FrogPrincesse

A simple pound cake (quatre quarts) with good quality organic butter (Spring Hill) and freshly milled flour (Sonora from Grist & Toll). It was a bit dense but the flavor was excellent. I enjoyed it with some quince jam and a cup of tea.

Correct. "Limited" edition of 100,000 bottles.

Rafa's California Widow is really good with flavors that pop. Great use of Terroir gin and pear eau-de-vie. I went with Orinoco for the bitters. California Widow with St. George Terroir gin, pear eau-de-vie, green Chartreuse, Benedictine, Orinoco bitters. Actually, now that I read my notes I realize that what I made was a variation of Rafa's creation, because I skipped the St. Germain altogether. It's funny because I used it in my next drink, the Vieux Mot.

The Blackbeard looks interesting, although I have a fear of pineapple juice. But without it, I suppose it's just a Bramble with aquavit, which sounds pretty good actually. This one is nothing offensive, mostly a major snooze. (I wanted to kill my bottle of Plymouth in a vague attempt to streamline the liquor cabinet.) I suppose it would be a good drink to introduce people to gin or cocktails in general. Vieux Mot (Don Lee): Plymouth gin, lemon juice, St. Germain, simple syrup. Anthony Schmidt used to do something similar at Noble Experiment as a long drink with muddled cucumber called Easy Street, which is in the Bartender's Choice app.

Serious Eats just published a guide on the restoration of vintage cast iron pans. Inspired by the recent discussions on eGullet?

Locally distilled San Miguel gin from Old Harbor Distilling, batch no.1.

Almost as good as Martin Cate's version.

Got these at my favorite Trader Joe's. Stone Master of Disguise, a stout camouflaging as a blonde, from their Stochasticity series. Lost Abbey Gift of the Magi, a seasonal golden ale with frankincense and myrrh. Stone Enjoy By 12.26.14 IPA. It looks like its distribution has expanded to most of the U.S. now.

Fish House Punch, 2013 Vintage (aka things forgotten in the back of the fridge). Still excellent.

Someone who knows me well gave me an extravagant gift - a bottle of Willet 8-year rye. It's pretty great. Caramel, spice, vanilla, and a very long finish.

Finally I have a weekend at home and the opportunity to do some baking...

Welcome to eGullet, SLB! I had this pork belly salad recently at a local restaurant. Very satisfying.

Dinner last night was opah with a ginger lime beurre blanc (made with dry vermouth) and Blue Lake beans. Glass of Santa Barbara Zaca Mesa Viognier on the side.

This beautiful drink, one of Rafa's creations, which tastes like a salty and slightly savory Martini. Love. Not Waving But Drowning with Beefeater gin, Krogstad aquavit, Dolin white vermouth, Regan's and Fee Brothers' orange bitters, expressed orange peel.

Another Dandy Shim variation with rye for the Mixology Monday Challenge. This one with Bonal was inspired by the Dandy Cocktail in the Savoy Cocktail Book. I get a lot of spice and bitter orange with that combination. Rye Dandy Shim II with Bonal, Willet 2-year rye, lemon juice, Cointreau, Angostura bitters, cane syrup, orange & lemon peel garnish.

Revisiting the Dandy Shim for the Mixology Monday Challenge. This time with rye. Very nice and the Willet 2-year is great in this drink. Rye Dandy Shim with Dolin sweet vermouth, Willet 2-year rye, lemon juice, cane syrup, St. George absinthe, grated orange zest.

I decided to harvest my sorrel earlier this week and used it in a soup with leeks and beet greens that was very tasty. Crème fraîche garnish.

For those who use Netflix, First We Feast posted a list of the food movies that are currently streaming, including Kings of Pastry, a documentary about the Meilleur Ouvrier de France competition that I enjoyed recently.

More St. John love from MAD.

I'd go full-on Tiki!

Not sure where is the best place to mention this, but PUNCH (which is affiliated with Ten Speed Press) released today their city guides for cocktail bars. San Francisco, LA, Manhattan, London, Paris, etc. Hopefully a San Diego edition sometime soon? (Although sometimes it's a good thing to stay under the radar.)

A Sazerac with the Delord Napoleon armagnac and Rittenhouse rye is pretty great. It's the way to go rather than Bulleit.

Inca Cocktail (Robert Vermiere 1922 via Martin's Cocktail app) which is a bit similar to the above, with gin. There is also a version of the Inca Cocktail in the Savoy Cocktail Book with dry and sweet vermouths. 0.75 oz Plymouth gin (0.5 oz) 0.75 oz dry vermouth (0.5 oz Dolin) 0.75 oz fino sherry (0.5 oz Lustau Jarana) 2 dashes orgeat (0.5 barspoon homemade coconut orgeat) 2 dashes orange bitters (1 dash each Fee Brothers' and Regan's orange bitters) The vermouth and sherry dominate. Rich mouthfeel from the orgeat.

Racketeer (Stephen Cole) with Rittenhouse rye, Vida mezcal, Punt e Mes, Benedictine, yellow Chartreuse, Peychaud's bitters, Laphroaig. I went full Punt e Mes for the vermouth since someone had commented on Kindred that it was too sweet with the Carpano Antica specified in the original recipe. It's Manhattan-ish with a double dose of smoke.