FrogPrincesse

Martin Cate's place... very jealous! http://whitechapelsf.com/

That stuff is stinky but cats seem to love it!

When you brush oil on foods before grilling them, you need something with a high boiling point, and olive oil would be a poor choice...

And I forgot to mention it, but Craft & Commerce has reopened a few days ago. It's been extensively remodeled and expanded with a very large patio area.

The long awaited tiki bar False Idol had technical issues 15 minute into their pre-opening tonight, so I wasn't able to sample any drinks (although I stared at the décor which is absolutely AMAZING). I consoled myself with a homemade Mai Tai. Mai Tai (Trader Vic) with Appleton 12 Jamaican rum, La Favorite coeur de rhum, lime juice, Clement Creole shrubb, homemade orgeat, simple syrup.

You are right, but at least they haven't forgotten the juniper!

So excited!!! FIRST LOOK: False Idol - San Diego is now home to a world-class tiki bar

My local Trader Joe's no longer stocks Sipsmith (it was a steal at $29.99), but they had this Sonoma gin that smells pretty good. Uncle Val's botanical gin ($31.99).

Casseroles et Eprouvettes (pots and graduated cylinders). You were close! I don't think I have this one.

@JoNorvelleWalkerWhat is the original French title of the book? I have a bunch of his books, and was wondering which one that might be. Thanks!

Fallback (Sasha Petraske) with Rittenhouse 100 rye, Daron XO calvados, Cocchi vermouth di Torino, amaro Montenegro, Peychaud's bitters. I got some caramel notes, chocolate from the vermouth, apple of course, and a lot of orange and spice from the Montenegro.

According to this guy, Hamilton 151 is superior to the red label and new version Lemon Hart 151 that you just bought, at least in a Zombie. But they haven't included the yellow label Lemon Hart in the comparison...

You have the old stock to compare against? (Lots of discussions about this on Tiki Central)

Negroni or Manhattan both assume that they have a decent vermouth on hand. You are taking a huge gamble! Plus the most basic bars will have no idea how to make a Negroni (or a decent Manhattan), so you will have to guide them through the (simple) steps, which is far from ideal if they are busy... I used to try to walk them through the process, equal part Negroni or 2:1 Manhattan with bitters, and then when I thought we were all good, I would watch in horror as they would start shaking the drink in front of my eyes! I've since given up. G&T has a lot less room for error.

So what's your default safe order @EvergreenDan? Shot of whiskey?

Funny. The G&T is one of my "safe" drinks to order. I add plenty of lime and am usually happy. It's also what I get on planes! I am a 1:2 person, except with overproof gin where I add a bit more tonic water to compensate for the alcohol content.

Yes, Hi-Time has (almost) everything. I try not to go there too often because that is a very dangerous proposition! The VJOP is great. I've had it in a Martini while in London some time ago, at the Blind Pig.... It's been on my list of things to buy ever since.

Well, I know I could still find it, if not in SD, at least in Orange County. But it was really convenient to put it in my shopping basket when I shopped at TJ's, and the price was right too!

I have a brand new batch of homemade orgeat, so I made a pair of Army & Navy (David A. Embury) with Sipsmith London dry gin, lemon juice, homemade orgeat, Angostura bitters. Sadly it's the end of that beautiful bottle of gin, and I don't believe Trader Joe's has it in stock anymore...

It is vague indeed. I generally use about 2 oz. More and the cocktail feels diluted down, less and the champagne doesn't make enough of an impact.

Personally I don't understand the hype about Carpano Antica. I mean, it's fine, but it tends to take over any drink, and its vanilla notes can be distracting.

Gin & Tonic with 33 Portland dry gin and Fever Tree bitter lemon. I am a big fan of the Fever Tree tonic, so I wanted to try their bitter lemon. I like the taste but the first sip struck me as overly sweet (although the nutritional info tells me it has the same sugar content... go figure!).

The Pixie is a compact and fairly inexpensive little machine. I used one for a few weeks while my Lattissima was being repaired and really liked it (great customer service from Nespresso by the way, with a free loaner AND a free repair for a machine that was technically out of warranty).

Tipperary (PDT ratios on the left, and Bartender's Choice ratios on the right) with Green Spot Irish whiskey, Cocchi vermouth di Torino, green Chartreuse, and Regan's orange bitters for the Bartender's Choice version. Compared to the traditional (Harry Johnson) version, PDT only has a rinse of green Chartreuse. It still makes a great cocktail, but I feel it changes the feel of it quite a bit and makes it resemble a classic Manhattan compared to the Bartender's Choice version. As a side note, I am slightly disappointed by the Green Spot. I am a novice at Irish whiskey and prefer Redbreast. Maybe it will grow on me. PDT calls for Black Bush. I wonder how that compares in this drink?