FrogPrincesse

I posted what I used because I know that there are many versions if this cocktail. The Savoy version (3/8 oz dry gin, 3/8 oz Cointreau, 1/8 oz orange juice, 1/8 oz lemon juice) is even heavier on the Cointreau.

Paul Bertolli's Cauliflower Soup In the same vein as Gordon's Ramsey broccoli soup, it's hard to beat the simplicity. After sweating thinly sliced onions, the cauliflower is added and cooked in a small amount of water for about 15 minutes (lid on), and then simmered for an additional 20 minutes with additional water (lid off). There are no other ingredients except salt, pepper, and olive oil. The soup thickens when blended and has a very smooth texture. It's really good and highlights the delicate flavor of the cauliflower. This is a nice change from soups that use roasted cauliflower.

Last night I did a side-by-side comparison of the Maiden's Prayer with the dry curacao vs. Cointreau. I liked the the dry curacao version, but in the end I preferred the Cointreau version. It had more depth and was more vibrant. The dry curacao version was a bit flat and bitter in comparison. Note that I made the cocktail with Moro blood oranges, hence the color. Maiden Prayer 1.5 oz gin 1 oz curacao 0.5 oz orange juice 0.5 oz lemon juice

Thanks for the info, very useful. I've had M&R on the rocks a loooong time ago, but I could not remember what it tasted like.

An equal part Negroni last night with Junipero gin, Dolin sweet vermouth, Campari; dash each Regan's and Angostura orange bitters, orange twist. I like Dolin in Negronis. It feels fairly dry and lighter than other vermouths maybe, but it has complexity from the spices and herbs, and you can taste that in the final drink. It does not overwhelm the drink the way Carpano Antica does. Also the vanilla notes in the Antica don't necessarily make sense in a Negroni. I also like how Vya and its intense ripe fruit notes work in that cocktail. But I know there are plenty of other options out there... For example Martini and Rossi that I haven't had in ages (and never in a Negroni), Cinzano, Cocchi di Torino, etc. At home I rotate between brands of sweet vermouth and pick based on my mood. I love variety so I don't often repeat the same combo of ingredients anyway.

La Citrueille Celeste de Citracado Bruery, Elysian, Stone collaboration 2011 Ale brewed with pumpkin, yams, toasted fenugreek, lemon verbena, and birch bark Sap comes first, then spice. It's smooth, deep, smoky, a little sweet.... wonderful! I wish this were available more often.

Re: Brian Malarkey, I wish I could just turn off the TV and forget about him. However he is unfortunately our local "celebrity chef" in San Diego since Top Chef Season 3, and he is everywhere. Half a dozen restaurants already and he is planning to expand his empire outside of San Diego...

So... what is it like with the right ingredients? Edited to add: Never mind... you already answered in the Cocchi Americano thread. Thanks for satisfying my curiosity.

Noble Experiment's current cocktail menu. We tried: Tin Pan Alley (a long drink with scotch and ginger a la Penicillin), Kiki's Call (a honeysuckle with Diplomatico anejo (?) rum boosted with Campari and plenty of bitters), Hunters Moon (a creamy orgeat/egg white aromatic drink), and the Fashionably Late (a classic old-fashioned with Buffalo Trace and Licor 43 as the sweetener). We also tried a daiquiri variant with JM aged rhum agricole, allspice and angostura bitters + egg white.

I made the Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good. I used a relatively small carnival squash from my CSA (2 pounds I think?), and about 1/2 of the stuffing recipe (reducing the relative amount of bread somewhat). The squash did not render any liquid, so the end result was not "bubbly" as she described. For some reason, I expected a softer consistency, almost like a puree. It was soft enough to cut into slices but still maintained some integrity. I thought that it was pretty tasty. Before After Note: even with a small squash, there was way too much for 2 people.

Nice foam. I like this one a lot too!

I wonder why it was left out of the new edition. Maybe it's because it's a lot more subtle than most drinks in the new edition - it felt quite different in style.

A Lion's Tail prepared for my husband last night. It's still a favorite. Spicy and a litle tart, a great drink. I use the recipe that was published in Ted Haigh's Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails (revised edition). We like it with the full amount (1/2 oz) of allspice dram.

Variation on a Theme 2 oz Hayman’s Old Tom gin 1/2 oz cherry liqueur 1/4 oz Campari 1/2 barspoon Maraschino liqueur 1 dash Regan’s orange bitters Stir, strain Orange twist garnish Hayman's Old Tom gin may not work in Chris' Lindbergh's Baby, however it is great in this drink. This cocktail is a beauty of balance (and restraint). Cherry and orange flavors intermingling in harmony. I really like it. As a side note, I could not find it in the book but it was on the Beta Cocktails website.

I was actually wondering about the taste of the cocktail itself, but maybe it is also hard to describe. In any case, thanks for the detailed tasting notes on the Ransom gin. I am intrigued. It looks like everyone is very passionate about it!

Thanks Chris. What does the cocktail taste like, when made properly?

Indeed, that's your problem right there. I see. I did not realize that Ransom was a different style of Old Tom gin with, based on what I just read in the Old Tom Gin thread, strong botanical and malty flavors. I will know for next time. The baby *almost* ended in the sink but I finished my glass out of respect for Chris!

Yikes. I'm scared, although you seldom steer me wrong, Chris. Corriander, orange, apricot, juniper, grapefruit, pie spice, oh my. That's a pretty advanced cocktail for a fundraiser. How did it go over with mere mortals? They loved it -- the first drink we ran out of that night. (Not so with another drink of my concoction, FWIW...) I think this libation is one of my best, a favorite for me and many guests. I loved it too! Had one at Teardrop Lounge here in Portland tonight! I was a little scared too but ended up trying Lindbergh's Baby the other night. I used Hayman's Old Tom gin, Cocchi Americano, Rothman & Winter orchard apricot liqueur (about 3/8 oz), grapefruit bitters made by a friend, and Jerry Thomas decanter bitters. I am sad to report that I did not care for it. It was too sweet and had a weird candy flavor from the R&W apricot liqueur and Cocchi Americano combination. I was expecting something elegant and aromatic. The original Charles Lindbergh cocktail from the Savoy Cocktail Book, reproduced below with Erik's tasting notes for reference purposes, only has a small amount of apricot. But I recognize that the Ransom Old Tom gin may be quite different from Hayman's, which may be the source of my problems. Also, although I like R&W as a subtle accent, I don't care for it in larger amounts. I added a grapefruit twist after tasting, in an effort to add some acidity. I also boosted the bitters a little bit but the cocktail still did not come together for me. I haven't tried the original but seeing it described as a "girly drink" is not very tempting to me!

Another Daiquiri variation from PDT, another (slight) disappointment. The Rust Belt (John deBary): Barbancourt 8-year rhum, vanilla, lemon juice, lime juice, homemade orgeat, Angostura bitters, egg white. The recipe calls for 1/2 oz of vanilla liqueur to which I substituted vanilla syrup (and reduced the amount very slightly). Normally the Angostura is spayed over the top of the drink through a stencil. I added one drop and then decided after a few sips that it needed more, so I added two more drops. First impression, the flavors were quite muted and I could mostly taste foam + citrus juices. I could not really taste the rum much. I was almost finished with my glass when the flavor of the rum finally came through. It was my first time trying the Barbancourt 8-year but I don't feel that this drink was properly showcasing it. I don't really understand the orgeat + egg white combo, to me it seems like overkill. I think that if the drink had not been described as a Daiquiri variation I may actually have enjoyed it more. The problem is, because the Daiquiri is one of my favorite cocktails, I had high expectations. It was better than the Hotel Nacional in any case. I was intrigued by this cocktail because it reminded me of another Daiquiri variation that Eric prepared for us at Noble Experiment that also contained aged rhum agricole, egg white, citrus, angostura, + petite canne syrup and allspice (instead of the orgeat + vanilla in the PDT drink). I thought the allspice worked better in that case, with vanilla the drink fell a little flat.

Thank you for the nice words, Marmish and Kate! I am still cooking frequently from this book. I really like the flavor combinations in general, and Suzanne's attention to detail. I can't wait for her new book!

Regarding Crafty vs. Crappy.... This video from Parks and Recreation reminded me of this thread! "The wrong way to consume alcohol"

Good idea - I just revived the White Dog thread.

Time to revive this thread... I was gifted a small bottle of white dog (King's County Distillery) and was wondering how to best enjoy it. Should I give it the old-fashioned treatment or would it be best to use it as an accent? I would love to hear your ideas. Thanks!

Thanks for the report, Chris. I am glad that you enjoyed Cafe Chloe. We need more places like that, with solid unpretentious food. On the hand, regarding Cowboy Star, I could never understand what the hype was about. My friends dragged me there a few times. Overpriced is correct, with unremarkable food and substandard cocktails... Like most places in the Gaslamp, unfortunately.

Welcome to eGullet! Fennel goes great with citrus. Orange wheels (blood oranges are in season here) with sliced fennel and some mint, for example. Olive oil/lemon juice dressing.