Then it got all esoteric about east coast/west coast schools of bartending. It got a little heated at that point and almost turned into one of those warring rapper things, but we ended up having a cocktail and agreeing to disagree.
Edited to fix major tense problems.
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I was talking to a couple of cooks last night over cocktails, and we were laughing at the insanity of the job. So I’d like to just quickly say some things about professional cooks. Many of these will not apply to home cooks, but many will apply to all.
Cooks want the hot line, they want to get off that damn salad station as fast as possible.
They get a rush from the dance, the heat, the burns and cuts, the sweat, the teamwork, the pressure, the sense of accomplishment of rocking through the crunch, the chattering of the printer, and the intensity of making each plate perfect.
They work insane hours doing Herculean tasks for not nearly enough money.
They live with all senses on 11.
They have an eye for composition that is equal to Van Gough.
With calloused, battle scared hands they can gently pull a flakey fish off a grill on fire with out breaking it.
Their taste buds are bionic.
They can tell the difference in sound between a fork and a knife hitting the floor.
They can smell thing that would escape the notice of a bloodhound.
They love the feeling they poke their heads up from the weeds, like a groundhog, and see the end of the night approaching.
They love hat first pull on a cold beer after sweating for eight hours.
They love the feel of a well-balanced knife and the way tongs spin on your finger.
They love the beauty of two eggs, over easy, flipping in a pan. And not breaking.
They love the way vinaigrette comes together.
There is something in the blood of a cook, because food becomes such an obsession. You can see it in the way they approach a loin of pork, a beautiful bottle of balsamic, or a simple head of lettuce.
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My perfectly seasoned Dutch oven will go to a friend that just graduated culinary school. My large collection of eclectic, antique silverware should be handed out to all who come to the Irish wake. like a drunken doorprize.
I hope that I leave many people with many fond memories of cooking and dining togather. I hope those people will sit around tell stories have an immoderate number of cocktails, and laugh, laugh, laugh.
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I have just recently been able to eat raw carrots again. I was in culinary school in the late eighties, in San Francisco. They would throw a 50-pound bag of carrots on a table for us to practice with. Then and instructor would come around and comment on our efforts. If you messed one up you ate it. I ate my weight in carrots in a couple of months. My nose would twitch like a rabbits whenever a carrot was around. I felt like my skin was turning orange, and I had vision that would rival the six million dollar man’s. They sure are pretty on a plate.
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...we're planning on hitting up Hot Dougs, Weiner Circle, and Mr. Beef for lunch, if you could give me any suggestions on other places where we could get a good lunch under 10-15 bucks, we're staying at the Westin which I think is on the Mag Mile. It doesn't have to be greasy spoon like the other places I mention, and actually it would be better if they had vegetarian options also (my girlfriend is a vegetarian.)...
There is a very good, not very greasy spoon, Costa Rican joint called Irazu @ 1865 N. Milwaukee Ave. (almost @ Western) that does an absolutely killer vegetarian burrito...
I really like Irazu. If you do go there, make sure you order your burrito with the mushrooms. They're especially terrific that way.
=R=
Yeah, veg burrito with mushrooms and a mango shake. Dine al fresco.
Edited cause I can't spell.
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I am a big fan of New Loc Kee. It used to be Sun Loc Kee at 13 (or 69 I forget) Mott. They moved out to flushing after a fire. They are now at 36-50 Main @ 37th street. They still stay open very late. I would say that they specilize in seafood. The last meal I had there was ridiculously decadant.
My dining partner, who is one of the most gifted diners I’ve ever encountered, didn’t even flinch when I ordered enough food to feed an Austtrailian football team. She just paced herself, like a marathoner and laughed when we had three bags of left overs.
We were starving, so we ordered wonton soup and a couple of egg rolls as an amuse. Not the smartest thing when a table full of food was on the way.
We started with salt and pepper scallops. Perfectly cooked, slightly crunchy on the outside, and then silky on the inside. The texture is almost like really firm custard, like biting into a hot sabayon while the sea is whispering in your ear.
Then we had peppers stuffed with pork and shrimp. This is like Shanghi roulette. Some of the peppers are mild and some are like biting into an atom bomb. It makes food wonderfully exciting.
Cantoneese lobster, two lobsters, sautéed with egg and ground pork and black beans. This is one of my favorite dishes in the world. I think if the sauce was finished with just a touch of cream it would be literally orgasmic. And a triple threat for the non-goyum.
Sautéed chives. Garlic, oil salt and white pepper. So basic and good.
This was all washed down with a bevy of Tching Tao (I know its spelled wrong, my spell check only has domestic beer in it memory. Stupid computer.)
The other thing I have had there that is amazing is the whole steamed fish. Ginger scallion, S&P. I just couldn’t bring myself to order a whole fish on top of two lobsters, Scallops, and a battalion of shrimp, as well as aquatic swine. The guilt of depopulating the ocean would have spoiled my appetite. For about three minutes. The scary thing was this was qan early lunch. We planned on walking to Jackson Diner for a light bite and the stroll over to Sripaiphai for dinner. It was hot so we had to stop at a couple of mexican bars for Michiladas, and spicey cacahuates. The walking was key. A bit of exercise between bouts of gluttony. Roosevelt is a vibrant, bustling aveanue. I want to do an all hispanic day. Colombian for breakfeast, Peruvian for lunch and Equadorian for dinner. But that is a whole different post.
Sorry the pictures are blurry there was grease on the lens, like vasaline on the lens when they shoot soft porn.
Edited to get adress right.
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I would recommend Avec. I just had dinner there the other night, and loved it. There is a blow by blow on the Blackbird/Avec thread. I always eat a lot of Mexican there but all the places I know are a wee bit west of the Gold Coast. But if you are at the corner of Western and Milwaukee try Arturo’s (The regular one not the seafood one) Best Al Pastor ever! And Mia Francisca (SP) Clark and School, is lovely. The beef carpaccio is not to be missed.
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What do you by a cook? Someone who can put together a divine dinner party for twelve, someone who can bang out 250 entrees in a two star, someone who can flip 800 eggs on a slamming brunch shift, someone who throws dough at a great pizza place, someone who gets up at 3 am., (god forbid) so we can have wonderful pastries?
These are all laudable talents. To me a good cook likes great ingredients, is willing to experiment, is not afraid to say they don’t know what they are doing, (or” f%*k I’m sooo in the F#@king weeds!”) and genuinely likes to make sustance that feeds both body and soul.
A good cook tastes what they are cooking from start to finish. They can smell whats going on in the pan. They can hear how the stock is doing on the back burner. They love how raw oysters and perfectly cooked ravioli feel. A well balanced plate is as visualy stunning as a Van Gough. They take a recipe and tweak it so it’s right for the occasion. They like the process of MAKING FOOD. Not reheating or compiling, but creating something that hits you on a visceral level.
A good cook makes you swoon with three things you have been eating all your life, but put togather in a new and suprising way. They just know whats right and they do it that way with no compromises.
They get off watching you quiver in ecstasy when you are eating their food.
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Stick a two prong fork into the steak, leave it for 10 sec then put it on your bottom lip. If is cool it's gonna need a couple more min. You are 98.6 soo the tines should feel like a warm bubble bath, or the first spring breeze off the lake that makes your blood come alive thinking of red meat and beautiful company.
The other way, is to hold your hand palm up, relaxed. Touch the meaty part just below the thumb. Thats rare. put your index finger and your thumb togather. thats med. rare. your middle finger and your thumb, thats med. ring finger, med. well. pinkie, throw that out and start again. Obviously there is a bit of give to this rule (sorry can't stop myself) of thumb. Cook lots of steaks, touch yourself, and you will figure it out.
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I would say it was just where you wanted to be. It was hive like busy, people were outside drinking wine basking in the glorious weather waiting for a table, workers buzzed through the crowd, celebs tried to be incognito in bad hats, people moaned with epicurian ecstasy at every table. I would have loved to wait 45 minutes for a seat at the bar. It was in no way packed and annoying. The music was good, and at the right level. My companion and I could converse easily, without feeling that the people right next to us were hearing every detail of our conversation. We ended up meeting the people next to us and sharing some food, and laughter. It was as good as it gets east of Yountville.
I will have to edit this later for spelling. My apologies to any English teachers out there. I am Wondriching and posting.
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I went to Avec on July 2nd. We sat at the bar, the stools felt like the ones at Momofuko, so I was allready in a fine mood. Started with a bottle of 04 Torres "Vina Esmeralda" (Moscatel, gewürztraminer). It was lovely and light, good sturdy fruit.
For the first course we had...
The Whipped Brandad was awesome, salt cod whipped into mashed potatoes with a silky texture, strong flavors, and perfectly seasoned. It paired beautifully with the wine, as well.
Crushed tomato and olive oil braised octopus
Hands down the best octopus I have ever had. It took all our will power not to lower our heads and lick all the sauce off the dishes.
Second course was...
03 Chateau de Flaugergues. "La Mejanelle" A sahara dry Rose, yummy.
Prosciutto di Parma
With Georgia peaches, pickled feta, red onion, arugula and mint.
Sublime. Just a wonderfully well-composed dish. The richness of the prosciutto, the dryness of the arugula, the sweet of the peaches vs. the salty feta and then the mint brings to mind Vietnamese food. It was like a fun house in your mouth.
Focaccia
Taleggio cheese, truffle oil, fresh herbs. The focaccia was cloud soft. Then the truffle oil and herbs were a beautiful sun set, rich colors tattooing the sky.
Cheese course
Epoisses chalency, a cows milk cheese.
We didn’t even use the bread. Just a little quince paste on a spoon along with the cheese. Perfect. We had a lovely dessert wine that I don’t remember the name of, damnit. We had
two other cheeses, just forgot what they were.
The service was suburb, our waiter, recommending wine, food, and cheeses. He was attentive, without intruding, and he anticipated our needs.
I will eat there every time I visit Chicago.
Edited to add stuff. And not be a lazy sod.
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If...
You bring your own fresh lime, simple and shakers to parties.
You quote Craddock, Parker and Baker Jr. to people and your friends know the quotes.
The first place you go to in used book stores is the cook book section, and the hair raises on the back of your neck when you see a ratty, red book with Gentlemans...
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A Ceaser salad.
Lentil soup.
Carbonara.
That sauce with butter, egg, lemon, some salt.
Perfectly cooked/seasoned vegtables.
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Dumpling house two to four times a month. some times I'll spend five whole dollars on dumplings and hot sour soup. OINK!
Planet thai yum.
Big Wong roast pork on rice ginger scallion sauce.
Kasias great diner food. Killer cold cuke soup.
Nyonya (SP) Nasi Lemak with tiny whole fishes, and roti chani.
That place on Delancy just north of La Esquina Indonesian/Malaysian food. Nasi Lemak served on a banana leaf.
Waverley Diner Only place to get Hash browns in the city.
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You know you are a cocktail geek (I as well don't like snob) when...
...you have three sizes of ice in your freezer an two ice picks and you know how to use them.
...You will talk aboout ice with friends, and perfect strangers for bloody hours, and hours if someone doesn't stop you.
...after making cocktails all week, on you time off you hang out on a web site where they talk about cocktails, or read about cocktails, or go shopping for cocktail accoutramont, or talk about cocktails over cocktails with cocktailians.
...the only way to get you out of the city is to plan a week end with Gary in the country.
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-some friends won't sit at a bar with you because of the pained noises you make when the bartender does somthing unprofessional.
-some friends just look at you when bartenders ask for their drink order.
-you can't stop from cringing when some one orders an extra dry vodka martini, dirty.
You feel your gorge rise when you hear some one order a "Goose and red bull, and tuff it up eh chief?"
You choose vacations based on what spirit the country produces.
you've had bartenders invite you to thier homes, for drinks, not just to look at their etchings.
you prefer to eat dinner at the bar.
There is more than one bartender who can start pouring your drink as soon as you walk into the bar, so it's sitting prettily on a bev nap by the time your butt hits the bar stool.
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High end super markets, or middle eastern stores.
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Moms qusadillas.
Corn tortillas, thrown briefly on open flame, then layered with grated mild cheddar and peppar jack, and another tortilla, also a little chard. Then a bunch of Herdez salsa. We brought cases up from Mexico to Colorado. I would love one of thoes but it's impossible to get good corn tortillas in NYC.
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I worked at a fast food place in the early eighties. taking the trash out at two am, took two people. It wasn't that the trash was heavy, it took one to carry the trash, and one person had to fend off the rats when the door swung open. We would be rushed by a wave of vermin. We allways tucked our pants into our socks so the rats wouldn't run up over our shoes to bite our ankles. I know this sounds so room 101? in 1984, but therse bastards had no fear. I guess a big steaming bag of taco meat and cheese just drove them crazy.
Then years later in a nice resturant as a sous chef, I got the job of taking the mice caught in the glue traps and putting them out of thier misery with a croquette mallet. It would me hours before I could get any food down. The sound of little skulls being crushed...eeew, still makes me gag.
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Another quick way to do it is just turn oz. into cups. So
2.0 oz Rum=2 cups
.75 oz curacao= 3/4 cup
Then you can double or triple the recipie as you wish.
Not as exact as working with oz., but it sure gets you into the ball park, and out on the field pretty quick, then a little tweaking and you're home.
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If you are going with the Hendrick's I would brine the cukes in a little lightly salted water, and a drop or two of rose water. Muddle a couple of thoes maybe try lemon instead of lime, the watermellon, a wisper of simple. Garnish with a paper thin wheel of brined cuke. Sit on a varan-dah in a wicker rocking chair. Muse.
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I am going to the windy city in about a month. I just had dinner last month at French Laundry, Is it going to impress? Is it possible to get a rezo at Alinea in that time? How is it holding up? Is there anywhere else I should go? thanks
You might be a cocktail snob/geek if...
in Spirits & Cocktails
Posted
You decide where to have dinner on being able to go for a (real, crafted) pre and post cocktail somewhere close. Dinner is an afterthought. I'ts all about the cocktails that bookend it.