KatieLoeb

My mission today is to make another batch of celery syrup and to create a tomato syrup and come up with a few new cocktails for each. Anybody have any great suggestions? I'm all ears. So far I've made a Jalisco Cel-Ray with reposado tequila, celery syrup, club soda and a splash each of fresh lime juice and ginger ale. Simple but delicious and effective. The tomato syrup will be made by simmering grape tomatoes in a little white wine until soft, running them through a food mill and then slightly reducing and making a 1:1 simple syrup with the reduced tomato essence. I think I might add just a splash of white balsamic for some acidity if deemed needed once cooled. I'm thinking bourbon or gin. Vodka is too obvious. Other thoughts?

I believe this falls under the vague umbrella of "liberty and the pursuit of happiness", which is spelled out. Provided of course, that you aren't hurting anyone else directly...

There was quite a kerfuffle in Philadelphia several years ago regarding a group known as Hugs for Puppies. They were, in fact, violent and terroristic. I know a young lady who was a manager at one of the restaurants being picketed. She was addressed by name over a bullhorn from across the street, with the ominous threat of "we know where you live". That is not acceptable under any circumstances and there's no reason this young lady who was merely performing the duties of her job as manager of a restaurant that happened to have foie gras on the menu should fear walking the few blocks to her home at night, or fear living in the privacy of her home because of some fringe lunatics. I don't believe that most vegetarians have an agenda, but as Obese-Wan pointed out, some certainly do. This group is an example of the sort of extremism he mentioned. They do exist. I'm a big believer in live and let live. Don't tell me what to eat, and I won't tell you. If you are a guest in my home I will accommodate your dietary restrictions to the best of my ability. And that goes for choices like vegetarianism or keeping kosher, to cooking gluten free for you if need be. It's what we do for our friends, right?

Well, even if you aren't coincidentally going to be here at the same time, drop me a PM next time you're heading this way. I think we need to go on a bar crawl together! The cocktail scene is flourishing quite nicely of late. I think you'd be surprised and impressed... Back OT: That pasta and ragu look delicious!!! My favorite kind of pasta dish - rustic and yummy!

Alcuin: Looking forward to this week. Great work so far! Do you ever come back to Philly to visit family? Maybe you can make it for the Heartland Gathering next summer... As for the Ransome, my cohorts and I have found it behaves a bit more like whiskey than gin in the glass in some applications. Try a Ransome Sazerac or Old Fashioned sometime. We just put a Ransome Martinez on the menu. It's tasty that way too...

One of the smartest tricks I've ever learned was to keep a tube/bottle of aloe gel with anesthetic in the refrigerator at all times. It goes on cold and soothing both for minor kitchen burns (like bumping your hand on the hot oven rack) or for mild sunburns. Fabulous and instant relief.

What, no orgeat?? That's not a Mai Tai. Close but not quite...

Precisely. It isn't going to change because the restaurateurs don't want it to, they have the power and the ear of the legislators and local and state laws can sometimes trump them, as they do in San Francisco. There can be a Federally mandated minimum wage, but the "tipped employees" exception is here to stay at least until either: A) The restaurant workers get organized enough to do something about it. Highly unlikely. or B) The Federal government decides that there are no more "exceptions" and pass legislation to force restaurant employers to pay at least minimum wage, tips non-inclusive. Even less likely. I'm sorry that it angers you. It angers me too, but I've learned to function within the parameters that I am forced to. Just remember that it isn't like fairies or ghosts. You don't have to "believe in it" to do it. Don't punish us hard working souls simply because you disagree with the system. We still have bills to pay and your tips, like it or not, pay them. As I stated before, if everyone's livelihoods were dependent on the kindness of strangers, we'd not be having this discussion.

Rouge has always made a perfectly serviceable steak or steak frites (depending upon what was on the menu at the time), but it's not a steakhouse by any means. Very different sort of place. Very different sort of menu. There's a choice of ONE steak, usually. That does not a steakhouse make.

Another vote for the Dolin here, if you can find it. The negligible differential in price is more than made up for by the quality and taste. Keep it in the fridge once opened, upside down if you can manage it in the door perhaps, and it'll keep very well. It probably won't be around long enough to be an issue though...

Ehhhhxcellent!

Considering that waiters in San Francisco already make $9.79/hour plus their employers are required to provide health insurance and paid sick leave if they are full time, I find that a bit ridiculous as one who works for $2.83/hr. and knows how fortunate I am to have an employer that provides health insurance for full time employees. San Francisco waiters have it a lot cushier than most of the rest of us. And I say this as someone who wears those same well worn shoes. Doesn't mean I'd stiff them by any means, but 25% on top of a decent living wage and all the perks?? Pfft. Try working in a less liberal city/state... The problem is that the smaller group of business owners, business tax payers and job providers will always be a more powerful voice to legislators than the cast of thousands of disorganized shmucks making less than minimum wage. Until that dynamic changes, nothing else will except perhaps in some small aberrant liberal pockets like San Francisco, where local ordinances force business owners to provide all of the perks in addition to a real working wage structure. Punishing service staff because you disagree with the system as it currently exists does nothing except punish the decent hard working soul that just made your evening more pleasant by setting your table, polishing your silver and glassware, help you with the menu and wine list, etc, etc. Many of us wish it were different, but are forced to still make our mortgage payments, utility payments, medical care, food, clothing and shelter come from what is essentially mostly tips. It sucks but it is what it is. I think if more peoples' salaries were utterly and completely dependent on the whims or fleeting feelings of generosity at the end of the services rendered, discussions about tipping or not would cease to exist.

That's the Orpheum Theater, so that's Madison, Wisconsin. Who's in Madison?? Come out of your hidey hole! I tried looking through the Drinks thread but couldn't find any matches for Madison. C'mon!! Give it up already!

I think the basil will only make it more delicious. I think vacuum sealing in bags would be best bet. I've frozen already cooked sauce before to no ill effect. I can't imagine freezing the tomatoes would hurt them if they don't get freezer burned. The less air the better I'd think.

It's definitely someone in Wisconsin then. I know they make their Old Fashioneds with brandy. In fact, once I learned that little factoid I put a Spanish brandy Old Fashioned on the cocktail list at my former place of employ. We called it an Old Fascist (courtesy of the droll mind of Philadining).

Nothing specific yet, but sometime in August 2012. A four day weekend, Thurs-Sunday. What say all ye? Are we doin' this or what? I'm stoked to get started organizing...

Bob if there's a next time go to Capital Grill or Prime Rib. Excellent service, excellent steaks and some real gems in 2nd label Bordeaux on the wine list at Capital if you know what to look for.

It's not me either. Having a hard time placing that body of water. Could be a Great lake, could be Cape Cod, could be Long Island Sound... More clues please. I know it's someone that cocktails. Need more to go on.

Make yourself a truly righteous and proper Sazerac with that Saz rye. You can thank me later...

The Luxardo Triplum is usually about $8 less per bottle than the Cointreau and I consistently choose it over Cointreau in blind taste comparisons. It's very much a Cointreau-alike and substitutes seamlessly. I love the Combier too, but I find it a bit less laser beam orange-y and quite a bit more orange blossom floral, which is fine for certain applications.

KatieLoeb mentioned Dr. Scholl's inserts but there are many varieties. You've got to try the blue gel ones. They saved my feet one fall when we had to walk endlessly on sidewalks pulling our 95 pound dog in a wagon. The pain went away immediately and never came back. True, that is not standing on your feet all day long, but it's a good start. Give them a try. I've used them in all my boots and shoes ever since. The blue gel ones are off the shelf. The ones I'm talking about are the "custom" fitted numbers that read how your weight is distributed on your feet, how high your arches are/aren't, etc. The gel ones are great for walking and non-professional circumstances and they're a lot cheaper, like $8 a pair or so. But for standing on ones feet for 8-10 hours at a stretch, I'm going to stick with the higher grade custom fitted ones.

As someone that's literally standing through their whole shift I have two suggestions. Born shoes, handmade in Sweden, are the most comfortable line of footwear I've ever found, both for work and play. I find them on eBay or elsewhere online. You can beat the crap out of them and they last longer than they should taking the abuse. Eventually you have to get a new pair. But you'll get your money's worth out of every last pair you buy. A pair of those Dr. Scholl's inserts that you stand on the mat and have your foot contours diagnosed are a great investment. For about $50 you'll save the cost of a podiatrist visit and the custom insoles at several times the price. These are available at large chain drugstores, Walmart, Walgreen's, Target, etc.

Like any academic foray into sciences, it's the lab work that's the hardest part with the biggest payoffs. Think of it as stocking the laboratory.

Randi: So happy to see you blogging again! We have a lot in common. I too, am not fasting today because of my acid reflux. If I don't eat anything I start to feel really ill. I think we get a pass and get into the Book anyway, if we atone properly. Happy New Year and Gut Yontif to you! I'm also a supertaster, but I LOVE strongly flavored foods. The only thing I can't handle are bitter flavors, which seem off the charts to me. Unsweetened coffee or tea, hoppy beers, some amaros, Campari, etc. Even tonic water is too bitter for me. I can't spit enough times to get that nasty taste out of my mouth after I get the YUCK face if I accidentally ingest something bitter. I would also like to see pics of the dogs. I love dachsies!! They're so sweet! Also the obligatory fridge shot...

That was because the PLCB, in their infinite wisdom, weren't carrying Benedictine in PA for several years. We could get B&B, but not Benedictine. Why, you ask? I still haven't gotten a satisfactory answer to that to this day. Benedictine has been back on the shelves in PA for almost a year now. I do prefer the genuine article when I am able to get it. If you're forced to sub B&B you may have to go a little lighter because the brandy gives it a heavier taste and a goodly dose of wood. It'll work in a pinch, but the real deal balances more easily.