haresfur

My understanding is that here in Washington State the cherries came on fast so they couldn't pick and process them quick enough. That meant that they only picked the best ones. Maybe you got the left-overs, after we ate our fill I'll eat a few Raineers but prefer bings (shows his out of state roots and hangs head in foodie-uncoolness).

More slurping than drinking: An XL highball glass containing a scoop of Haagan Dazs Lemon Ice sorbet with a healthy glug of Campari and a shake of Fees orange bitters. Serve with a spoon. Wonder if you could mix Campari into the ice, refreeze, and swirl in with some of the original...

Only 4 of these are available in Washington State!

Rum Brandy Bourbon Tequila Cointreau Sweet vermouth Campari Fee's Aromatic Bitters Orange Bitters (Regan's if I can only chose one) and I suppose gin for guests although I drink far more Fernet Branca ... good thing limes don't come in bottles

Wow this takes me back! Sounds much bigger than when I went in, um, early 1970s. When did it start? My family all migrated from Winnipeg so I haven't been back.

Sometimes see deep fried asparagus in WA State in the spring. I think it is a waste of good asparagus and good fry oil.

But how could they possibly be better than the Dare maple-leaf cookies? The little round ginger snaps and the freeze-dried green bean snacks are my downfall.

Boy, I wish I knew! Seriously, I'm not aiming at anything systematic; it's just a way to move some of the more interesting information I've come across from the inbox to the outbox, and perhaps to revisit some of the stuff I wrote about in Imbibe! in the light of new information. ← I'd like to see a good summary of the whole triple sec, curacao, Grand Marnier history. I know we all love Contreau now but is it what was meant in those early recipes?

Thanks, but how can I tell if an older teapot is "fully vitreous"? ← There are a few issues here (to respond to a few posts without too much cutting and pasting). As mentioned previously, vitreous ware refers to the body. One of the easiest tests, not totally conclusive, is to tap it. a dull thud is not vitreous, a solid klunk or ring is. However, sometimes the glaze can fool you. Another test - particularly good for pots with an unglazed foot is to fill it with water and set it on a paper towel for a few hours or a day. If the water weaps through, it isn't vitreous. If it doesn't weap through, either the body is vitreous or the glaze inside is good enough quality to keep the water in. This is a good idea to try if only so you don't leave a ring on that nice table. An earthenware pot will be relatively easy to scratch (on that unobtrusive unglazed spot) while a nice vitreous body is generally pretty hard. Aside from that, you can get to know the different types of pottery and glaze and thus usually tell by looking at it. However, IMO, even if a pot is vitreous, I don't think it is always ok to put it in the dishwasher. Dishwasher soap is pretty alkaline and can attack some glazes. I won't get into balanced vs. unbalanced formulas and the ethics of selling pots as functional, but for some pots, if you must use detergent, I think hand washing is a better idea. I have some Ikea glasses that are permanently etched from the dishwasher. I'll stick to rinse and go or at most scrubbing with hot water myself. There's nothing about a pot that will withstand the dishwasher that makes it *need* the dishwasher treatment.

Love dal on it's own but eagerly awaiting details on using it as a textural and flavoring element. Great stuff; thanks for sharing.

To be honest it's quite hard to pin it down to one factor as I think everything is playing its part, from the spirit I've used as the base, the quality of the botanicals, the length of maceration time and the ratios to balance it out as each botanical offers something different. ... snip ... I'd appreciate all input/feedback/questions on Boker's or bitters in general for that matter, and promise I'll contribute to the 'All About Bitters' thread as well. ← Ok, you've convinced me it is worth ordering yours ... as soon as I figure out if I'm changing jobs and having to drink down the supplies, or not.

Could you make little pirate chests out of rice with a fish lid and seaweed embellishment?

Right on - it's a matter of perspective "it isn't a stain, it's a patina". I just rinse any tea pot with hot water. Cups are another matter since I usually use them for other things (small far east style tea cups are my favorites for whisky). You probably won't get mineral deposits in the tea pot unless you let the tea evaporate for days. The minerals form in the kettle because of the boiling driving off CO2 and evaporating water.

Tried the Gran Gala and I think it was an improvement. Might add a dash of Cointreau for the zip, though. I suppose I should try with Dubonnet, too.

Oooh! Looks great. One to try when I get back to the summer side of the world next week. Are you getting local peaches yet? Is there a recipe for the infused nectar or should I just wing it? Any particular favorites for the wine?

Nittany Lion probably tastes about the same I think goat is your best bet for relatively easily available and not easily identifiable taste. Mutton could work too. I once made Dahl sheep chili that was pretty good for bush food.

I suppose you could have sent the mains back because they arrived too soon. Or not order appetizers at all at that point. I'm sure they wouldn't like that any better. Or waited to order anything, "I'm sorry, I'm too famished to decide on my main course. Do you have any bread?" Usually when I order appetizers right away, it isn't because I want to linger, it's because I'm freeking hungry *now*!

The "Mexican" version is similar to a dish we call "quick huevos" but we take a flour tortilla, make a ring of grated cheese around the edge, crack an egg in the middle, sprinkle with hot sauce, and cook under the broiler. Yum. Pseudo Mexican eggs could probably be a whole other thread.

Ante from Robert Hess' Essential Bartender's Guide (As I'm at home, am I demonstrating that Bartenders are not essential? Not in the slightest). 1 3/4 oz calvados or apple brandy (I used Lairds 12 yr apple brandy @ ~84 proof) 3/4 oz Dubonnet (3/4 oz Cinzano red vermouth) 1/2 oz Cointreau 1 dash Angostrura bitters (several dashes Regan's orange bitters) Tasty, with quite an alcohol burn. I'd maybe try Gran Gala next time instead of the Cointreau. Thanks Robert!

Sometimes you've just got to pour some good brown spirit over an ice cube (or not) and call it a draw. Latest favorite in that role for me is Barbancourt 5*.

Another hazard that I don't think has been mentioned is that liquid nitrogen will condense oxygen from the air. Liquid oxygen is very reactive and can cause explosions when in contact with organic matter. Hey, if you want to play with the stuff, great. But invest in training - the chemical companies offer it all over, as do universities. I'm not saying it's any more dangerous than the stuff cooks deal with every day, just that different precautions are needed.

Anyone tried the new Pacifique absenthe from Woodenville distillary? I heard about it from Murray at Zig-zag and have been watching for it. It seems to be on the WA state store price list now but hasn't shown up in my area, yet. Since I'm an absenthe newbie and finding it hard to justify the price, I'd like to get some opinions before I spring for a bottle. On a related note, why do so few expensive spirits come in small bottles? Especially something like absenthe where many recipies only call for dashes.

What a great thread and great bunch of responses. Another for "cowboy toast". From my DB - I never heard of it until I met her. She's from Michigan. I just ate, and now I'm hungry again...

My best results were with Matcha Sour Cream Cookies. Take Betty Crocker's Old-fashioned sour cream drop cookie recipie (p. 182 in the first edition ) and add about 1/4 cup of matcha powder. Sprinkle the top with Cinnamon sugar before baking. I tried making matcha sugar but that didn't cut it.

1 oz Prichard's cranberry rum 1 oz pineapple infused Cruzan dark rum 1/2 oz cheap triple sec (trying to use it up) 1/2 oz amaretto a couple of shakes Regan's orange bitters juice of 1 lime Shake with ice, strain into tall glass containing an ice cube frozen around fresh mint leaves and topped with other ice. Serve with straw. Optionally garnish with a little umbrella and fruit. The pineapple and amaretto seem to play back and forth nicely, but next time I'd maybe save the cranberry rum for sipping. eta: forgot the bitters.