FrogPrincesse

Chicken confit

Last night was for Bourdain. He said his last meal would be bone marrow prepared by Fergus Henderson, so that was my inspiration. I also cooked a ribeye sous vide and finished it in bone marrow fat.

Devastating. He really changed the food world with his unique point of view. I feel so sad for his family, especially his young daughter.

I follow the instructions from the box, exactly as written. The egg wash is right before they go in the oven, 20-25 min at 350F.

They look a bit flat. Here is what mine look like typically:

I love the chocolate croissants and their “airiness” (I use the egg wash and bake them in a regular oven). I always keep some in the freezer. They are much better than the vast majority of the ones I can buy already baked.

It’s in the bath! It’s a 4-pound point-cut brisket. I went with salt, pepper, a small tablespoon of pink salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke since I may finish it in the oven (I haven’t decided for sure how to finish it).

I am about to do the same here. I am going for 155F/24 hours because I want the fall apart texture.

I just heard you in Episode 304. (I am going through all episodes backwards and they are pretty hilarious, I have to agree! My daughter who is 11.5 is a fan now because we listen to it in the car, it's our new routine!)

Oh the horror. Did you send it back?

That sounds delicious. Would be even more delicious in a tiki mug! 1944 Mai Tai (Trader Vic) 1 oz each Jamaica and Martinique r(h)ums (2 oz Denizen Merchant’s reserve) 1 oz lime juice 1/2 oz orange curaçao (Clement Creole shrubb) 1/4 oz orgeat (Small Hand Foods) 1/4 oz simple syrup

Plenty of room - for example I have a bunch of Daiquiri variations on my blog. My favorite is a classic 10:3:2 made with rhum agricole.

Showing skill in making a Martini for example is asking for the customer’s preference (for the gin, garnish, etc), stirring properly, using a chilled glass, expressing the lemon peel, etc - you can tell a lot by these little things. On the other hand, if it is served barely cold with ice crystals at the surface... you know right away that you are not in good hands. With Manhattans, you’d be surprised at what you get sometimes (even in bars that have decent cocktail menus) - once I got a drink that had been shaken and was served on ice, garnished with neon cherries and a couple of little black plastic straws. Still drinkable of course. But that drink told me that their cocktail program was mostly for show and that they were lacking the foundations. I once had the most beautiful Negroni at a bar in Japan. They must have spent at least 20 minutes making it and I had no idea why it was taking so long. It arrives in a beautiful old fashioned glass with clear ice, and a thin strip of orange peel that was must have been the length of an entire orange, coiled inside the glass (a bit like a horse’s neck). This clearly showed their attention to detail and presentation even for a cocktail as simple as a Negroni.

Rum- I’d go with a classic Daiquiri. So simple and sublime if made properly. Gin- Martini Whiskey- Manhattan These are classics that any bartender should know how to make, and great bartenders will add their own personal twist. It’s interesting to see what brand of sprits they will pick and what ratios as well. You can learn a lot about their style and preferences if you ask them why they selected a specific rum, etc. My go-to drink to gauge a bar I am not familiar with is usually a Daiquiri, or a Negroni if I am in the mood for something bitter.

Agreed. It is actually quite nice for sipping; rounder edges compared to the S&C. I like it and don’t regret my purchase!

I was hoping for S&C-level hogo given the level of excitement around this new product... oh well. At least for me it was $5 cheaper, and having different options is always a good thing!

I bought a bottle yesterday. I cannot wait to use it in a cocktail!

Thanks for reminding me about it. I hadn't listened to it in a while (I used to read Dave Arnold's blog too, many years ago). This morning I listened to the episode with Sother Teague from Amor Y Amargo. Good stuff! Entertaining and interesting.

Less than 6 months...

It’s available on netlix. Worth watching!

@Anna NNice work! I love duck prosciutto. So easy to make, and so delicious!

Rittenhouse or Bulleit rye are two reasonably-priced options, if they stock these.

Most likely, that is going to be a downgrade from the falernum you have been making. I know that Martin Cate recommends using it in his book, but for me I'd have a really hard time going back to that after making my own for years. I am curious to read your thoughts!

That’s tragic about the gin marmalade. The same thing happened to me a few years ago with a collection of Hawaiian jams. And with French grainy mustard. I never considered these as “liquids”. I have a bottle of Chita as well and really like it! I first tried it in a Japanese whisky advent calendar and decided to get a bottle.

I am enjoying listening to Chefs, Drugs and Rock & Roll by Andrew Friedman about American chefs in the 70s and 80s. The title is catchy but misleading. It talks about the influential chefs from that area, what inspired them to become a chef, and their impact on the profession. I knew a lot of these stories already, and it’s nice to see more dots being connected or to learn about chefs I was not familiar with.