davidshap

Tonight I made a mojito with the V/X, and one with Bacardi Superior (my friend brought a bottle over), and I have to say, I liked the Bacardi one better. I don't have a very experienced palate and have a hard time discussing specific flavors, so all I can really say is the the Bacardi tasted more like what I think a mojito should taste like. I'd definitley agree that they are very different drinks.

Ok, so I bought a bottle of Appleton V/X. Didn't see any Bacardi 8 at the store, and I was debating between the Mount Gay and the Appleton, and chose the Appleton. I haven't made any cocktails with it yet, but I tried a bit neat, and it was pretty good. The only other rum I've had is whatever kind of Bacardi comes in a handle, and this is definitely a lot better, and makes me think that I could really enjoy the spirit.

It's different, and probably superior (to my palate at least). However, it doesn't look as nice. ← I've really been wanting something other than a white rum, so I'm going to pick up a bottle of Appleton's tomorrow. The only question is V/X or Reserve.

There is a spectrum of colors in the rum family from crystal clear to molasses brown. This variety makes things interesting, but can also be confusing. "Light" rum in a drink recipe almost always means white/silver/clear. Appleton V/X and Reserve are very good mixers (some would say the Reserve is a sipper), but if you sub them in for a light rum, you will have a very different drink due to the deep flavor. If you can find drink recipes that call for gold or even dark Jamaican rum, those would be your best bet because the drinks were created to highlight this type of rum. Appleton has a nice website with lots of drink recipes on it here. ← OK gotcha. Though its a different drink, is it necessarily a bad drink? Is a mojito made with Appleton inferior to one made with a white rum or just different?

Does Appleton V/X or Reserve count as a light rum? I know its not white, but it doesn't seem to be a dark rum either. Could it be used in a mojito or daquiri?

The only problem is that my only other choice for a white rum may be Bacardi.

Oh my god lime are over a dollar A PIECE! You'd think there flying them in from Mars.

Ok, it sounds like I should go for a light rum. I'll go to the store later and see what they have. If I can move a little off topic for a moment, in my "liquor cabinet" right now I have Plymouth gin, Cointreau, cheap reposada tequila, Campari, Jim Beam, Makers Mark, Higland Park 12yr, Martini & Rossi sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters (and lemons, limes and oranges). Are there any good cocktails I can make with these ingredients + rum?

I'm don't remember off the top of my head which Appleton they had (there was only two kinds), though its probably the cheapest bottle. Also, liquor is so expensive here, almost everything is 50% to twice the price. Given that I can't go too high end unfortunately.

Hi everyone, This is my first post in the cocktail forum and I'm just starting up with mixology. I haven't bought a rum yet, and I think it's time to add a bottle and start experimenting with rum cocktails. I want to make some classics- Daiquiris, Mojitos- and find some more obscure drinks to try. Unfortunately, I'm on a tight budget, and can only buy one bottle to start. So my question is, should I go for a light or dark rum? Since I haven't had much experience with rum, I'm not sure which is more versatile for making the most variety of drinks. Can one be easily substituted for the other, or will that ruin the cocktail? As a side note, I'm in Sydney right now, and the liquor stores here are terrible. There's not much variety, and my choices are pretty much Bacardi, Appleton, Mount Gay, or Havana Club (which I thought would be good to try since I won't be able to get it when I come back to the US). Any recommendation among those brands? Thanks for the help! -David

Thanks for the replies. Im thinking about buying some all-clad mc2 from cooknmore. They have really good prices, and I think aluminum with ss interior is the best pan for me.

I read the eGCI course, and it was pretty informative. It seems like I have to carefully think about what I need the pans for and then decide what kind will best suit that task. The course also said that aluminum is very reactive to acids. So how do restaurants cooks anything with lemon juice or vinegar?

I need some new fry pans; maybe a 12 inch stainless and some non-sticks. What I'm wondering is whether its worth it to buy expensive All Clad or buy cheaper ones at a resto supply store. I've never been to a supply shop so I don't know what to expect there. What do the experts think?

I thought that eCGI course was pretty helpful. I also like to make epicurious recipes with pictures, but how do you find the recipe for the side in the pics? Do you just use it as inspiration for your own recipes?

Hi eGullet, This is my first post, and I'm a newbie chef. I've been taking recipes from epicurious.com, and I often find a main course that I want to make but have no idea what side dishes to pair with it. How do you decide what to make (similar ingredients or something?). I haven't bought any recipe books yet; do those tend to pair mains with sides? Thanks for the help.