thirtyoneknots

I take it this is being done just for fun and not as any attempt to save money or something. While it may be fun and educational, be warned that you're likely to come out spending at least as much as on a bottle of good mid-priced gin and coming out with a product not significantly better (if better at all) than the most bottom shelf of brands. Edit to acknowledge that Chris was able to come up with something interesting if not really qualifying as gin. Perhaps your experiment will yield fruit after all.

Cherry Marnier is a sweetened grape-brandy based liqueur, similar to Heering. I don't believe it is currently imported to the US. Huh. Some product spec mentioned using the pits too a la Maraschino.... Could be. But it's not, afaik, distilled from the cherries. Actually I'd be surprised if no cherry pits were used in Heering.

Good point. For something like the tiny rinse that goes into a CR#2, I think Pernod or Ricard would be a fine low-cost substitute, no? Or even ouzo or Sambucca if you had that on hand. Or for the really economical, perhaps a couple of drops of anise extract? (Harry Craddock, you know you want to roll over onto your left side anyhow. You're welcome.) Au contraire, mon frere. Ouzo and Sambuca have far too different of profiles to have the effect that absinthe or pastis. And please kindly step back from the anise extract. If you're going to spend 2 cents/drink to make all your CRs with Pernod, why not go ahead and spend 5 cents/drink? Not that there's anything wrong with Pernod, but I think that in most cases where absinthe is called for in old drinks, demonstrably better results will be obtained using even something like Lucid or Kubler. Beware things under $50/btl calling themselves absinthe. That said, if the $60 really is that much of a stumbling block (and believe me I know it can be) go with Pernod or whatever your favorite pastis is (I like Henri Bardouin).

Apart from the obvious soups and broths I also like to mix a tbs or so with a few oz of wine when deglazing a pan for fish sauces. Or pork sauces. Flambeeing finely diced sweet potatoes towards the end of a sautee is lovely, as is including a splash in the braising liquid for some beef cheeks or other long-cooking cut. Anything where fennel flavor is desired. Used a half cup last week in the brine for some lamb shoulders that were then rubbed with North African spices and slow-smoked. Problem is the bottle I have now was bought when Herbsaint was $13/btl, and it is now about $20. Still an ok value I guess but the cynic in me can't help but feel that this was done to make the "original" seem like an acceptable step up.

Cherry Marnier is a sweetened grape-brandy based liqueur, similar to Heering. I don't believe it is currently imported to the US.

Sounds like a lot of money but for uses like that it's basically a lifetime supply. The Lucid, like as not the brand you encountered, is sufficient for cocktail use if not thrilling on it's own. Small format bottles of Absinthe are relatively uncommon, I'm not actually sure I've ever seen one in TX, but it works just as well to split the bottle with a friend. Or you could just bite the bullet and think of it as money saved on a bar tab since now you can make you favorite drinks at home.

The oldest labels (scans) for Herbsaint I have seen boast 120 proof, and when I discovered that the "original" being released was only going to be 100 proof, I became skeptical to a degree that has since been borne out by tasting the stuff. I hate to say this but the "original" Herbsaint is a strong contender for dullest pastis on the market, particularly given the price. I presume the lower proof was done so as to make it more accessable to those intimidated by the high proof of real absinthe, but it failed in a big way to live up to the reputation of the old stuff, of which one Absinthe afficionado said in the old pre-Lucid days, that if he could be guaranteed a steady supply of 1930's Herbsaint, he wouldn't particularly care if real absinthe ever became legal again or not. That said I use 90 proof Herbsaint in tiki drinks. And in cooking--mmm.

Yeah, Rose's is definitely a different thing alltogether, and fresh lime should not, imo, be viewed as a substitute. The unfortunate abuse many drinks have recieved due to Rose's ready availability shouldn't have us condemning it wholesale.

Pleased as punch with how the lamb came out, the smoke boosted the lambiness without competing with it and while none of the spices or brine flavors were apparent I have to assume that they were supporting flavors that would have been missed. Time constraints forced me to take it off after about 8.5 hours rather than the ten I wanted to do but it was still great. For the last hour and a half I threw a red bell pepper in the smoker along with the meat and used it in a Harissa-honey bbq sauce that went very well indeed with the meat. As did the series of Syrahs we opened to guzzle with dinner. We did take some pictures but I can't find the cord from my camera right now so I'm not sure when I'll be able to post them. Oops. I can't believe I'd be the first person to think of this, and yet I couldn't really find anything concrete about the practice via Google. The famous Southside Market here in Elgin, TX does mutton ribs, but while delicious it comes out almost completely unlike what I made last night.

Nothing wrong with Tequila Gimlets.

Following, roughly, the method for making pulled pork I have just within the last hour put two brined and rubbed lamb shoulders on the smoker to eventually become (I hope) pulled lamb. Brined for 8 hours (I would have liked to go longer but time would not allow) with Herbsaint, a very fennel-heavy pastis. Rubbed with a mix of about 3-4 parts ras al hanout to 1 part harissa powder, and now in the smoker with post oak chips. If I have the presence of mind I'll take pictures when it comes out and post them here, but as with any outdoors cooking in gorgeous weather, beverages will be consumed so no promises. Planned sides are ratatouille and the salade de choux rouge from James Petersen's Glorious French Food (basically a coleslaw with nut oil vinaigrette). Now off to make buns.

A little late now, but my friend has taken octopus from One's a Meal through security, and I took a huge box full of cake and other goodies from my wedding through security several times (flight issues). You just put it on the scanner, no problem. Just for future reference.

He did indeed, and the bar is managed by Anvil alums as well.

When I bounced my recs off my buddy who actually lives in Houston he mentioned Lil Bigs on his short list so +1 I guess to that one. Haven't been there myself (I don't think).

Not sure what part of town you are in but apart from the aforementioned Feast, there's also Beaver's just off Washington which bills itself as a bbq place but I've never heard that that is the best thing to order per se. I admit I've never had much of the food there but my pal goes there regularly, and the bar program is great--lots of ties to the whole Anvil crew, as it was the last place the founders worked together before launching that. Also some fun ethnic food places near Montrose and Westheimer, including Niko Nikos (Greek) which some people think is lackluster but I like a lot, good food for not a lot of money served from a counter. Also in the same neighborhood is a divey kind of cafe calles "Ones A Meal" or something along those lines, open 24 hours and great gyros. And of course you're hip deep in Tex-Mex. And seafood.

I first heard about the place by it's cocktail reputation and went to check it out last week, though we didn't dine. There are two bars in the place, each with different menus, which is kind of puzzling but my impression is that one of them is intended to be a little more secluded with an emphasis on more serious cocktails while the main one serves the dining room. Indeed, the second bar is so obscured we were sitting only a few feet away for the better part of an hour before realising it. The drinks were good, imaginitive cocktails and a solid by the glass wine selection (which we didn't sample this time) though I found the beer list overly dominated by hoppy west-coast styles on the one hand and somewhat silly hipster beverages on the other (a 40 oz. of Carta Blanca with dinner, anyone?). The dinner menu looked good although I couldn't tell you wether it lives up to the praise the NYT heaps on. Austin's dining scene is booming right now and Congress definitely looks like a worthy addition but I'll reserve further judgement until I get to sample the food myself. One unfortunate side effect of being a restaraunt like that in that part of town is a display of unseemly behavior on the part of some of the clientele. We witnessed one young couple with a misplaced surplus of self-esteem read the menu and then when their order was taken, request something not found in any way shape or form on it. The bartender was very professional despite this and steered them towards the closest items the kitchen had on offer. After accomodating them thusly, we heard the customers snark wondering if the bartender had "even read the menu". We were stunned. Anyways, we'll be back soon to try some more of the cocktail offerings and maybe even some of the vittles.

There is sort of a practical consideration here though--a place that empty is likely to have only one or two servers working, and having all their charges grouped together makes the service more efficient and makes you less likely to get forgotten or overlooked because they are having to detour to your table while the others can all be surveyed with a sweep of the eyes.

Mc Donalds is popular. TGI Friday's is popular. Subway is popular. Maybe popularity is a marker for junky food. I think more than junky, "popular" menu items, be they foods or drinks, are more of a marker for "safe" items. When people ask me how a "safe" item is that I think is unexciting, I always tell them that it is in fact "popular" (and in all likelyhood artfully executed ) but that I think items x, y, and z are more interesting.

I do this almost every time I give change but in my defense I always round in favor of the guest. A check presenter full of dimes and nickels is a metallic shower waiting to happen when it get picked up before being opened. I do use quarters usually, if it is not close to a whole dollar amount. Sorry, I should clarify: I have no problem with rounding on change. But what's happening here - it's now happened several times at different places - is rounding in the house's favor, not in mine. (For example, the bill is $21.40, I put down $30, and I get back $8.) Again, this is not about the money, and I am far from cheap (really, I swear, I am not cheap). I don't need or want more coins or my 60 cents back. It smacks of presumption on the part of the server to round in their own/the house's favor. Agreed, that's bad form to say the least.

I do this almost every time I give change but in my defense I always round in favor of the guest. A check presenter full of dimes and nickels is a metallic shower waiting to happen when it get picked up before being opened. I do use quarters usually, if it is not close to a whole dollar amount.

As a bartender, those items annoy me about bar patrons at least as much as they do you. Actually had a guy the other day sitting sideways in his chair complain to me about a light shining in his eyes and asked if I could turn it off (I couldn't--it is on the same circuit with too many other vital lights). Instead of just turning to sit straight in his chair he continued to whine (rather than move to another stool or whatever) and finally left. As for the 86 issue...I once worked in a place with a veal chop on the menu. It was such a relatively rare order (that kind of town) they typically only had one on hand. So yeah, one person orders it and it went on the 86 board. Sometime after I moved on they wised up and just took it off the menu. I often wondered what kind of awkwardness ensued when two people at the same table ordered one. The one that annoys me the most (though it really isnt a big deal) is when servers say things like "Can I get that out of your way?" when clearing plates, along with a laundry list of server cliches (I'll be helping you you tonight). Chalk it up to a perfectionist manager during a formative time in my hospitality career, but those stock phrases are like a rasp on my eardrums now.

I have gotten the ones from HEB and i dont care for them that much. they tatse to me like an artificial smoked flavor. i was thinking that maybe some of the pits around here might have something good i could put in the beans but so far... only Louie Mueller in Taylor has really heavily smoked links that might do. but.... i was hoping to find some hocks before i resorted to that. i may have to make my own.... which actually wouldnt be too bad an idea. ok well thanks for your comments I'll check around--I live in Elgin but have never payed attention to wether the places here have hocks. I've never smoked hocks before but I do like to leave a lot of meat attatched to the shoulder blade when I'm cutting up a pork butt for sausage or other uses and then I just dredge it in dry cure, rinse off the excess after a few hours, and smoke it. Makes for hellaciously good beans. Edit for clarity.

Where are you getting the ones you don't like? I buy the ones from HEB semi-regularly and they are quite smokey, if not quite as intense as what I make at home.

Yeah it ocurred to me but I can't actually see the flavor working in more than a gimmicky way. Also--does fat washing even work with low-proof stuff like Vermouth? Seems like you'd just freeze the whole bottle when you tried to get the fat back out. Anybody ever try it?

WRT temps, the same place I worked where they did the "baaa" thing, the temperatures were menos, media menos, media, media muy, and mucho. Staff was mostly Mexican and Guatemalan, natch. I still smile when I think of the media muy--always got a kick out of that one for some reason (and it was a relatively frequent order--that kind of place). Edited because I remembered what they called "rare"