KatieLoeb

They were just in yesterday - National New England Clam Chowder Day. This was for the local TV station's morning news/variety program. Clam Chowder on the Go! That's me in the background setting up the bar. Remains to be seen how it effects business, but we did sell about 16 gallons of clam chowder yesterday. It's been a busy week since Monday-Friday this week and next are Restaurant Week, and we've been busy as a result of that too. I did have a few customers at the bar say they came in because they saw the segment in the morning. So apparently it does have a pretty immediate effect...

Spawning season occurs when the waters warm up, but that can be as late as September (which has an "r") depending on the depth and latitude of the waters. Some people enjoy the creamier taste of spawning oysters, others do not. I still believe it was more about spoilage than anything else. But I could be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time...

I mixed up a Perfect Sazerac rye Manhattan for a guest tonight. Boissiere sweet and Noilly Prat dry. Used a healthy dash of Ango bitters and a couple of drops of Fee Whiskey Barrel aged as well. I gave it a straw taste and it was pretty danged tasty, even if I have to say so myself. Served it with a lemon twist because that seemed right. Word back from the server was the guest was happy. So was I. It's even better when you use really good vermouth like half Dolin Dry and half Dolin Rouge. I do that at home for recreational use... Not sure what the origin of the phrase "perfect" is. I'm sure there's a silly story in there somewhere. Where's Dave Wondrich when you need him? Paging Mr. Wondrich...

The "months that end in 'R'" nonsense is a hold out from when there was no refrigeration. Not really relevant in a day and age when anything can be jetted off to wherever it needs to be in a few short hours...

The basic oyster stew as I know it is sweated down leeks and shaved fennel, a pinch of Old Bay, dash of Worcestershire, salt, pepper, tons of cream and oysters. Basically a giant bowl of oysters poached in cream with a few flavoring agents added. Rich and delicious and something I can only indulge in once in a great while.

Am I the only one that finds the texture of shrimp shells/tails to be what I imagine eating plastic would be like?

Yangming is good. Don't forget it's in the 'burbs, tho', where there's a dearth of all those good things that we take for granted downtown. Han Dynasty isn't on the list anywhere, so that pretty much tells me what I need to know...

I still have a signed copy of one of his cookbooks that I purchased at one of the very first Book and the Cook festivals probably almost 20 years ago. He was paired with the kitchen at the old original Joe's Peking Duck House in Chinatown and he was funny, charming, incredibly informative without being the least bit pedantic, and the food was delicious. His knife skills probably remain the best I've ever witnessed first hand, and don't forget that I've worked in a LOT of restaurants over the years. Dude can seriously rock a cleaver! And his garnishes are without parallel. I've had a soft spot for Yan ever since.

Certainly for costing out stuff on the bar side, I use an Excel spreadsheet set up with cost of the bottle, volume of that bottle in ounces, how much is used in any given recipe, cost of mixers, cost of garnishes, etc. to figure out how much any given cocktail costs to produce. Not so different than figuring out food costs in a slightly different format. The last two columns calculate my percentage cost at two different price points. I'd be happy to share an example of that with you if you PM me. It's the same thing but with liquids rather than solids, so to speak. You don't have to have made the recipe necessarily to figure this stuff out, although I suspect it's much more straightforward with liquid volumes of measurement. But certainly you can find out what your cost is on a pound of X protein and underestimate the number of servings that might make. If a case of celery costs X then roughly estimate what proportion of that is the 3 cups of diced celery you need for that recipe. Keep underestimating and everything after that makes you look like a cost control genius...

Sometimes a port "float", poured gently over the top of the drink with a spoon is nice for the aromatics. Works particularly well with drinks served on crushed ice. I can't remember exactly where/how I had this, but it was a nice touch I stored in the mental Rolodex for future reference...

How about a sparkling Rose, just to be different?? Segura Viudas makes a delicious Brut Rose Cava that might be interesting with the salmon. Pink wine and pink fish usually go pretty well together, and not just because the colors match.

During my last bout with a nasty upper respiratory infection I discovered that the Lemon flavored Thera-Flu tasted much better when I also steeped a tea ball filled with my favorite Star of India tea into it, and then added a shot of spiced rum or bourbon. Knocked me out, tasted good and made me feel a whole lot better. I also generally have some Lemon-Ginger syrup in the fridge and a little splash of that is good with it too.

Thanks for sharing Chris! Love your bar! That's an enviable set up if ever I've seen one. I have built in shelves too but they somehow don't seem as organized as yours. Perhaps I'll take your set up as inspiration... Happy New Year!

Those oysters are lovely! We've had a few of those varieties at Oyster House, like the Moonstones, from time to time. I bet they're even better at the source. Great photos Chris!

Shared a big plate of smoked salmon, whitefish salad, olives, sliced tomatoes, extra capers (by request!), cream cheese and a toasted everything bagel with my girlfriend today. All washed down with a bottle of Freixenet Rose cava. Delicious! It was definitely a "Lady Lunch" once we included the bubblies. This was all served at Sabrina's, one of my very favorite funky little byob cafes in town. Even on a snowy Thursday afternoon at 2:30pm the place was still packed. Good for them. Makes me happy to see little independent places like that succeeding with a vengeance.

Chris: What are we using as Apricot liqueur in that Stone Fruit Sour?? Apry? I might borrow that drink to illustrate what appears to be an excellent application of the Fee Peach bitters. Clue me in please...

Sucks that I had to work that night and miss this. Looks awesome. What an interesting collection of dishes they came up with! Any clues on who influenced which ones?

Improved Appletini 2 oz. vodka .75 oz. Berentzen Apfelkorn .25 oz. fresh sour mix splash Midori Much tastier and more "real" flavored than the hideous green debacle most call an Appletini. Still a silly drink for those that need to take off their training wheels, but sometimes baby steps is the way to go. You'll never get them to a real cocktail without easing them into it in virtually invisible increments...

Bedtime nightcap of the last few evenings has been thus: 1 bag Stash White Christmas Tea steeped in 8 oz. boiling water 1 oz. Ginger-Lemon syrup 1 tsp. honey 2 oz. spiced rum or cognac (depending on my mood) Delicious, warming, soothing and just enough to relax me before climbing into the sack. I'll definitely be enjoying these all winter.

I think I strained my back moving some furniture. I'm being lazy and sipping some Michael Collins Irish Whiskey over a cube. It's definitely helping.

Berry flavors are surprisingly good with tequila. Reposado if you really want to taste it. Try mixing it up with tequila, lime and whatever. Or sub club soda or tonic into a Diablo for a variant.

Expanding on Mayur's point about tasting with our eyes as well as our palates, sometimes the color contrast imparted by a twist/any garnish is just about that. A color contrast that keeps the drink from looking "naked".

Dan: The Fish House Punch we had on the Philly cocktail tour was prepared with the Kuchan. Damn that stuff is delicious!! It's a shame it doesn't exist for retail purchase in the Commonwealth of PA because I'd surely have some around for "recreational" use. Not sure on Dave's proportions (although I suspect they'll be close to those suggested in the book), but I'm sure he can clarify when he has a moment...

HERE is my report in the Pastry and Baking forum on the Man Full 'O Trouble Punch I made for Thanksgiving this year. It was pretty and delicious. Things are always more delicious when they're pretty...

Not certain what type of wood my hosts used, but the smoked turkey that accompanied our Thanksgiving feast was given a rub down of harissa sauce over the breast meat under the skin before smoking. It was so delicious I almost wept. The bit of spiciness was perfect with the sweeter of the two cranberry sauces I made, Cranberry-Orange Sauce /Grand Marnier. The other turkey was deep fried, and it was also moist and delicious. I'll have to ask for more specifics about the cooking process for the smoked turkey and report back. But the harissa under the skin was a stroke of genius...