Hassouni

Here you go, induction, plugs into the wall. Any magnetically reactive metal will work, notably steel and cast iron http://www.amazon.com/1800-Watt-Portable-Induction-Countertop-8100MC/dp/B0045QEPYM/ref=sr_1_4?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1364946728&sr=1-4&keywords=induction+cooktop. If you're not using clay pots and copper and stuff that's how I'd go, but that said you can also get a package that includes an adapter disk (a metal disk that heats up like a hotplate, upon which you can place a cooking vessel of any material) http://www.amazon.com/Max-Burton-6015-Induction-Combination/dp/B00213L3PU/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1364946814&sr=1-3&keywords=induction+cooktop You can also get these small propane burners at any Asian supermarket, but their max flame is weaker http://www.amazon.com/Grillex-GB-10K-Portable-Gas-Burner/dp/B0055QMXJK/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1364946866&sr=1-3&keywords=propane+burner

I have to say I don't mind the sweetness per se, it's just the overly thick mouthfeel - I really like the original formula. I blame the Campari for its syrupy nature. That said, I'm using Cinzano red/sweet vermouth, maybe other sweet vermouths are lighter?

Any way to get a Negroni with a less thick, syrupy mouthfeel, short of shaking it? No matter how much I stir, or how many rocks I serve it on, it has such a thickness to it that i find somewhat tiresome...

Ran out of gin, running out of rye, and the rest were on sale and I couldn't say no: Yeah, 4 bottle of Rittenhouse for $18 a pop. Score!!!

Last night at the newish Hogo in DC, had a Jasper's Jamaican, which is sort of like an up version of his punch (the latter is better, I think), and a flight of El Dorados - the white, 8, and 21 (all for a great price) - I'd never had any of those EDs, just the 12 and 15, and I can say that they're awesome across the board. The 8 was surprisingly luscious, and given the price may be one of my future go-to rums. They also had an old-style bottle of Lemon Hart 80, which I tried, and was similarly excellent. Demerara FTW! Today having Cynar over crushed ice, because I ran out of soda water. It's very nice!

At least in Lebanon, tomatoes are compulsory. Tabbouleh should not be bone dry, in fact it's often very moist with a small pool of dressing, which is usually not more than sumac, garlic, a lot of lemon, and olive oil. Also, in Lebanon, preserved lemons to my knowledge aren't really a thing. Tabbouleh should properly be eaten like a lettuce wrap, it's always served with whole leaves of romaine.

My picks, having gone to college there... Helmand! Also Silk Road Bistro in Pikesville for astonishingly good Uzbek food. Nak Won (or some spelling variant) on 22nd (or thereabouts) and Charles for quality Korean. Alewife downtown for a staggeringly good burger (The Smokeburger).

On a more downmarket note, my friend introduced me to Grant's Family Reserve, a bargain basement blend from the owners of Glenfiddich and Balvenie - it's dirt cheap and surprisingly good! Very smooth and delicate, somewhat complex, and very impressive for the price of a high end sandwich in DC. It may become my go-to Scotch for cocktails (not that I make many Scotch cocktails)

Oh good, I got some for a friend as part of his wedding present without having tried it, glad to know it's worthy of the Aesir

Sir, sir, sir, it needs to be made with British-style lemonade!

Some people (not me) find it overly tart as written. And big. More "tub of ethanol" business. I mean, sometimes you want a big tub of tart frozen ethanol - they're certainly not for every day but boy do they have a right time and right place!

All the more reason to just get the balance right. Honestly, I think a well balanced aviation is divine.

OK, that is a brilliant idea!

Man, why the hate for the Aviation....it's one of the most perfect drinks. And the Papa Doble? I wrote a blog post that mentioned it entitled "Alcoholic Liquid Nitrogen" - on a super hot day, when you want a cooold, strong buzz that's also a great drink, nothing beats it.

This was the Super H-Mart in Fairfax, VA. Stuff is so often mislabelled there that I'm not sure a manager would be of much help, unless he knows the Japanese names for stuff. Based on the links you provided, it sure does look like the "negi" that's used all the time in Japanese cooking

Oh yeah, I should note that if you buy some in the summer, and do some other errands, by the time you get home they do make the car smell rather garlicky

Young leeks, or what? They're like no leeks I've seen - they can be eaten raw, and they're structured differently than the standard fat leek. If it's not clear, these are no fatter than a slightly large marker (like a sharpie)

Here's what Hmart sells, no sign in either Korean or English, sadly: What are they?

Cool. I ask because a friend of mine is a gin fiend and was asking if I knew where to get some - I sent him the link to Astor, thanks!

Where the hell did you get two bottles? Somewhere in NY? Down here, neither Ace, Batch 13, nor Potomac Wines even received any to begin with.

That's how I feel about Caol Ila 12 and Talisker 10, "entry level" but "world class", along with HP12

No, haven't seen it for sale, and the only other DEs I've seen have been around the $100 mark, which is getting absurd...But then I was lucky to find the regular 12 y.o. for well under $50

Can anyone here read Korean? There are similar things sold at my local Super H Mart, but the description in English is not helpful. From what I understand of negi, they're basically the same but I'm not sure. If someone can read Korean, I can take a picture next time I'm there of the sign

Make sure you get the standard 12 year old bottling - they do some unpeated ones and 10 years and who knows what else - fortunately the standard 12 is the most readily available!

Considerably hotter, especially the Kutbil-Ik one, but even the regular bright red and green. I'd say El Yucateco are the hottest sauces you can get at a supermarket. I got a bottle of Shark brand and threw it out. It was much too sweet and not nearly hot enough. For what it's worth, this is the original Thai style of Sriracha (or in Thai, Si Racha, which is a place in Thailand). That said, for a while now I've found Huy Fong Sriracha rather insipid and too garlicky. By the way, I think Huy Fong Sriracha absolutely overpowers the taste of food to which it's added. One reason I like Yucateco is because you need less of it for the same heat level, and it doesnt have that signature "sauce" taste, it's very similar to straight habanero flavor. For Southeast Asian dishes, I'm more likely to slice up some thai chiles rather than use Sriracha (I do use it sometimes, though). For Chinese stuff I use Lao Gan Ma chili oil (which also has Sichuan peppercorn and other lovely solid crunchy bits in it), and for Japanese/Korean I typically use either shichimi togarashi, or chile infused sesame oil aka "la yu/rayu"