Alchemist

Thank you for your help. I will try as many rec's as possible in my time there and post about my trip when I get back. I understand I will be there for independence day which should be a great dust up. i am very very excited. Toby

I just heard a rumor that Noilly will be importing the "European" strength dry vermouth. And they will be bringing Amber vermouth in as well. Anyone have more info? Toby

They do? I've never heard of this and it sounds really nasty. Has anyone tasted this? Is it good? I'm skeptical at best. ← This I do believe is served with two wide bore straws, which you use to "shoot" the contents of your glass, in one quick slurp. It goes by the very appropriate moniker of “mind eraser” but I would argue that if you order one of these you might not have much to erase in the first place. Toby

Hi, I am going to visit your fair city in a couple of weeks and would love some recommendations for Cocktails, breakfast/lunch on the more down home side and a couple of great restaurants for dinner. Thanks, Toby

I'd like to bump this thread as I am going to Budapest in late Aug. Looking for a few of good bars and a recommendation or two for some good breakfast/lunch places and if there are any can't miss dinner spots. Thanks Toby

Isn't mustard and water homemade ipecac? Toby

I use the Zirbenz. But the Peach bitters in the Blue Ridge are house made. They have a hickory note, and are very different from the Fees. Toby

I was getting a coffee in my neighborhood in Brooklyn, and noticed a sign on the register that said, "No espresso to go, bro". So I asked why, I was hoping for the flavor over the "enviroment" answer, and they talked about the cups giving off a woody smell, and the crema soaking into the paper, ect. He seemed a bit exasperated while giving the speech, like people ask why ALL the freaking time. But I applaud them for sticking to their guns. Espresso is so much better out of a demitasse. And for the love of all things holy is anybody really so busy that they can't take the 30 seconds-1min it takes to have a civilized espresso? Toby

Here are two from The Violet Hour. The Blue Ridge was inspired by a lunch of pulled pork. And the Fairview by what it smells like camping. The ponderosa and fire. But these are riffs on a drink called the Fitzroy by Sammy Ross of Milk and Honey. BLUE RIDGE MANHATTAN 2 oz Rittenhouse Rye ¾ oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth ½ oz Noilly Pratt Dry Vermouth 2 dash Peychaud’s Bitters Rinse Laphroig 1 dash Peach Bitters Glass: Coupe Garnish: Lemon Pigtail Twist Rinse Coupe with Laphroig and Peach Bitters. Stir. Strain. Serve Up. FAIRVIEW MANHATTAN 2.0 oz Bulleit Bourbon 1 oz Noilly Pratt Dry Vermouth .5 oz Martini & Rossi Sweet Vermouth 11 drops Peychaud’s Bitters Rinse of Laphroig Glass: Coupe Garnish: 5 drops Pine Liqueur Small Lemon Peel, light oil. Ice: None Stir. Strain. Serve up. Cheers, Toby

I'll work on a big bowl of "Punch" and then people can spike it themselves. Ahhh just like prom. Toby

I will be happy to make a big batch of cocktails for the (Sat) chefs, sous and anyone hanging around during the day. I will also be a sous for anyone who needs help cooking. Toby

The problem with these is they are made to squeeze round fruit, not football shaped fruit like lemons and limes. Also quite a bit of essential oil gets in the juice. Not so bad for oranges but can make lime juice wicked bitter. Toby

I am now trying to figure the best way to eat crow. Breaded and fried with a corn relish? I have egg white on my face. I thought that it would be possible to open a bar without jiggers. I was wrong. I thought that if you give bartenders the right tools that they would do the right thing, they would take some pride on putting out a quality, consistant product. I was wrong. I have learned that if you have fresh squeezed juices, good booze and thoughtfuly contructed syrups you need jiggers. Please forgive my hubris. Toby

My first thought with this topic was actually cocktails. There is a lot of olfactory manipulation that goes on with garnishes like spraying citrus oil on a drink with a twist as much for smell as for taste or putting a sprig of mint near the imbiber's nose when s/he sips from a straw for the smell. Bitters, like perfumes I guess, can also be quite unpalatable alone but transform a drink. Maybe this is another way to think about using strong sense elements. ← I think this is a very interesting idea. One way to add perfume to the eating experiance without having to ingest it would be to perfume the fork or spoon between the tines and the handle where neither the mouth or hands touch. This would be like Charles Bakers trick of dashing the straw with bitters out of reach from the lips but below the nose, so the scent would be picked up. Then you get that cool effect of having one flavor on your tongue and another in your inquisitive probiscus. It could be like eating a cookie while sitting on your grandma's lap. Toby

"Actually it's a time for me and my girlfriends who got seperated last night to get laid to talk over more food and alcohol. We commiserate over bloody mary's at how BAD the sex was or the problems the guy had finding his way around the female body" Gee that does not sound bitchy at all, I rest my case. Toby

I'm all for brunch at home, I even like cooking brunch at home. It's brunch out in public that I feel is a travesty. I'm all for brunch at home, I even like cooking brunch at home. It's brunch out in public that I feel is a travesty. Toby

God I F*&king HATE brunch. Well I hate eating brunch in restaurants. I will not condone brunch, since I hated working it so much I cannot partake. The service most times isn't very good. It’s either the new people, the d-listers, the same people who worked Saturday night (then went out and got hammered) and then had to wake up at the butt crack of dawn, or it’s punishment for some infraction. And the food…benedict sauce held at room temp for hours, gallons of scrambled eggs festering in pickle buckets, bacon cooked on sheet pans than left to wallow in it’s own grease. And then there is the clientele. I have found it is mostly hung over people who DIDN’T get laid the night before, so they are extra bitchy. If they had picked someone up on Saturday night they would still be in bed… A couple of Mimosas made with 4.99 a bottle of champagne is not going to overcome these hurtles. Toby

I like to have a shot of it after a big meal, about 1 oz. Kinda like Underberg. It tastes much better that potpourri, and you don't get stems caught in your teeth. Angostura and Vanilla Bean ice cream is one of the best things EVER! I have made fruit salads and put them in thoes as well and it kicks them up a notch as well. Toby

Schaw is very casual, go for the 9, and then beg for a few extra. Toby

I think that there is something very satisfying about making something the old fashioned way. A hollandaise tastes better if you use a whisk instead of a robocoup, and a Ramos is more refreshing when you have to sweat a bit for it. Toby

So, I made an attempt at this today. Didn't work out at all. For one, I think I over did it with the orange flower water. But the huge problem was that it wasn't at all creamy. I shook it dry for a minute or two, then with ice for a minute. When I poured it into a champagne flute and added the club soda, it seems like the cream and or egg got all clumped up. It's like it's all curdled or something. I have done drinks with egg white before, and they have worked. But never with heavy cream and a citrus. What went wrong here? ← Probably good this didn't work out as there is no simple in this and it might have put you off Ramos' FOREVER. I think that with the simple it should woirk as the sugar will bring the PH back in line. There should be about 7 DROPS of the orange flower water. Make sure that your ice is cold (but if it is straight out of your home freezer it is going to be too cold (and will shatter) so add it to your shaker, and then gently rock it for about 15 seconds to temper the ice so it won't shatter when you start really shaking it.) Then shake it until ice starts forming on the outside of the metal part of the shaker. then use a highball glass and get as much of the foam out as possible. A good trick for this (I call it the Alex) is to pour a little of the soda into the shaker and then use a spoon. When pouring in your soda spin the glass from the cheat with your other hand to achive a consistant rising head. Toby edit due to lack of coffee Toby

Just to set the record straight I AM NOT an owner of the Rusty Knot. Alchemy Consulting consulted on the project, and has an ongoing relationship with them, but we are not partners. But the Spiced Colada is a pretty rocking summer drink. On to TVH. The summer Menu will be in full effect on monday. And (the additions) look like this. Gin The Fox Hunt, Tanqueray Gin, Pimms, Cynar, Lemon The Riviera, Pineapple infused Gin, Campari, Lemon & Eggwhite The Briar Patch, Plymouth, Lemon, Home made Blackberry Cordial Rum Tiger Balm, Brugal Anejo, Lime, Fernet Menta Whiskey The Paper Airplane (Sammy J. Ross M&H, NYC) Buffalo Trace, Campari, Amaro Nonino, lemon Summer Old Fashioned, Jim Beam Rye, Hibiscus Simple, Orange & Peychuad’s Bitters Teqiula The Marion, Chinaco, Aperol, Luxardo, Lime La Paloma, Sauza Plata, grapefruit, lime Brandy Seacaucaus Sling, Bonded Lairds Applejack, Pineapple, Raspberry, Orange Bitters Wine & Sparkling Summer Sangria, Rose wine, Gin, Maraschino, and Watermelon & Citrus Cordials The Broken Shoeshiner, Aperol, Benedicitne, Kubler Absenth, Pineapple. Sloe Gin Sour, Plymouth Gin, Plymouth Sloe Gin, Lemon, Egg White & Angostura Bitters AND TODAY IS OUR ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!!! It seems like just yesterday, and a million years ago, that we opened. I am so Happy that The Violet Hour has Been so well received. I would like to thank the partners, the staff, who every day preform their duties with the utmost of professionalism and passion, all of the cooks, sommeliers, waiters, bartenders, hosts and everyone else in the service industry who embraced us so quickly and with such ferocity. And of course I want to thank The Academy... I mean I want to thank the customers who "get it" and make The Violet Hour such a pleasant place to be. Cheers, Toby

Also on the summer Menu Maloney’s Irish Cream 2.0 Powers Irish whiskey 1.0 oz Fresh cream 1.0 oz Demerra Syrup 7 drops Ardberg Scotch 7 drops orange flower water Shake, Roll into rocks glass Glass: Rocks Garnish: None Ice: Kold-Draft Toby

We will have A sloe gin sour (with egg white) on the summer menu at The Violet Hour. I found that I had to balance it out with regular gin so it looks something like this 1.0 oz Plymouth Sloe Gin 1.0 oz Plymouth Gin .75 oz Fresh Lemon .75 oz Simple Egg white Slash of Angostura, swirled

This is going on the summer menu at The Violet Hour. It resembles the shelf stable Irish Cream in name only. Maloney’s Irish Cream 2.0 Powers Irish whiskey 1.0 oz Fresh cream 1.0 oz Demerra Syrup .10 oz Ardberg Scotch 3 drops orange flower water Shake, strain. Glass: Rocks Garnish: None Ice: Chunk. Toby