KatieLoeb

The Woodchuck Dark n' Dry is probably the best of the lot if you like your cider closer to beer. And I really like the Woodchuck Pear cider, but it's definitely sweeter. The best half/half concoction I've tried is the Dark n' Dry with Sly Fox Weisse. Very refreshing! One of the bartenders at Amada turned me on to that combination since both are on draught there. I'd have never thought of it but it's really good!

Since we talk so much about the embarrassment of riches that Philadelphia brings to the sandwich board, I thought it high time we start documenting (in one place) all of our glorious sandwiches. Here's what I had for lunch yesterday... The Chickie's Veggie Special. Baked eggplant, roasted red peppers, sauteed broccoli rabe and sharp provolone. Doesn't get any better than this.

This is a joke, right? Plymouth is GIN last time I checked. I suppose fooling people could be a good thing sometimes but I'd still be afraid of the person who has the "juniper infused vodka" hit the instant eject button when they smell or taste it. Sense memories can be quite powerful.

Say what? Dude, speaking of irony, it might be time to change your signature line...

Or are just recovering from Yom Kippur fasting...

As a result of reading this thread, I just went on a book buying binge on Amazon. It's all of your fault.

The antioxidant in grape skins is reservatrol. It undoubtedly exists in pill form by now. Interesting article HERE states that Pinot Noir has the highest concentrations of "good stuff".

All of the specialty cocktails on Amada's drink list are named after Pedro Almodovar movies. The "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" is a pineapple infused cacahca Mango colada. I'm entering it in the RumFest cocktail competition in New York November 14.

QUESTION: do you make the simple syrup first, and then boil the spices in the already made simple syrup, or do you make it all at the same time (water, sugar, spices all together at the same time)? Hope that makes sense. Thanks so much for posting the recipe!! ← Bring the syrup to a boil, dump in spices and boil for another 5 minutes then turn off and cool.

I'd like to add my congrats to Greg and Ross. I'm sure the restaurant will continue to be well loved and will evolve brilliantly under their leadership.

Sounds absolutely delicious!! Would you be so kind as to share the recipe? ← OK - here's the spicing for the simple syrup, in decending quantities. Mexican Canela or Cinnamon sticks star anise cloves peppercorns red chile flakes I'm talking about 5 or so cinnamon sticks, a 8-10 star anise, a tablespoon each of cloves and peppercorns and a teaspoon or so of red chile flakes to one quart of 1:1 sugar:water simple syrup. Boil the spices in the syrup for five minutes and allow to cool overnight. Strain. Syrup should be "dessert spicy" with a subtle heat. This spiced syrup is delicious in sangria, mulled wine and other cocktails as well. The drink is called "Talk to Her" and is currently on the specialty cocktail list at Amada restaurant, here in Philadelphia. 3 oz. dry white wine .5 oz. Belle de Brillet Pear Cognac 1 oz. Pear nectar .5 oz. spiced simple syrup Splash of sweetened and diluted fresh lime juice (2 parts fresh lime juice, 1 part water and just enough sugar to take the sharp acrid edge off the citrus) Shake over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Float a thinly sliced (on a mandoline) Asian pear on the top of the drink.

Chris: This sounds very tasty to me. Similar to the pear, spice and wine combo in my drink above. And as a lover of gewurz, it also appeals from that perspective.

Thoughts? I know nothing about this restaurant. K ← Marathon Grill is a small local chain of casual burger/sandwich shops. Think upscale diner. Their food is pretty good and they're always packed at lunchtime. I think a few of the locations have liquor licenses and are trying to transition into a Cosi-cafe type of place - sandwiches by day and drinks by night sort of format. I don't know much about the owner of Marathon beyond what was stated in the article. Sadly this incident is not a newsflash. There is an abundance of Mexican immigrants working in the restaurants of Philadelphia (and everywhere else) and many of them are taken advantage of by unscrupulous restaurateurs due to their inexperience with the system, the language barrier and often their lack of legal work papers. They don't want to get reported to INS so they get shafted or find another job. And then some other poor hardworking soul comes and takes their place and the cycle begins anew. The only way this will stop is if more restaurant owners are held liable for ensuring a decent living wage and overtime to the ones putting bread on their table. I hope they make an example of this case and maybe some of the other self-serving owners will start quaking in their boots and do the right thing. I've heard some pretty bad horror stories about other situations where an illegal worker gets hurt on the job and gets driven to the ER and practically pushed out the door of the moving car so the restaurant isn't "involved" in the paperwork. He's fixed up, can't pay his hospital bill, the restaurant won't cover the bill because their insurance company would drop them if they knew there were illegal workers on the clock so the poor hardworking dishwasher or prep cook ends up having to leave to flee the overwhelming medical bills. Really sad and stupid way to do business.

The promised land: Costa's Food Market I tried some of their products at a Greek Festival in Cherry Hill last year. It took me a little while to remember it and find the info, but there you go. The cheeses were all excellent. They had *huge* bags of cheap Greek oregano on the stalks that I still have a healthy amount of. Very fragrant and yummy. Good olives too. A short hop over the bridge to Pennsauken is all that you desire...

I'm SO bummed I missed this. I'd have been there if there were any way for it to happen. Restaurant is opening on Friday and I just spent another 13 hour day helping set it up. My life will be my own again soon... Sooooo...tell us about dinner! Whadja have??? Who took pictures?

I've liked the Bulgarian feta that I've gotten in the past at Bitar's, but perhaps that's just my taste. It's just stinky enough and less salty than other feta I've had. I didn't find the smell unpleasant, but everyone's "funkiness quotient" is different I guess. Try calling DiBruno's before hauling ass over there for nothing. I've been wrong before and it won't be the last time, I'm sure. It just occurred to me that Assouline & Ting might have taramas too.

There's phyllo, good feta cheese (I like the Bulgarian - less salty) and grape leaves at Bitar's for sure. I think I may have seen taramas there too, but I'm pretty sure there's taramas in the back refrigerated case at the 9th Street DiBruno's. Prolly at the big shiny new DiBruno's too.

I don't think the Bala Murray's and the Jenkintown Murray's are related. Anyone? What - there can't be more than one Jewish deli named Murray's?

A month on the Riviera eating Nicoise salad at the source convinced me that I'd misjudged beets for the previous twenty or so years of my life. I already sort of liked cauliflower, but I must agree that the eGullet Roasted cauliflower recipe was an epiphany. I had a bad first uni experience at a sushi bar that put me off it for a long time. I thought it was nasty and approximated the sensation of waking up face down at the beach. Then I had well prepared uni and totally understood what the fuss was about.

Wouldn't Toro Tuna be equally redundant?

Really? I never had any bad or disappointing fish from Murray's. In fact, I thought the sable I had from there was very good. My favorite thing at the Jenkintown Murray's is the "Chicken in a Pot". The very best thing for a comfort food jones or head cold if you don't like Hot n' Sour soup to blast out your clogged head like I do.

I'll let you know after I've had a chance to see the film. Hikaru is literally a stumble out my front door and I'll definitely recognize the interior.

This rumor smells of a cow pasture. Source?

Dude - you're not kidding that y'all weren't messin' around with the wines. Nice lineup to say the least. Sheesh! Sweet selection you got going there... I happen to personally love that Brunori Verdicchio and I'll bet it's freakin' fabulous with the clams. I put that wine on as the only Italian white on the current list I just finished and there's Razor clams grilled on the plancha on the menu. I'll definitely have to recommend that pairing. Sounds like a winner.

Ashbourne Market in Elkins Park, perhaps?