FrogPrincesse

Here you go, Franci. It's the recipe from Anne Willan Country Cooking of France. It's a little fussy; I also use another recipe with honey that is quicker and that I can post later. Thanks!

It looks like I've neglected this thread, although I've made plenty of cocktails from the book since I last posted. Here is the Widow's Laurel (Joaquín Simó) with Busnel VSOP calvados (Daron XO calvados), Drambuie, Carpano Antica Formula vermouth (Punt e Mes & Dolin sweet vermouth), St Elizabeth allspice dram, Angostura bitters. I really like the little kick of spice at the end from the allspice dram, and any occasion to mix with calvados and fine by me.

Beautiful, Franci. Now I have a major craving for madeleines. :-) Do you have a favorite recipe? I've had the best luck with the ones that use honey.

Nice selection. Did you and Hassouni have a giant tasting? Last night I was looking for a good way to showcase a gin distilled in San Diego, San Miguel Southwestern gin from Old Harbor. The gin is distilled with fresh local ingredients that include cilantro and sage. I thought about making a Southside but in the end the cocktail did not need the fresh mint - the flavor of the fresh herbs already present in the gin really came through nicely. 2 oz Old Harbor San Miguel gin 1 oz lime juice 3/4 oz simple syrup dash Angostura bitters

Bartender's Weekend is coming back to San Diego on March 1-4. Lots of events, including a day trip to Mexico.

Interesting piece about the history of the Brooklyn Cocktail in Edible Brooklyn, by David Wondrich.

Have you tried the side-by-side experiment that he suggests?

Actually, just a small amount makes a difference. That's the reason why a lot of cocktail bars add salt to their simple syrup. This is also discussed in Dave Arnold's Liquid Intelligence (page 61). You cannot taste the salt in small amounts (he recommends adding saline by the drop), but it affects how you perceive the other flavors in the drink.

A lot of the information about salt and how it affects flavor perception comes from a paper by Herve This that was quoted on the beta cocktails blog a while back. I like to give credit where it is due. :-)

I tend to make mine up, no salt, no garnish.

I went classic last night with a Martini, 2:1, Tanqueray Old Tom, Dolin French vermouth, Regan & Fee orange bitters. A couple of nights prior, didn't feel like mixing a cocktail, and just went with St. George Breaking & Entering bourbon. Too bad they can't make more due to increasing costs.

Last night's home work...

Pecan brownie and eggnog ice cream.

Black Lodge (Tommy Klus) which is a Manhattan variation with Michter's Rye (Rittenhouse), Carpano Antica sweet vermouth (Punt e Mes), Cynar, Combier cherry liqueur (Luxardo), Regan's orange bitters. Orange and licorice notes. Not quite right and fascinatingly unsettling, which made it uncannily appropriate.

From last night, a Bobby Burns with Highland Park 12 scotch, Dolin sweet vermouth, Benedictine, Angostura bitters. Now that my bottle of Highland Park is practically gone, I wonder what I should replace it with (it will be used for mixing).

In your list I have only tried Ramazotti, but it's a different flavor profile, less orange-forward.

Another nice one with Picon - End of Days by Matthew Schrage with Rittenhouse rye, Amer Picon (Picon bière), Abbott's bitters, Henri Bardouin pastis (St. George absinthe) float.

Salt tincture - that's how it's called in the book. It's really just a salt solution (saline).

Martin Doudoroff released a new cocktail app - gaz regan’s 101 Best New Cocktails. It looks promising.

Having finished my bottle of Campari, I had no choice last night but to use Gran Classico Bitter in the Negroni I was craving last night. I used Punt e Mes for the sweet vermouth to compensate for the fact that Gran Classico is less bitter than Campari. The rye was St. George dry rye. The Negroni was good with a savory note thanks to the dry rye gin. But like things that start out great and then take an unexpected twist, the candy-like flavor of the Gran Classico on the finish was an unwelcome surprise.

I finished my bottle of Campari with Maks' Campari "Martini" - Campari and salt tincture, orange twist. It's a really nice way to enjoy Campari, and a great demonstration of what salt can do in cocktails.

Meehan's Manual, Jim Meehan's Jerry Thomas-inspired bartender manual, should be pretty cool.