haresfur

Welcome! Thanks for your input. I've been avoiding egg white cocktails but maybe it's time for some aerobic drinking

Yikes! I do wish, as a species, our finger nails were thick enough to armor our digits. I attribute my worst fingernail slice to cooking while bopping to the English Beat. So maybe we need to normalize this thread for taste in music.

Working 12 hr night shifts this week, which has really cut into my drinking I don't know how you bartenders can handle the late nights and the after work activities. There is something particularly decadent about mixing spirits with milk and I figured this was the perfect time to try a milk punch for my 1:00 PM breakfast. The Kitchen Aid blender did a good job of turning ice to snow. I used cheap brandy and Goslings Black Seal rum. After a taste comparison I agree with Dr. Cocktail that a splash of good vanilla extract goes well. Besides drinking vanilla ups the decadent factor. As does serving it is one of those plastic beer mugs with liquid in the walls that you freeze to keep the drink frosty. Garnish with a recycled Starbucks straw. Thank you New Orleans! Time for my afternoon nap...

I admire your dedication to your cocktails and willingness to debase yourself for them. Kind of expensive for a gag but I can see the chuckle factor playing with one.

I'm impressed! I'd never be able to identify all those components. Any suggestions where these could be put to best use?

I sent a link to this thread off to the ladies. Very interesting discussion. Sours, especially the Sidecar, and rum seem to be most recommended, although there are some nice sounding gin choices. For visitors who may find their way here from MxMo, a related thread is: Cocktail Drinking for Beginners Thanks for playing everyone; be sure to check out the other entries over at Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails - Boston

Sidecar is good. Another choice is a properly made Margarita with real lime, Cointreau, and agave tequila. That tends to move people from "these are ok with Mexican food" to "Wow, there is something about a well made cocktail. Maybe I should try others." But at the risk of recycling a MxMo entry the last one I made for a novice is the Tacoma Screw (named after a fastener store): The Tacoma Screw In a rocks glass mix: 2 oz white rum 3 oz orange juce ice cubes pour in 1 oz Cassis without mixing float a splash of Pyrat XO rum on top Said novice didn't gag on tasting my Americano so for a bit riskier take, a Campari gateway drink I posted a while back: Campari Sacrilege: 1 Campari 2 Port (I used tawny because that's what I had) 2 dashes (or more) Fee's Orange Bitters Orange twist to garnish Mix Campari and port over ice, add bitters and garnish.

Barbancourt ***** 8yr rhum, neat. My first time trying this (thanks for the reviews Ed!) Yummy.

Hope I'm not treading on anybody's toes, but time is wasting on this month's MxMo and I decided it was time to stage a coup. If any of you read (or write) blogs which cover cocktails, you might know that Paul over at Cocktail Chronicles has been organizing a monthly online cocktail event he calls Mixology Mondays. This month's event is hosted by Pink Lady at Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails - Boston (love the name). The theme is "First Time". To explain: So hurry and post those corrupting concoctions here.

Hmm, I'm striking out with this one: What's in your fridge? Any ideas for recipes? Perhaps a smoothie? Which brings up the question of three disgusting ingredients in an actual recipe - perhaps it tastes better than it sounds... like Salt cod, green olives, and capers Otherwise my vote is for cabbage, yogurt, molasses.

Picked up some Fees Aromatic Bitters in Portland last time I was there and have to say they are wonderful in Italian style lemon soda - with or without rum.

Well I just bought a new cook top. Being down to one burner was just too much of a pain Here's my thought process for the purchase and my thoughts now that it has been a while. Gas was out since that would mean getting a propane tank and I didn't want the extra expense and hassle. I liked the idea of induction but decided to hedge my bets by getting an Electrolux hybrid. I think there was only one other brand that gave the choice of 2 induction + 2 radiant burners. With the hybrid I can still use non-magnetic pots and the cost is much lower than all induction. Having 2 burners for a decade or so (plus the Jenair grill) and only one for several months, I figure 80% of the time 2 induction burners will be enough. The advantages of induction for me are: energy efficiency, fast response, high heat, throttles to very low heat, easier cleanup because the cook top stays fairly cool, and less heat sent out into the room. I did have to run heavier wire and install a 40 amp breaker. The disadvantages of the hybrid are mainly the lack of 2 big induction burners, the cooked on spills around the radiant burners (so far that hasn't been too bad and I try to clean up before they get too nasty), and remembering not to pick up spilled bits of food with my fingers like I can around the induction burners . Other features to consider: Burners with adjustable heating areas. Mine has 2 different sizes to set manually on the big radiant burner and 2 sizes set by a sensor on each induction. With ceramic cook tops you need to consider if you want a metal rim around the pyroceram top or not. The rim makes it somewhat harder to clean up but should catch spilled liquid before it runs down the counter. Now about the Electrolux specifically I have a few complaints. None show-stoppers but still... The 2 induction burners share RF generators at max "booster" power so if you try to run both on high, one will ramp down. The literature talked about many levels of control but that was only for the radiant burners. The induction only has 10 levels. So far that hasn't been too bad, but I would like more choices. Electrolux controls the retail prices so you can't really find a deal. There was about a month lead time ordering even though they were going to be drop-shipping. Then it didn't get shipped out on time and when it did show up for store pick-up the free All-Clad fry pan that was supposed to be included didn't arrive until several months later. I don't think that was the store's fault although it could have been. Certainly the local people seemed to be trying to bird-dog it. Overall I'm happy with the price and performance but it isn't the most high end solution.

Eastern Washington State: I got Smoked Paprika at Costco but have never seen it elsewhere (or Hot Hungarian Paprika, but that's a separate complaint), I'm sure there must be crema at one of the Mexican markets but have never looked. Miso from an Asian market or the small health food store. Probably can get pancetta. Everything else would be hard and probably off-putting for some. Could you figure out a way to use pom juice instead of the molasses?

Sounds orgasmic! Seems like something with pomegranate would be appropriate - it is the fruit of love. Maybe real grenadine in the drinks?

Pots, definitely. Not that I'm that great a cook, but I do appreciate a nice pot. I would maybe change my tune if I could actually do a decent job sharpening a knife (I did once get an axe sharp enough to shave hair off my arm but it took days). So my knives aren't that great. ... Besides if the knives burn up maybe the insurance will buy me good ones

Well I guess, to me it tastes too much like molasses and too little like fermented molasses. And it runs roughshod over anything else I've put it in.

IMO the real travesty is that it is nearly impossible to buy real grenadine, even though it is easy to make.

To each his own, I guess, but I find Cruzan Blackstrap to be, well, vile. I like Goslings, Myers and the plain Captain Morgan's Dark you get in Canada (or at least I liked it decades ago). Lamb's Navy is fine in a pinch. Come on by and I'd be happy to serve you the rest of my bottle.

For the many-petaled lotus, artichoke could work. ... 'cus lotus root is too obvious.

Not today, but last Thursday we made it to Zig Zag and all I can say is "WOW!" Ok, I can say a bit more. Tried to go for a drink or two before dinner but we were a bit early so back up the stairs for a bite. Good thing. We are definitely light-weights - Getting right to the punch-line we had great cocktails, overshot the hotel a bit walking back (I would probably have kept going and ended up in Lake Union), were in bed by 9:00, and up early enough to drop EMP at SEATAC before the traffic got bad. Back down from Pike Place we scored the best stools at the bar for watching Murray work. Ordered the first drinks off the menu, I had an Armistice (I think) and emp had something with gin, chartreuse and other good stuff. Yum. Pretty soon we were sharing tastes with our new best friends on either side, as they rotated into the line-up. After that we put our selves in Murray's hands with him asking me to narrow it down to dark spirit and bitter and seeing I didn't make a bad face at the mention of Fernet Branca. Hushed voice from beside me as it was being prepared, "Is that a Toronto?" I didn't have a clue until Murray told me it was. Wonderful. "What's that?" comes the question from emp's side. "A Toronto" I say knowingly, and pass it over. She's drinking a taste of muddled cucumber, hot sauce and gin. Nice but a bit too spicy for more than a tiny bit IMO. We taste an Aviation from over that way, and the Creme de Violette, and some gin, and something with Laphroaig and ginger-beer... I ask for anything with rum and we decide on dark but not too molassesy. Out comes a taste of a Venezuelan rum who's name is lost in the haze followed by a Coin Toss. I look over and emp has a glass full of crushed ice, mint, sugar, and absinthe (maybe something else too?) Sweet, with a taste that is enough to drive you crazy even if the thujone content is low and you don't suck them down in rapid succession, tempting though that may be. I feel a bit like the time I went to a restaurant and had a perfectly prepared piece of halibut - why do I bother trying to cook fish? Every drink was great, it was fantastic to be able to dry things with ingredients that the State stores don't stock, and the people were great. Thanks Murray!

Whole wheat bread.

Sad to report I have nothing to contribute this month -at least that I'm willing to admit to. Let's just say caramelized-onion infused tequila was not one of my better ideas Hope some other forum members can take up the flag.

Hydrochloric acid is volatile. So is hydrofluoric acid I suppose (if you want frosted glasses - it etches glass). Not saying hydrochloric is or isn't present in booze, intentionally or not, but it could be.

I nominate the Dark and Stormy. Too frequently, I find myself driving home from work thinking, "It's a dark and stormy night." Darn tasty and if nothing else it is a drink with staying power. Dark and Stormy