lesliec

A siphon is the first answer that comes to mind. Just a simple length of plastic tubing, maybe half a centimetre in (outside) diameter. Place one end above the sediment level in your original vessel, suck the other end until the liquid moves up the tube and drop the other (sucked) end into another vessel. There are more elegant ways, even technology, but that's essentially it. Depending on the quantities you're dealing with, you might be able to use something like a turkey baster to get the clear layer off a bit at a time, or simply tip it off very carefully, being sure to stop when the sediment starts to come up.

Wonderful, tasty Fernet?

And I don't think I'd enjoy that. Thank you, ma'am. Saturday approaches; I shall report results in due course.

It takes two, apparently. You're now there. I, on the other hand, have to catch up; I haven't had the WTF yet (although for some reason many people say the name of the drink when I'm around ...). Last night we finished the evening at a very crowded Hawthorn Lounge, where my man Peter made me the most delicious Sazerac using, I believe, Jeffersons Chef's Collaboration bourbon/rye blend.

Not a bad thought, and I'm quite sure it would work. But I'm not getting the need for all the extras anyway. I used to use egg in my patties because I thought you had to or they'd fall apart, but a TV chef (yes!) showed me the error of my ways. Now I just use minced meat (whether beef, lamb, pork, ...) and some chopped onion. One thing the TV guy emphasised: don't over-work; just get the meat and onion more or less mixed together, then gently form into patties and LEAVE THEM ALONE. This has been working brilliantly for me, and my burgers have never tasted better. I can't think why bacon in the mix would upset things, but somebody upthread made the sensible suggestion of simply cooking in bacon fat (which I've done, and it's good). But I call that Plan B. Plan A is to think about how you mix your ingredients and maybe tone it down a bit. Plan C might be transglutaminase.

Excellent - I had wondered. Thanks, Jo. I did have one other question. Your recipe on page 1 of this topic has two types of flour but no raising agent (baking powder et al). Is that right?

I may have to hand back my platinum eG membership card. Last weekend I acquired the necessary ingredients for Jo's blueberry pancake recipe (frozen berries was the best I could manage, but at least they're local), then didn't make them. It's probably the hour of waiting for the batter that put me off. I shall try to do better this weekend.

Hi, foodmachine. Welcome to eGullet. I hope you enjoy your time here. We have members from many different cultures and some very robust discussions at times. Jump into the forums and explore.

... and it's gone.

Glad you made it, Dejah. Those are rather splendid-looking Yorkies.

Hi Victoria. Welcome to eGullet. Many of us have had (and continue to have) our universes expended here. You'll have lots of fun. In what directions do your cooking interests lie? Pastry, modernist, ethnic, all of the above? Wherever you want to go, there's almost certainly an eG topic on it. You'll find a search box at the top right of your screen, or just set aside a couple of hours (weeks? years?) and just browse. If you can't find what you're looking for, just ask - we like to look after our new members. Enjoy your journey. Regards, Leslie

Anova's being very nice to us these days - I just received another discount offer from them. As with the one earlier this month, this consists of a discount code which gives $50 off your purchase. The difference is, this can only be used for the Anova One, the original, not the new one coming in October (we hope) or the Anova Pro. That's not really a limitation; the Anova One is a very fine machine. I can't use my discount, so if anybody would like it, PM me.

Combine the two - a massive Mai Tai served in a real coconut shell. I'd drink it ...

Dammit, Rafa, you did it again. Laughter in the Dark (Islay Scotch, Cynar, PX). I get piles of chocolate up front, then the Cynar kicks in and lingers. Lovely stuff.

That does look pretty, Sophie - of course, having a bowl like that helps! My late mother-in-law was a trifle-making champion. Her technique was to roughly break up the sponge, then pour jelly over it before it sets. Then a layer of custard and finally whipped cream. Yes - no sherry or other alcohol! Sacrilege!! But it was really good. If I'm nice to her, Wifey sometimes makes it too.

Hi, JazzaB. Welcome to eGullet. Wow - you've been busy! I can't help with any specific recommendations for Cadìz and Valencia (the home of paella, but I'm sure you knew that), but as I suspect you've found, Spain generally is a great place to explore and just try things. Sounds like you've had some amazing experiences, and we'd be very happy to have you share some of them in more detail. I don't recall seeing any activity lately, but there's certainly been mention of paleo on eG. There's always room for more discussion; explore the search box at the top right of the screen to see what's already here. You're off to a good start with your first post, and you'll find plenty more to discuss out in the forums. Have fun. And we might see you back over this way sometime. Regards, Leslie

Buttery nothing sounds like an improvement! Not even a hint of mushroominess? I'm intrigued - I'd heard of puffballs being eaten but never trusted the smallish ones that grow at home.

Hi Kenji. Welcome to eGullet. 15 years in bars and restaurants and you don't call yourself a professional? I'm in awe! We have a lot of fun with our Modernist topics here at eG; dive in and share your tips and questions with us. Looking forward to seeing you in the forums. Kind regards, Leslie

Hi, PastryPsycho. Welcome to eGullet. We're all about sharing recipes and tips, and we LOVE pastry. Dive into the forums and have fun. What part of Greece are you in? We'd like to hear more about your regional foods, as well. Looking forward to your posts. Kind regards, Leslie

That presupposes you've got a favourite buttermilk pancake recipe! I'll give Jo's a try.

No need to wait, Cyalexa - I seem to recall a Heston Blumenthal experiment with putting Blue Nun (cheap German wine) through a Sodastream. Seemed to work just fine - ah yes, here we are.

Tasted all right, too. The trick is to forget all about making them immaculate - they're supposed to be lumpy, and probably to collapse when they come out of the oven. Commercial ones look perfect and taste blah. You guys have got me interested now. What's a good blueberry pancake recipe?

No shortage of blueberries here - even growing an hour or less north of me. They're not native, of course (neither are kiwifruit!), and presumably their ancestors came from over your way somewhere. I've never 'got' bacon with sweet stuff. But, as you may be able to see here, I have no problem chucking a handful of blueberries onto a pavlova.

I think that pretty much sums it up. I've seen genever referred to as being a sipping spirit, much like whisky, and not originally intended to be mixed. Traditionally it would certainly have been a 'weightier' drink than gin.

'Yo ho ho and a bottle of Wray & Nephew' sounds pretty nautical to me. Discounts are always worth having. And you've once more proven my Life Rule # 2: if you don't ask, you don't get.