Tri2Cook

I like the Last Word. I find most drinks with a fairly high ratio of maraschino a bit funky but it's a tasty drink. A bowl of that soup would be good too... been a bit chilly and raining all day. Oh, and nice kitty!

I'm guessing it would be too. The LCBO brought in a limited stock of Sazerac 6 year, the only American rye to hit the store that I know about, and it went for $45/750ml. Outrageous, scandalous... I grabbed three.

I may be walking into a trap here but if you are serious - details? Nah - not serious! Just one of the those 'recipes' I like to share with people when I'm trying to make small talk while sewing up their various cut appendages. I thought maybe the evening cocktail was working it's magic.

I brined too. I guess it's not traditional in the big picture but it's traditional for me when working with bird.

Sounds awesome Darienne. For whatever reason, I'm really glad I went traditional. As I mentioned, I don't usually cook thanksgiving dinner. I decided to this year and had a somewhat elaborate dinner with all kinds of little modern twists planned out. Literally the morning of, I decided that I really didn't want to spend the day thinking about details. I just wanted to cook. So I scrapped the planned menu and just walked in the kitchen and started doing things. It was the most fun I've had in the kitchen in some time and everybody enjoyed it so I think it was the right decision.

I've been in a culinary funk recently. I'm not sure why. It could be somewhat due to a job that has pretty much completely hobbled any attempts at creativity after coming from a job that allowed for a great deal of being creative. Not that I don't appreciate the job I have, it pays the bills, but a lot of the fun is gone. Anyway, for thanksgiving this year (did it yesterday instead of today) I decided to do something I never do... cook the dinner myself. I locked the modern ingredient toy box, hid the sous vide tank and went full old-school. Oven roasted turkey. Traditional style stuffing (baked in a seperate pan, my one break from tradition because I prefer it over baked in the bird). Stove-top cooked rutabaga, mashed potatoes and carrots (all fresh from the garden). Baked a loaf of bread. Made the gravy from the bird drippings. Made cranberry sauce with highbush cranberries from a neighbors yard. Dessert was traditional pumpkin pie with whipped cream. It was refreshing. Almost cleansing in a way. No scales, no super-careful measurements, no micro-monitored temps... just get my hands in the food and cook. I think I feel a bit better now.

Me too! I also prefer broccoli as it's own dish. I don't love it added into things (stir fry, casseroles, etc.) all that much. I like broccoli, it just seems like it almost takes over when it's used as filler in some dishes.

Sounds fun Kerry. I seem to have the culinary drive of a glacier-embedded rock lately so maybe this will kick me in the enthusiasm.

Fuzzy bunny slippers? As awesome as that would be, no. Fine, I'll take my lumps. I wear Saucony Progrid Rides. Yes, high end cushioning running shoes. I tried all of the usual suspects for appropriate kitchen footwear, even with custom made orthotics, and nothing has come close to the comfort levels I get now. Not allowed in most kitchens, not particularly safe (although I might argue that many of the clogs I see worn don't look much safer), completely unprofessional... but the dogs don't care about all that, they're comfy.

I won't make a suggestion because I shouldn't be wearing what I wear and you are unlikely to be able to get away with it where you work... but my feet, legs and lower back never get sore. My plantar fasciitis troubles disappeared completely as well. I will keep an eye on the suggestions you're getting in case someone makes a good case for something I haven't tried yet that is more kitchen-appropriate than what I wear now.

Let us know what you think of the Stones. Can you do a taste comparison with Canton? I'm not sure what people do with it here but you can get it at any grocery liquor store. There's also a higher alcohol version. Way to sweet to drink on it's own IMO, but I've been having fun mixing with it (note to self: I'm out). Actually, I think it was you that mentioned it in the other thread that inspired me to check it out. I can't compare it to Canton, I've never had Canton and the LCBO discontinued it before I started looking for it. This is probably going to be my Canton unless someone informs me that it's not at all similar.

Good stuff! It looks like the LCBO brought in yellow chartreuse but none has made it's way to stores on this end of the province. I may have to see if the local store will order it for me.

The main problem for me is the "essentials" list never stops growing. A couple years ago, my alcohol-related essentials were beer, gin and more beer. Now every time I think I'm almost happy with what I have, I find several drinks that sound great and require something I don't have.

I can be patient when I want to. I'll just wait until I or someone I know goes to the Store That Carries (almost) Everything LCBO, which is about 5 hours away but in a city frequently visited by people where I live, and get the Benedictine.

Digging this one up in honor of the long-anticipated (at least among Ben & Jerry's/SNL fans) and finally released Schweddy Balls. Vanilla ice cream with a hint of rum and fudge-covered rum and malt balls. I haven't seen it where I live yet but I loved the skit (and the recent take on it with Betty White, Dusty Muffin... an absolute must-watch for Betty White fans ) so I'm hoping to see it arrive here soon.

Dammit... I've managed to not worry too much over not having benedictine. The local store doesn't carry it, only B&B, and there always seems to be something else I want more when someone picks something up from out of town for me. Now I'll be worrying over not having it. Those sound tasty.

Cherry Heering... finally brought in by the LCBO. Thanks Matt (mkayahara) for the heads-up! Martini Bianco... because I didn't have one and the Martini is the only one available at the LCBO. Hopefully it's a decent one. Stone's Ginger... saw it mentioned in another thread, sounded interesting, the LCBO just happens to carry it, so I'm giving it a try.

Yeah, the Silent Order would fall into that same category. It's a powerful smack in the face and probably isn't the best way to check out green chartreuse initially. Tasty though.

Actually, if you add Fernet, I'd be happy with that. Benedictine isn't one of my essentials at this point, mainly because I don't have it and haven't tried it, and I'd miss my Lucano but your list would work very well for me... and I'll take the creme de cassis as part of that list too.

I like the Silent Order and the Green Ghost... with the Green Ghost I take minor liberties. I do 2 oz. gin : 3/4 oz chartreuse : 3/4 oz lime juice to keep the sweet balanced the same but add more herbal punch. So maybe it's not still a Green Ghost? Close enough.

Decided to try the Bitter End... 1 oz Absinthe (I only have two, Taboo and Lucid, I went with the Lucid) 1/2 oz Cointreau 1/2 oz lemon juice 1/2 oz orange juice 1/2 oz egg white 1/4 oz simple syrup 1/4 oz Campari Dry shake everything except the Campari, shake with ice, strain into cocktail glass, pour Campari down side to layer at bottom of glass.

I'm no expert but I think this one may be pretty subjective depending on what you like to drink. Personally, I'd probably let a lot of things in my cabinet go if I had to choose between them and my Campari, Lucano and Fernet Branca.

Good point and as long as a change does indeed improve the result, I'm all for it. But often changes are done in the name of improvement when in fact they are a step in the wrong direction and aren't better, just changed. Cheese is a prime example. I like cheese. "Like" is probably an understatement. But everything isn't made better by throwing cheese in it... despite the evidence that many people seem to think that is the case. On another note, I get the point you're making but the example of changes in the English language doesn't illustrate that point very well in my opinion. I'd say, as a general rule, that the English language is taking large strides in the wrong direction.

I don't know if there is a particular "the authentic" squash casserole but something very similar to you're mom's version, minus the egg and seasoned with a healthy dose of black pepper, is probably my favorite way to eat a pile of crooknecks. I can't see carrot, eggplant, sour cream, cheese, etc. doing anything that would be an improvement over the flavor of the squash sweetened by the onion, balanced by the pepper and enriched by a splash of cream with some texture from the breadcrumbs. Park a pile of collards next to the squash along with the protein of the day (fried chicken, country ham, catfish, pork chops, all of the above) and a plate of biscuits and/or corn bread on the side and it's time to loosen the belt.

Thank you sir. That's exactly what I was looking for. I have no problem with doing things the traditional way, I was just curious if there was more to it than the entertainment/art value. The optimum amount of water to add comes from observation of the changes going on rather than shooting for a specific amount up front. So it's not entirely ritual, it's also technique. It's a curiosity thing I have. I wasn't trying to offend the art side of the ritual, I just needed to know (no, I don't know why I get these "need to know" flashes) if the absinthe cares how one goes about diluting it.