KD1191

Offer to buy the kitchen a round. Or, if the place is relatively laid back, bring them some beer or a respectable bottle of brown liquor on your next visit. The Publican had an item on the menu for awhile (not sure if it's still there) where you could buy the kitchen a 6-pack.

I've come into possession of a good few bottles but it seems that there's still a number of areas without bottlings?!? Last week's Splendid Table featured a piece by Lily Jamali that implied that Angostura supplies will continue to be spotty for quite some time. The factory has been taken over by the government and seems to be in disarray. The clip is worth listening to: Julie Reiner and Dave Wondrich (aka Splificator) make appearances. Audio here: click (go to 22:41). Chicago was out of stock for a couple months, but in the last 2 weeks every store I've visited has come back in stock. Even during the 'drought', large format bottles were available if you knew where to look. As mentioned in the clip, I heard the shortage was due to an issue with the bottle supplier. Perhaps apocryphal, but I was also told that Angostura switched to a new bottle as a result of the issue, and the new container required re-certification by the TTB.

The Violet Hour's approximation of Amer Picon. I've tasted it side-by-side with modern Amer Picon and prefer TVH's by a wide margin. I've never had the original recipe.

Finally test driving a spirit I'd been ogling for a long time: 18th Century Brooklyn 2 oz Old Potrero 18th Century "Rye" 3/4 oz Noilly Prat Dry 2 tsp Luxardo Maraschino 2 tsp Amer Picon Stir, stir, stir, stir. Strain. Hallelujah. Dry. Sweet. Dry. Dry. Dry. An oak lover's dream. The sweetness from the maraschino contrasts very nicely then slips away to the very end when there's a bit of the funk that I associate with maraska pits. The Amer Picon doesn't have a great showing, but this whiskey isn't pulling any punches. Next time around I'm going to try Amaro CioCiaro.

Not that this is the drink I would necessarily recommend it for, but if you've never made a cocktail with Thomas Handy you are missing out, good sir. Well I fibbed a bit there, Andy. I have made an Old Fashioned with it a couple times, and I did try a Manhattan, but something about it wasn't right, so I didn't repeat it. I should have said that I'd rather not experiment with it unless I can be sure of the outcome. What's the best way to make it work in a Manhattan? Just use less? What other drinks would you say it's worth using in? (we can move this offshoot to the Rye thread if you'd prefer) Spent an evening last week making several Sazeracs with Handy, and they were exemplary. It worked well with an Herbsaint, but even better with Vieux Pontarlier. The best also had a dash or two of the Elixir Vegetal in the rinse.

The original poster asked for places with a lively crowd, so I wouldn't necessarily count the volume level at Kahan's places against them in this case. Also, as I mentioned above, I find the no reservations policy at Avec to be the perfect excuse to enjoy an excellent cocktail or two around the corner at Sepia.

North Pond is terrific. It's where I took my wife the day we got engaged, so it has a special place in my heart. That may be why I didn't suggest it for three ladies, to me it has a very romantic undertone, but on second thought that's more my personal experience and not something that's inherent to the restaurant. Stunning view of the skyline, as well. Blackbird, Avec and The Publican are each unique, and you can't go wrong with any of them. Blackbird is fine dining while Avec and The Publican are communal. I see Avec's dishes as more of a composition, while the Publican will take an ingredient and make it shine, treating it in a manner that brings out the best in it. (i.e. Some of the best oysters I've ever had, amazing charcuterie.) Publican is also beer-centric while at Avec you're more likely to be having wine.

I can recommend Avec and Purple Pig for convivial dining with excellent food (I generally prefer the food at Avec, if you must choose). All the meals I've had at Sepia have been quite good, but I still think of it mostly as a great place to have a cocktail while waiting for a table at Avec. The bar is the equal of any restaurant in the city. Lunch at Sepia is pretty reserved compared to the more energetic crowd you get in the evenings. Blackbird is more refined at all hours. It's the rightful flagship of PKs mini-empire, but not exactly lively. Haven't eaten at Custom House, but those I know who have didn't enjoy themselves very much. I've heard good things about Quartino, but haven't been. Graham Elliot, just down Huron, I think meets those criteria, though it's not everyone's idea of fine dining with the foie lollipops and cheez-it cracker garnishes. If you can get through to Schwa, and I'd whole heartedly encourage you to try, it's certainly worth traveling out of your way. If you're willing to take a cab to dine at Sepia, you could just as easily get to the Publican, which has been my favorite place in the city since it opened. (Yes, we're getting a little Paul Kahan heavy at this point in the tour, but there's nothing wrong with that...I could very happily eat at 2 of the 3 of Blackbird/Avec/Publican in a week.) Not too far from you are the three Rick Bayless establishments (Xoco, Frontera Grill, Topolobampo). The last is the best, and most expensive. All are devoted to local agriculture. And, Topolo mostly to seasonal dishes. For refined Latin dining without the Top Chef Masters crowd, May St. Cafe and Mixteco Grill are good choices (but a decent cab ride away). There's been a surge of upscale comfort food places in Chicago, into which I'll paint broadly Gilt Bar, Kith & Kin and Branch 27...though the latter may more accurately pegged 'approachable nose-to-tail' and slotted in with the likes of The Bristol (an excellent and very upbeat spot) and Mado (as well as the aforementioned Purple Pig and Publican). Of these, only Gilt is really walking distance from your place (and 12 blocks, at that).

I work just across the river, so I'm happy to provide more specific advice if you'd like a particular cuisine/price. I'll second the recommendation for Keefer's. When it comes to Rick Bayless, I'd rather eat at Topolobampo once than Frontera/Xoco a dozen times...but to each their own. Avec is great, but that's a pretty decent hike. For more walkable suggestions, on Michigan just north of the river there are two excellent choices: The Purple Pig (500 N. Michigan Avenue) Bandera <--PDF Link (535 N. Michigan Avenue) Both of these can be quite busy, but there is bar seating for the solo diner, which I like. A bit to the West of these is Ginza (19 E. Ohio St), home of excellent ramen and other traditional Japanese food (I don't recommend the sushi, but then I wouldn't recommend the sushi anywhere in Chicago). On your side of the river you're close to Pastoral (53 E. Lake) whose wonderful cheese selections I've made into dinner on a number of occasions.

I don't think anyone here, or Bourdain himself, is claiming that he IS a chef (though he is technically still "Chef-at-large" at Les Halles, I believe). The fact that he is not currently cooking professionally does not preclude him speaking about his years of experience as a chef, or his decade of travelling the world exploring various cuisines with the trained eyes/tongue of a former chef. Whether one would be willing to pay for such insight, is up to the individual. Personally, I won tickets to the event in Chicago, so I will be there. I had a good time at the previous event, but I don't feel the need to ever pay again to hear what I assume will be basically the same spiel.

To no more of an extent than he has on No Reservations. If you still watch the show and enjoy it, you'll likely enjoy him live. As far as I can tell, he's the same self-deprecating cook he's always been, but now he realizes it takes a bit of dog & pony show to continue making the oodles of money that support him and his family in a posh lifestyle. I saw him in Waukegan, IL in November (whoever booked that location should be shot), and he told stories (many of them funny) and then answered questions. The stories included things like the time he met Sandra Lee and getting a fruit basket from Rachel Ray. The Q&A could have been much better organized. It was mostly fan boys (and girls) gushing for a minute or two before spitting out some mundane question (Why didn't you visit the North shore on the Chicago ep of NR?). There was a meet & greet afterward for those who purchased the highest tier of tickets and my wife and I got to chat with him for a bit while he was signing a couple books. I got the distinct impression that he considers the tour a necessary evil. He really wanted to get down to the city to try Big Star (he was effusive in his praise of Paul Kahan), but he had to be on a plane to Michigan at 6 AM the next day for another appearance. We talked a little about Vietnam, where we were both headed a few weeks later. He seemed as excited as ever to get back there.

Do tell...I'll be visiting the area this spring and would be happy to do some research.

We've been enjoying the Vellocet from Rogue Beta Cocktails...this was based on it: 2 oz Pisco (La Botija Taberno Quebranta) 1 1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice 1/2 oz Honey Syrup (infused with Lavender and Seville Orange Peel) 1/2 oz Wray & Nephew Over proof Rum 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters 1 Dash Angostura Orange Bitters Shake and strain, coupe garnished with grapefruit twist. If I'd had some mint, I would have built it in a Collins and done a swizzle, with a 'blue blazer' of W&N to burn the mint as the Vellocet does with Green Chartreuse.

My Spanish isn't what I'd like it to be, but shouldn't this be 'Quatras Naranjas'? Can anybody confirm or deny? I believe it should be Cuatro Naranjas...unless the interlingua 'quatro' was intentional based on the various ingredient sources. Four is not an adjective, thus making it feminine would not be appropriate. Er...cuatro, right. Too early in the morning to be bilingual. Used in a sentence (eg, There are four oranges) it could be an adjective, no? (Hay cuatras naranjas). Hmm...google translator goes both ways. Guess I should have studied more in that class, then I would know for sure. Looks like a good drink at any rate. It's been a long time since I studied, but I'm pretty sure numbers doesn't get altered like adjectives (except the number one, to the extent it is also the indefinite article). You'd say, "Yo tengo cuatro naranjas pequeñas." (I have four small oranges.) Or, "Yo tengo una naranja pequeña" (I have a/one small orange.) Yes, the drink does sound tasty.

My Spanish isn't what I'd like it to be, but shouldn't this be 'Quatras Naranjas'? Can anybody confirm or deny? I believe it should be Cuatro Naranjas...unless the interlingua 'quatro' was intentional based on the various ingredient sources. Four is not an adjective, thus making it feminine would not be appropriate.

I've had mine for about 4 years and still use it almost every weekday. I make 4 "shots" with the AeroPress that are split into two large mugs and topped off with hot water, Americanos basically. On the weekends, I still use the regular drip machine, because it's easier to make a larger volume. We have two French presses collecting dust in a cabinet. I was never happy with the amount of sediment in the resulting product, and the AeroPress is much easier to clean. Depending on your grind and water temp, I think AeroPress coffee can certainly rival if not surpass French Press in taste, and it blows drip out of the water. If you are an espresso lover, it's no replacement for a real espresso machine, but it can certainly play the part in some applications (I made an espresso-brown sugar syrup for cocktails using the AeroPress and it turned out just fine).

Seeing Cynar and brown sugar/coffee syrup combined to good effect over in the Batavia Arrack thread, I thought the same combination might be tasty in a toddy. 2 oz Cynar 3/4 oz Brown sugar/Coffee Syrup (this stuff smells amazing, but the flavor is not nearly as bold, might need a full oz). Slice of Lemon 4 oz Hot Water Pretty tasty, and quite fragrant. I wonder how Averna would work...

Apropos of Toby's Twitter, I was playing around with a bit of sea salt in the bottom of my coffee mug yesterday. I found the minerality to be quite an interesting foil to a touch of cream. I would think a pinch of salt in flips would be an excellent thing.

If you can find Amer Picon, or a reasonable facsimile, try a Brooklyn. I'm quite fond of the Bronx and Income Tax--Bronx with bitters--but those both sweet in them as well, so they aren't going to help you even out the consumption of the two. Michael Rubel's Dogwood Manhattan (Woodford Reserve, Noilly Prat Dry, Amaro Nonino and Peach Bitters) is mind-blowing, but I can't find the exact proportions online anywhere.

Here's a good summary, "[H]ot process, vs. cold process — will have a dramatic effect on the flavor & consistency of your syrup. Heated syrup will be thinner, due to a higher presence of fructose, whereas syrup dissolved at room temperature will be nice and thick, and 100% sucrose." Many also say they can taste a decidedly "cooked" flavor in heated syrups.

Re: Cube(s) vs. Syrup, there's an excellent post on the Beta Cocktails blog that attempts to refute the various reasons people cite for preferring sugar cubes to simple syrup.

Too much Campari on the brain. Replace that last Campari with Green Chartreuse. The Magnolia Tree calls for Green Chartreuse seasoned rocks.

At some point I got the impression that "seasoning" ice is more than just coating the cubes....that "Campari seasoned ice" connoted a sense of, make yourself a Campari on the rocks and when you've finished it, serve the drink calling for seasoned ice in that glass. The Magnolia Tree from Rogue Beta Cocktails is a great drink, and I almost always enjoy a short Campari on the rocks while preparing it, then use that glass for the MT.

Robbie told me they were steeping freshly ground Dark Matter in a brown sugar syrup base....but I did also find the recipe that Chris mentions attributed to Toby.

One of the exceptions may be "If you've access to the Alinea kitchen."