JAZ

It's been a while since I tasted them side by side, but overall, they have a similar flavor profile. I preferred the white La Favorite slightly -- I think it was a little smoother -- but both are very good. They certainly both work well in a Ti punch.

You'll be happy to hear that I did, at long last, make the choron. To start with, as I said, I decided not to make it because it seemed like overkill. But I have to admit that I also didn't think it sounded very good. Paradoxically, that's actually the reason I decided to try it. The point of this whole thing is to get myself to move outside my usual cooking boundaries, so it seemed like the perfect test of my resolve. I used the recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking because I'm familiar with the hollandaise/bearnaise technique from that book. Essentially, I made bearnaise without the tarragon (because I don't like tarragon) and added a spiced tomato sauce that I already had on hand. I served it on sauteed scallops and shrimp, and -- lo and behold -- it was really good. But I still think it would be overkill on top of lemon beurre blanc.

I'll echo what Sam says here. I think the sweetness of lower quality (and proof) triple secs means you'd want to use less, not more. You can partially make up for the lack of orange flavor by twisting a wide strip of orange rind into the drink, though.

I've had a Krups ice cream maker for 10 years or so (it's the model with the motor in the base, not the one on the lid) but until pretty recently, I made sorbets almost exclusively. Lately, though, I've been experimenting with some ice cream recipes. First, I tried a very rich lemon ice cream. Despite my overcooking the custard just a bit, it turned out great, I thought. Then, the past couple of weeks at work, we've been doing demonstrations of the Cuisinart canister-style machine, so we've been making ice cream there too. I tried a different lemon recipe, which essentially called for making lemon curd and then adding cream. The flavor wasn't quite as intense as the first recipe, but the texture was exquisite. I added extra zest to the first batch, so that might account for the difference in flavor. Another flavor we made at work was coffee -- we used a French coffee extract for the flavoring (it's called Trablit) and simply added it to the vanilla recipe we were using. The flavor was great, but I wasn't thrilled with the texture of the vanilla we were making, so I got some of the extract to use at home. I made a pretty standard rich vanilla ice cream base (cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla) and added a tablespoon of the coffee extract. As it was freezing, I added very finely ground dark roast coffee. It was by far the best ice cream I've made, and one of the best I've ever tasted. My original plan was to add toasted nuts and chocolate chips to the ice cream, but the texture was so ethereal I couldn't bear to interfere with it. As it was, the crunchiness of the coffee specks was just the right foil for the rich mouthfeel. I don't have a camera, so I'm sorry that I don't have pictures.

One of my favorites is the original daiquiri, which, in these days of fruit versions, is surprisingly rare. And, as ubiquitous as it may be, the mojito is still a great summertime drink. I was recently introduced to the rum crusta as well, which is defintely worth trying if you happen to have a bottle of maraschino on hand.

I want those. But does that mean I have to use smaller corks?

My parents were not big cocktail drinkers; Dad would have bourbon on the rocks and Mom drank gin and bitter lemon or tonic, but they were just as likely to drink a beer or glass of wine before dinner as a mixed drink. My real interest in cocktails started when I stumbled on the old AOL spirits and cocktails discussion board (moderated by Dr. Cocktail). It really blossomed about 10 years ago when I bought a copy of Paul Harrington's cocktail book. I started mixing whatever drinks I could with the liquor I had on hand, and then started searching out the harder to find ingredients. Pretty soon I was making up my own drinks as well.

What's the cork to ice cube ratio necessary to keep the ice from sticking?

If you think your family would be adventurous enough, you could add a bottle of Campari. Because it's low in alcohol, you can mix it with soda or grapefruit juice (or both) for a light, refreshing afternoon drink, then make Negronis or Jasmines during cocktail hour.

I think this sounds really interesting. I have a question, though. Since I don't have the vinegar you mention on your site, what would be a close substitute? Balsamic?

This reminds me of a drink from Killer Cocktails, the Paloma, which uses grapefruit soda instead of the grapefruit juice, and includes a pinch of salt in the drink. It's great, as well. I have to admit that I really only use tequila for mixing, which is why I've remained silent on this thread. I like Sauza Hornitos, and as I can usually find it on sale for less than $15, that's what I stick with.

Is using a pinch (or more) of salt, or sugar, or acid cheating? They also enhance other flavors; would you say that their use is trying to make up for something missing?

Here's a class on the subject of taste and flavor I did for the eGCI: Taste and Texture: Part I It might give you some ideas.

Incanto is a reasonably priced Italian place with good food and an interesting wine list. The chef uses fresh seasonal ingredients, sustainably and organically raised whenever possible. Click here for a thread, which includes a link to the restaurant's website.

Here's an earlier thread on the topic: Baltimore recs I tried The Brewers Art a year ago or so and was very impressed, both with the food and the beer.

I've only eaten at Charanga once, but had some great dishes there. And I love Cha Cha Cha. I haven't been there in ages (used to live in the neighborhood, so it used to be a short walk) but when I used to frequent it, they made some great dishes. Bad sangria, though, as I recall. Does anyone know if the Mission St. branch is as good?

While I agree that they don't fill in for regular lemons, I do like them in some drinks. I think Meyer lemon juice and Lillet have a great affinity, for example. If you like a dry, slightly herbal drink, try my "After School Special" -- 2 oz. gin, 1 oz Lillet (blond), 1/4 oz. Meyer lemon juice with either a dash of orange bitters or (my new preference) green Chartreuse. Shake and serve up. And I sometimes use a citrus blend with two parts lime juice, two parts Meyer lemon juice and one part orange juice as an alternative to straight lime juice in Margaritas.

I'll be there. I'll be happy to help Katie with drinks, or make appetizers or salads -- whatever I can do to help. When do we start planning the details of the menu?

One thing that never occurred to me until reading this post by Audrey (libationgoddess) was to make simple syrups without heating at all. I really liked the lime syrup she suggests. I don't know how much sugar you can get into solution without heating, though. I've been meaning to try simple syrup with Demerara; I'm interested to see how it differs from syrup with white sugar, which is what I always use.

Something to keep in mind is that wattage is only part of the power equation. A well designed motor can use less wattage and deliver the same performance as a higher-wattage machine with a poorly designed motor. (At least that's what the KitchenAid rep explained to us.) I love my Waring. I've had it for 10 years and I would never consider getting anything else.

I happened to see key limes at the store today, so I picked up a bag. I'm trying a side-by-side comparison of margaritas made with Persian and key limes. I tasted the juices separately first, and noticed a slight difference in the taste, but not really in the acid level, although that's rather hard to gauge accurately just by taste, of course. In the drink (2-1-1 proportions), the key lime is much sharper and almost overpowers the drink. The Persian lime (what I ordinarily use) results in a much better balanced and rounder drink, for my tastes at least. I'm not sure if it's the flavor or the acid level Interestingly, the key lime reminds me of the flavor of Rose's lime juice (which I happen to like, in certain applications). Makes me wonder if a Gimlet made with fresh key lime juice and simple syrup might make an interesting experiment.

I tried the Saicar last night -- brandy, tequila, Cointreau, lemon and lime juice. I didn't have Spanish brandy. It's great drink, and worth trying if you like either Sidecars or Margaritas (or both).

The Head to Tail dinner doesn't surprise me, given Incanto's penchant for including offal in their regular menu. They often have a starter with beef heart, and the last time I went they also had a beef tongue and potato salad, and sweetbread-stuffed ravioli. I was tempted to try the ravioli, but I ended up unable to resist the grilled poussin with braised dandilion greens and guanciale.

I've eaten at Incanto several times and Delfina only once, so that should be taken into consideration, but I'd say the service at Incanto was much better, the atmosphere more relaxing, and the food comparable. The restaurant is quieter and less hectic seeming. All of Incanto's wines (not an extensive list, though) are avaliable by the glass and in a two-ounce pour, which is nice if you're dining alone, or want to switch wines with courses.

Here's a link to a previous thread on Pimms.