Tri2Cook

Rob (gfron1) did a dinner in which he served a course with olives that had been warmed for several hours in a crockpot with olive oil, orange zest and fresh fennel. I wasn't at that dinner but I did the olives and they were really good. Silky, flavorful, put the crockpot on low in the morning and forget it and the oil in the pot is really good as a bread dip. I don't know if that fits into what you have in mind but I thought I'd toss it in the mix anyway.

If you had any bits of chocolate that didn't completely melt, they'll plug it up. Other than that, I'm not sure. I made it (and variations of it) a few years ago just to be sure I could and haven't done it since but I didn't use a cream whipper to do it.

Thanks Matt. I wish they had an online store so I could see what they do have but I wouldn't want to ask them to bring anything in for me. I wouldn't be buying it very often.

Where are you going to order them from? Okole Maluna seems to be the best option I've found. Shipping cost isn't great but no worse than most coming from the U.S. I haven't been able to dig up a source in Canada.

That sounds encouraging. Thanks!

I've begun stocking up on some things in anticipation of warmer weather and getting back into tiki mode and I was planning to order several of the BG Reynolds syrups. I know... I should make my own and I have many times but I've decided I want the convenience of not having to plan ahead sometimes. The question I have is, their website says they have a 30-day refrigerated shelf life once opened. Has that been the experience of those who've used them? I was hoping, once opened, to toss them in the fridge and use them up through the summer. If I'm going to have to replace them every month even if they're not empty, I probably won't bother after all.

Looks tasty, especially the pizzas. Can't get a decent pizza here unless you make it yourself.

In my opinion there's no comparison between the Luxardo and the Di Saronno. If I can't get the Luxardo, I just won't have an amaretto in my cabinet. But that's just my opinion. I really like the Havana Club blanco. That and the El Dorado 6 year silver are probably my favorite whites that I can get at the LCBO. The only reposado available where I live is the Milagro... so that's what I have.

That one's been on my list for a while. It's waiting until I or someone I know is heading to the city so I can add Benedictine to my cabinet. Every time I intend to do that, I end up passing on it for something else I want more... but I'll grab it eventually. I have to confess amongst all this tasty craft cocktail discussion that what I'm looking forward to most right now is getting into tiki mode when the weather warms. Most of my purchasing lately has been geared in that direction.

Chocolate doesn't like a little moisture. When a large amount comes barging in, the chocolate admits defeat and does what it's told.

I'd drink that but all I have for apple is calvados. I wonder if it would work...

Quebec has St. James amber, J. Bally amber, La Favorite Coeur de Rhum Vieux, a couple of really expensive La Favorites that I wouldn't spend that much on and Marie Galante Rhum Agricole blanc from Guadalupe. The wrench in the machine is that where I live is almost as far away as it's possible to get from Quebec without leaving Ontario. I'm pretty good friends with the person who cuts my hair and her husband, he's from Quebec and they sometimes go there for christmas so I was going to see if they'd bring back a couple things the SAQ carries but they didn't go this year. The LCBO has been listing a Domaine de Marquisat de Rhum Longueteau from Guadalupe (62% ABV) for a few weeks now but it's still not showing as actually available anywhere and I wasn't sure if it was considered an agricole or not. Kinda irrelevant right now I guess since they don't seem to be in a hurry to actually have it anywhere but something I've been keeping my eye on.

The only mezcal I can get here (so it's what I have) is Jaral de Berrio blanco. Light and somewhat vegetal with pretty much no discernible smoke. I'd grab it for a Margarita before I'd grab it for a Division Bell if I had options. So I wouldn't require an extensive selection to satisfy the wish list, just some sort of selection would be nice. Even no selection would be acceptable if the one they decided to carry was a better example. There's no agricole of any quality available.

Sounds good to me. I don't need the distinction to be happy, I've just got most of my drinks-related education via the Spirits & Cocktails forum here and somehow translated what I was reading as what I posted. I somehow understood that it was a distinction being made here but I'm perfectly fine with learning that's not the case. I'd much rather learn than think I know what I'm talking about when I don't.

Funny, I thought it was a pretty great week. Dungeness crab, anyone? Me too but the cheese spread of choice where the Tide rolls is pimento cheese... ...so I'm not much help with figuring out the recipe he wants.

Fair enough. I was probably a bit flippant with that remark.

Some time has passed since I first posted in this thread. I've learned a few things, I've acquired a few things I thought I never would through the help of friends and my goals for my booze cabinet have evolved. So I now feel comfy posting my wish list. I realize everything on this list is a casual trip to the store for most and an internet order away for many of the rest but from small, remote town Ontario my current list would be something like this... Lemon Hart 151 rum Smith & Cross rum Ransom Old Tom gin Bol's Genever Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy a good rhum agricole a good, smoky mezcal

They are? Apparently, with the disclaimer that that's just what I picked up from the discussions here and I could easily have misunderstood what was being said. I'm getting "cock-tail" to be a spirit with a bit of sugar and bitters. I don't know what "cocktail" without the hyphen implies in terms of drink history but it's obviously not tied to a specific drink even in high-end craft places today.

I'm not saying you should have to, I'm saying I'm not surprised you do have to. If it weren't for this discussion, I'd have no idea that a cock-tail and a cocktail are two different things so I can see the bartender at the vast majority of places looking a bit puzzled if somebody sat down at the bar and simply said "I'll have a cock-tail please"... even if they specified the spirit.

I suppose telling the bartender that's what you want instead of just being able to ask for a cock-tail and get exactly what you have in mind wouldn't be considered cool?

That sounds tasty. Gonna have to keep that one in mind for when I get my hands on the whiskey barrel bitters...

This is everything in my cabinet that's not white or spiced (Sailor Jerry and Kracken) if that helps... Angostura 1919 Appleton V/X Appleton 12 year Barbancourt 5-Star Doorly's XO El Dorado 5 year El Dorado 12 year Flor de Cana 7 year Gosling's Black Seal Havana Club Anejo Reserva Havana Club 7 year Mount Gay XO Pusser's British Navy Pyrat XO ...I guess what I'm wondering is, if the Zacapa had hit the shelves everywhere at $80 would those who like it have been okay with that or would the ratings have suffered with that cost factored in? I'm not determined to have it, especially if anything I have would make it a bit redundant, I just don't mind spending the money if it's money well spent.

A friend that works at a Manitoba Liquor Mart has informed me that they have the Ron Zacapa 23, that he bought himself a bottle for his birthday and found it every bit as tasty as the reviews say it is and would I like him to bring a bottle for me when he's in town (his parents live here) at the end of the month? The catch, they're charging almost $80 for it. The LCBO doesn't carry it and if they brought it in, it would almost definitely be as much or more than it is in Manitoba. So, dedicated rum lovers... is it good enough that I want to pay that much to put a bottle in my cabinet? To help with the opinions, the word "sweet" in the reviews doesn't worry me at all.

Simple and tasty, made some pecan pralines this morning...

I'm just wanting them for personal use at home so I don't really need a wholesale/food service source. I was hoping there might be a web business or a store that ships that somebody knew about where I can order a few packages.