FrogPrincesse

There is a discussion about the Pierre Ferrand dry curaçao, an orange liqueur that was developed with David Wondrich and launched last year, here. To elaborate on what I wrote there regarding Cointreau still being my preference for margaritas, here is a margarita flight I did last summer. From left to right. Grand Marnier: rich taste but I felt that the cognac base clashed with the tequila. It was also slightly too sweet and there wasn't enough bitter orange flavor for my taste. Pierre Ferrand has a lovely bitter orange flavor but was too dry in this cocktail. I did not attempt to change my ratios to compensate for this and the drink was not well balanced. I love it in other cocktails though, just not in this drink. Cointreau is immediately likeable and recognizable. It was very clearly the better choice (confirmed by a representative panel of three people!). Great combination of "zing" from the zest and bitterness. Long finish and the most complex overall.

I am copying some information regarding orange liqueurs from the Rogue (now beta) cocktails thread here so we can find it later. Not a huge difference as far as I can tell. The Clément Créole Shrubb is rum-based and therefore it makes sense to use it in rum cocktails. I prefer it to Cointreau in Mai Tais for example, although the difference is quite subtle. Grand Marnier being cognac-based is not very versatile in cocktails in general and I hardly ever use it (for Crêpes Suzette maybe). There is an extensive review of orange liqueurs on the Oh Gosh! blog that I found very informative. Thanks. I quite like Clement Creole Shrubb myself but haven't done anywhere near the amount of cocktail experimenting you have! I have been through the Oh Gosh! orange liqueur threads before but was just curious on your thoughts given you have seem to be playing with different types almost everyday. I need to try to do more. I don't have as many different options as on the Oh Gosh! site but I have managed to end up with 8-10 different orange liqueurs that deserve more regular use.

The Bitter Spring is a very assertive swizzle with a lot of Fernet that is (slightly) softened by orgeat. Bitter Spring (Sother Teague) 1 oz Fernet-Branca 1 oz gold rum 3/4 oz ginger syrup 3/4 oz lemon juice 3/4 oz homemade hazelnut orgeat Heavy dashes Peychaud's bitters I substituted ginger liqueur for the syrup, and almond orgeat for the hazelnut orgeat. The cocktail is kind of fun. It would have been better with a more interesting rum - I don't particularly care for the Flor de Cana 4-year gold rum, even though that is what the recipe called for. It does not have much depth of flavor.

That sounds wonderful. Another successful rum + sweet vermouth combo. I am hoping to have a bottle of this creme de cacao by Tempus Fugit that everyone has been raving about in the near future.

These are next on my list... I am just worried about how this affair is going to end! Out of curiosity, do you remember what rum/sweet vermouth/curaçao you used?

After a flaming drink, a red drink: The Dutchess with genever (I used Bols), pineapple juice (yes - I admit that I cheated and used a can instead of trying to make my own), homemade orgeat, lime juice, and 1/2 ounces of Angostura bitters. The Dutchess (Theo Lieberman) 1 1/2 oz genever 1 oz pineapple juice 3/4 oz orgeat 1/2 oz lemon juice 1/2 oz Angostura bitters It's not bitter at all despite the large amount of Angostura. It feels like it has egg in it because it is creamy and rich, but I think that's just from the orgeat. I don't find the color particularly appealing, but it tastes quite good in a comforting way.

The Hotel Nacional, a daiquiri variation from the namesake hotel in Cuba, made with the ratios from PDT. It's a daiquiri with aged rum (PDT lists Ron Pompero Aniversario; I used Plantation Barbados 5 year which is another nice sipping rum), pineapple juice and apricot liqueur, in addition to lime and simple syrup. I initially forgot the simple syrup and added it later, but honestly I don't feel that it was really need with the sweetness already imparted by the pineapple and the apricot liqueur. It is a pleasant "beginner" daiquiri; with the rum I used it had undertones of coconut. I still prefer the crispness of a regular daiquiri.

I had this (psychedelic-looking) salad with dinner last night. Cara Cara oranges, cucumber, watermelon radishes, mint, olive oil and lemon juice dressing. Crunchy and refreshing. It was based on a recipe in The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan.

It's been at least 3 years since my last trip, but I remember having an underwhelming lunch at Canteen (super casual), and a fabulous dinner at La Folie on Russian Hill (more like a special-occasion type of restaurant). One place I want to try is Baker & Banker - we are friends with the family of the chef and it looks like our kind of place.

Not a huge difference as far as I can tell. The Clément Créole Shrubb is rum-based and therefore it makes sense to use it in rum cocktails. I prefer it to Cointreau in Mai Tais for example, although the difference is quite subtle. Grand Marnier being cognac-based is not very versatile in cocktails in general and I hardly ever use it (for Crêpes Suzette maybe). There is an extensive review of orange liqueurs on the Oh Gosh! blog that I found very informative.

After the Arsenic and Old Lace from the other night, I was looking for something with a little more … va-va-voom. I looked through my copy of beta cocktails and the All Fair’s caught my eye. Usually the drinks from that book are challenging for my husband, but since this is essentially a Manhattan with rum, I thought I should give it a go. I happened to have the rum that it called for (El Dorado 12 year). The other ingredients are sweet vermouth (I substituted Dolin for Carpano Antica), curaçao (substituted Clement for Marie Brizart), mole bitters, salt “tincture” (aka salt solution), and an orange twist. The cocktail is the first in a series of three that are meant to depict the evolution of a relationship. This one is clearly the honeymoon phase; you can tell right away by its beautiful smell. It is a very aromatic cocktail with layers of rich flavors highlighted by the mole bitters, and just a hint of salt at the end. Like spending your honeymoon in the Caribbean - it's described as an "Island Manhattan" in the book. It’s very easy to fall in love! The name and style of the cocktail seemed familiar, but it took me a day to figure out why. The cocktail is clearly based on the Fair and Warmer from the Savoy cocktail book, a cocktail I tried a few months ago which is also a Manhattan variation with rum (the version I had tried was the Bartender's Choice app adaptation of the Savoy creation and has different ratios). The ingredients in the Fair and Warmer are white rum, sweet vermouth, curaçao, and an orange twist. The changes in the beta version are the use of aged rum instead of white, and the addition of bitters and salt. It elevated this already enjoyable drink to something even more memorable.

I have it and really like it. I've had good results in a Maiden's Prayer and a Daiquiri no. 2. I think that it would be great in a Corpse Reviver no. 2 as well. In margaritas, I still prefer Cointreau. Makes a more rounded margarita.

My guess as well. The same thing happened to me when we re-did our front yard. I had a great steak with morels and Marsala crème fraîche sauce that day! Unfortunately this was a one-time occurrence. .

Lately I've been going a lot to Carnitas Snack Shack. It's a little food stand with a tiny kitchen that chef Hanis Cavin, formerly from Kensington Grill, opened about a year ago in North Park. There is always a line. They have just remodeled the back and there is now an expanded patio area with lots of greenery and a fun pig-themed mural. The menu celebrates pork in many of its forms, but there is also a delicious beet terrine with goat cheese and spinach, and specials that changes on a daily basis. Recently they have been offering whiskey and bacon dark chocolate truffles that are terrific. The beet terrine The pork belly appetizer, which is a nicely-sized portion served with a little frisee and shaved radish salad on the side I usually get the BLT and ask for pork belly instead of ham. It's served on thick toasted brioche bread.

Last night, I wanted something light and floral but complex at the same time, and settled for a twist on the Martini. Arsenic and Old Lace (found on the Bartender's Choice app) has gin, dry vermouth, a touch of violet liqueur and an absinthe rinse (I used my handy spray bottle). Orange twist. It was not planned but I ended up having this drink with my meal, which was Pad Kee Mao (drunken noodles). The holy basil in the dish was actually a nice pairing with the violet & anise and the botanicals from the gin and dry vermouth. Violet and anise is a great combination. The cocktail has different ratios but is reminiscent of the Atty in the Savoy Cocktail book, which itself seems to have been inspired by the Attention in Hugo Ensslin's Recipes for Mixed Drinks.

!!! I can't even imagine what this tastes like. Do tell! Like slightly sweetened, natural yoghurt! I'm going to use it in Alexanders and flips a la Erik: http://youtu.be/hlJOPS8zEZE I don't know how I feel about this yoghurt liqueur but I really enjoyed the video. Impeccable technique.

Here is a more typical tiki drink with orgeat, with rum as the base liquor. It distinguishes itself but its use of Chartreuse. Anthony Schmidt at Noble Experiment made something like that for me a while back when I challenged him to make me a tiki-style drink. It does not use any specialized syrups/ingredients, so it's a good drink to have in one's repertoire. It may not be as multilayered as some of the classic tiki drinks, but it's really fun with the Chartreuse nonetheless, and who can resist a flaming drink. Cradle of Life (Karin Stanley, Dutch Kills) 3/4 oz aged rum 3/4 oz spiced rum 1/2 oz lemon juice 1/2 oz lime juice 1/2 oz orange juice 1/2 oz orgeat Two dashes Angostura bitters Garnish: spent lime shell filled with 1/2 oz green chartreuse

I resume posting on this thread with the Los Angeles Cocktail. By coincidence, it is quite similar to the Kentucky Breakfast. But this time, sweet vermouth is used as a modifier instead of apricot jam. I followed the ratios from the Bartender's Choice version for this cocktail which was originally published in the Savoy Cocktail Book - here is the original version. I made it during the holidays and it was enjoyed by all. I think I converted at least one person to egg-white cocktails thanks to this one. Los Angeles Cocktail (Bartender's Choice version) 2 oz bourbon 3/4 oz lemon juice 3/4 oz simple syrup 1/4 oz sweet vermouth egg white

Yesterday was Epiphany which is celebrated in France with a Galette des Rois, aka Pithiviers. Since we can't easily find it in the US, I learned how to make it a few years ago. I like the recipe from Anne Willan's Country Cooking of France. I use frozen pastry dough and make my own frangipane with freshly ground almonds and a touch of rum (+butter, sugar, eggs, flour). This year I used dark Jamaican rum - now my Pithiviers has two ingredients in common with one of my favorite cocktails, the Mai Tai! Filling the dough with a thick layer of frangipane Closing the pastry and glazing with egg wash, scoring in a spiral pattern Of course at that point I realized that I forgotten (again! I think I do this every year) to add the bean inside, but I added it discretely when it was time to slice it. Out of the oven (there was also a sugar syrup glaze to make it super shiny) My daughter got the bean and chose the cat as her king. Did anybody else have galette for Epiphany? I would love to see photos (homemade or not). There are some pretty amazing creations in French bakeries; I know that they are getting really creative.

If orgeat can be used an the sweetener in an Old-Fashioned variation (see the Atorney Privilege above), it also works very well in a Whiskey Sour variation. This one is called the St. Nick and is by Jeff Berry (Beachbum Berry). St. Nick Sour 2 oz bourbon 3/4 oz orange juice 1/2 oz lemon juice 1/4 oz orgeat I used Elijah Craig bourbon and a Cara Cara orange. These are a subtype of Navel oranges. They have a pink color and a delicate flavor with raspberry/grapefruit underdones. They are not very acidic. This cocktail is essentially the same as the Eastern Sour, but with less juice. It goes down very easily!

Chris, I am afraid that there are not too many great options downtown - most are geared towards the convention crowds and tourists. Within walking distance, there is Café Chloé. It's a cute little French-style bistro. Nothing earth-shattering there, but it's very pleasant for lunch. I would also recommend the Lion's Share (good food & cocktails), but they don't open until 4 pm.

I've done pretty much that, substituting orgeat for simple in an old fashioned. Yours looks nicer than building over ice. Once you get the idea to use orgeat as the sweetener in the old-fashioned, it's easy to come up with a ton of variations (derived from the various Old-Fashioned variations): touch of absinthe, benedictine, etc... I can already see that the ones with absinthe should work because in France we often mix orgeat and pastis (Mauresque).

Here is the thread on cocktails with two base spirits that you mentioned in your post. The Bacardi Special Cocktail from the Savoy that Erik mentions in that thread has rum and gin. There are a few tiki drinks that combine gin and rum. Some of the Scorpion variants include gin (they all contain rum). One I tried recently is Kelbo's Scorpion with dark Jamaican rum (I used Appleton 12), gin (I used Beefeater), brandy, plus orange juice, lime juice, passion fruit syrup and orgeat. Quite good. The Fogcutter has rum (usually gold or white), gin, brandy and sherry. Moving on to punches, some versions of the powerful Chatham Artillery Punch include rum and gin amongst other things.

Completely in love with my new batch of orgeat, so you should be seeing more orgeat-based cocktails from me. The orgeat is so flavorful when it's fresh and gives just the right amount of coziness to winter drinks without being cloying. After the above Army and Navy variation, I was thinking about the Japanese cocktail but wanted to try something slightly different. A bourbon variation in the latest issue of Imbibe caught my eye. Plus it's a creation by Erick Castro (Polite Provisions, San Diego) so I just had to try it. Attorney Privilege 2 oz bourbon 1/2 oz orgeat 2 dashes Angostura bitters Stir, strain into coupe, garnish with a lemon twist Simplicity personified, but interesting nonetheless. A good example of what you can achieve with good-quality ingredients (obviously, there would not be any point in trying to make this with Torani orgeat!). My orgeat is very milky/opaque so my end result is quite different from the photo in the magazine. I used the orgeat recipe from Beachbum Berry Remixed.

The AOC book is on my radar as well, based on my good experiences with Sunday Suppers at Lucques.