FrogPrincesse

Thanks! I have made passion fruit syrup from scratch when they are in season, but haven't tried the fruit puree. Well, about the falernum, I am sure they have their reasons for using Taylor's. But once you've tried homemade it's hard to go back, because in comparison Taylor's has little flavor. It's more like a simple syrup with a touch of clove and lime, whereas the homemade one is very spice-forward.

Fa-bu-lous. I need to go back to Japan immediately! Thanks for sharing.

What passion fruit syrup are you using (and also, what gin, out of curiosity)? I've been happy with B.G. Reynolds which isn't very tart. I constantly tweak recipes so things aren't too sweet for me (it's easy to start with slightly less syrup, and add a bit as needed). Also this is a cocktail where the quality of the falernum & orgeat you use is going to make a big impact as well.

The Brooklyn with the Death & Co specs: Rittenhouse 100 rye, Dolin dry vermouth, Amaro Ciociaro, Luxardo maraschino. Really wonderful. Now I have to go back and compare it against the other versions... For reference, this one is: 2 oz Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey 3/4 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth 1/4 oz Amaro Ciociaro 1 teaspoon Luxardo Maraschino

Silver Monk (Phil Ward) with Tequila Ocho plata, lime juice, yellow Chartreuse, simple syrup, mint, cucumber, salt, Boy Drinks World serrano tincture. I tried it before adding the Serrano tincture (the book suggests a jalapeno-infused tequila as an alternate option) and it needed it to pop, because it tasted rather flat without it. With the tincture it's a fun and balanced drink. However it doesn't really do justice to the tequila (maybe use a less nice tequila like here...), or the yellow Chartreuse for that matter, which is uses rather generously (3/4 oz!). There is nothing wrong with it, but I didn't find it better than the sum of its parts.

A lot of sparkling cocktails are a bit of a let down, but this one had a ton of punch! Loved it! It's clearly a riff on the French 75, and a superior one. The Cointreau + maraschino combination is very interesting. Mig Royale (Phil Ward) with Tanqueray Old Tom gin (substituted for Plymouth), lemon juice, Luxardo maraschino liqueur, Cointreau, dry champagne.

Swizzle Français (Martin Cate) with Clement VSOP rhum agricole, lime juice, St Elizabeth allspice dram, J.M sugar cane syrup, nutmeg. Very funky. I would go a bit easier on the nutmeg next time because there was already a lot going on.

The Planter's Punch with El Dorado 8 Demerara rum, lime juice, demerara syrup, St Elizabeth allspice dram, Angostura bitters. Really delicious (and potent with 3 ounces of rum). And I am SO happy that the recipe doesn't contain grenadine.

Welcome back!

Etsy maybe? Otherwise depending on where you are located, they are sold at events such as Tiki Oasis in San Diego (August) or The Hukilau in Fort Lauderdale (June; this was last week), or smaller events such as the International Market Place. Garage sales sometimes... I would look for additional options on Tiki Central. Good luck!

Vieux Rectangle (Arthur Come) with Pierre Ferrand 1840 cognac, Martini Gran Lusso vermouth, Aperol, Angostura and Peychaud’s bitters, St. George absinthe. This is a great example of a drink build on the Vieux Carré template. This re-interpretation uses cognac alone as the base, and swaps out the Benedictine for some Aperol and absinthe.

Arrackiri (Damien Aries) with batavia arrack, lime juice, agave syrup, yellow Chartreuse, Vida mezcal, Boy Drinks World serrano tincture. This drink is not to be confused with Phil Ward’s drink, the Arrackuiri, a sour with batavia arrack and pomegranate molasses that is described in the Death & Co Cocktail Book. Kudos on making something harmonious on a base of batavia arrack, which is notoriously difficult to work with. This may be the best example I’ve tried to date.

Brazilian Prescription with Leblon cachaça, Noilly Prat extra dry vermouth, St Elizabeth allspice dram, acacia honey, lemon juice. This cocktail was inspired by the Sangaree, a type of drink typically made from wine which predates the Sangria. In this example, it is build with cachaça which immediately gives it a different, lighter vibe. Pairing cachaça with dry vermouth is unexpected but somehow it works, with the allspice liqueur adding a healthy dose of spice.

Classic Ripoff (Alex Skarlen) with High West Double Rye! straight rye whiskey, Martini Gran Lusso vermouth, Luxardo maraschino liqueur, lemon, Angostura and Peychaud’s bitters. The addition of lemon juice to something that was build based on a Manhattan / Brooklyn was interesting. It gave it a lighter feel.

Yes it does, but it seems very hyped as well! I tried its casual branch, ink.sack, and wasn't exactly blown away...

Not sure what type of food you are looking for, but a few of my favorite places are AOC (small plates and great wine selections), Son of a Gun (mostly seafood, surprisingly refined in a super casual setting), and Terrine (French-Californian bistro, house-made chacuterie, good cocktails).

You are very welcome. I added links to these various places so they'd be easier to look up. Seattle is a fabulous place for food. And I am sure Portland is as well, but I haven't had a chance to go there yet. Have fun on your trip, and please report when you get a chance!

In Seattle, for reasonably priced shellfish in a casual setting, Taylor Shellfish (multiple locations). For more upscale and a very wide array of local produce, seafood etc, Lark. A bit expensive but absolutely worth a spulrge. Eater.com has a bunch of other recent recommendations. http://seattle.eater.com/maps/best-seattle-restaurants-38 http://seattle.eater.com/maps/best-new-seattle-restaurants-heatmap Edited to add- I just realized that I had already recommended these two restaurants in a Seattle-dedicated thread that someone else had created. At least I am consistent! Two more recommendations from my husband who just travelled there a few weeks ago. The Walrus and the Carpenter Matt's in the Market (Pike's Market)

Salad with butter lettuce, white peaches, fennel, feta, chives, lemon-infused olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. Homemade bread on the side (mix with white flour, whole-wheat flour, and buckwheat).

Well, it depends on the café, of course. Illy is one of the brands that seems popular, and it also happens to be available in the US.

No need to be embarrassed! Obviously you have kittens on your mind!

I've been to 320 Main quite a few times and had heard about Jason Schiffer's drink... but generally I prefer to stick to tiki drinks when I am there! Mustard seemed a bit out there. It's interesting to hear your description and understand how mustard can work in a drink.

You mean Smitten Kitchen, right? Something "odd" came up when I searched for Smitten Kitten!

Smitten Kitten. I love it. So, which one of your adorable kittens made these delicious treats?

Exactly. No chicken eggs, so it's not mayonnaise! Describing it as mayonnaise with fish roe doesn't do it justice. Also I feel that it misrepresents its texture. Mayonnaise is rich and eggy. Tarama tends to be lighter, salty, highlighting the flavor of the roe. This is making me hungry. It's a bit hard to find cured fish roe, but making this from scratch is wonderful. I wonder if I can use the boutargue I brought back from France...