KatieLoeb

BeeZee: I have every confidence you can find yourself and your companions a lovely meal somewhere in this city, even on short notice on one of the busiest weekends of the year. There's a myriad of choices to be had, even if you're only a step ahead of the rest of the huddled masses yearning to eat as cheaply as possible, if not free. Please let us know how it went...

OK. Had to offer though. If fish/seafood or even proximity to it isn't the lad's desire there nothing to be done about that. My understanding is that we have several rather large parties booked and I suspect it'll be the usual nightmarish scene that Penn Graduations tend to be in the restaurant biz in this town that dreaded weekend every May. :shrug: It is what it is. I still have nightmares about surviving a Penn graduation weekend when I worked as a manager at the White Dog Cafe some 15 years ago or so. It was horrifying. Huge parties with prime numbers of members would show up without reservations and try and convince us that we simply lost their reservation they'd made "months ago". Problem was they didn't realize we'd taken credit card numbers in advance and literally triple confirmed each reservation to optimize seating on what would clearly be the busiest few days of the year. Once they finally realized they were busted because there were too many fail safes in effect they'd usually lighten up from the faked indignation we'd been getting thrown in our faces. Conversation usually went something like this: They: "But how could you have lost our reservation. All 14 of us have come all the way from Des Moines to see Elmer graduate..." "Sir, we've been taking credit card numbers for this date and calling and confirming these reservations multiple times since the day after graduation last year. If we don't have your reservation, it's because you didn't make one. Every seat in this restaurant is timed out like a military operation for every waking minute this weekend. So sorry we can't accommodate you and the rest of the clan, but we're fully committed..." "Well, are you sure you can't squeeze us in?? Surely there's room somewhere for all fourteen of us..."

You're more than welcome to come visit me at Oyster House Saturday. We serve our brunch menu until 3PM and then switch to the somewhat more limited mid-day menu, but the raw bar is open all day as well as the bar where I could make you a cocktail or pour a glass of wine or beer of your choosing. Lots of fresh seafood as well as a pretty delicious burger for the non-fish/seafood inclined. I'll be that girl behind the bar...

Working at a raw bar/seafood restaurant, we are watching this closely. There is probably enough Gulf Shrimp (which we use in one of our popular menu items) in fresh-frozen inventory for a short while, but when that runs out, we'll have to see what is available and perhaps take that item off the menu. When all the restaurants down south that normally serve Gulf oysters (we do not. Only East and West Coast varieties on our menu) have to start sourcing their oysters from the same places that we normally do, which is Virginia and northward to New Brunswick on the East coast and Northern California to British Colombia on the West coast, we'll see what effect that has on the supply and if prices jump accordingly as demand increases exponentially.

Toby: I hope this reply isn't too late for you either, but I just got back from B.A. and Mendoza a couple of weeks ago and found the level of gastronomy there quite elevated. Best meals in B.A. were at Palacio Espano for killer Spanish food (the Sweetbreads w/Shrimp & Mushrooms in Champagne sauce were to die for. Best Surf & Turf EVER!), the tasting menu at Moreno (which at about $55/person is a bargain for that many courses and level of cuisine) and a lovely Easter dinner shared with an international group of fellow diners at Casa Saltshaker, hosted by Saltshaker who posts in this forum quite frequently. I had a pretty good steak at La Cabrera in Palermo and a great lunch at a Parrilla on Defensa in San Telmo called El Desnivel. El Desnivel was very reasonably priced and the meats were better than other places at twice the price. Homemade spinach pasta with pesto delicious too. If you're looking for a decent cocktail, visit Portezuelo in Recoleta (the bar @Moreno also makes a creditable cocktail), just outside the walls of the cemetery. Address = Vicente Lopez 2160. Ask for Juan the bar manager. He's awesome. Tell him his new best friend Katie from Philadelphia sent you. His English is limited, but many of the other staff can interpret for you if your Spanish isn't fluent. They have a ridiculously well stocked bar and a nice list of classic cocktails as well as many of signature drinks of their own creation. Great wines by the glass selection as well. A great bar I spent many nights in while in B.A. Don't know if you have plans to visit Mendoza while you're there, but please contact me directly if you do. I have the name and contact info of the best tour guide/driver EVER. My trip truly would not have been the same without him and he hooked me up with some of the best appointments at wineries I wouldn't have even known existed, no less whom to contact to visit. I got the red carpet private tours in many places and was received as family simply because I was his client. Fantastic. Have a great time! I want to go back already. It was wonderful and a country I hope to be able to explore more thoroughly in the future.

How on earth did you get all of that down? I sincerely hope that was at least two days worth of eating, if reported together. Good gravy! That's a whole mess of good eats that requires at least a bit of rest in between, no?

Made a short one of these tonight at work to try it (.5 oz. of each spirit) but unfortunately my only choices for an amaro are Averna and Fernet Branca. Went with the Averna and the drink was quite tasty (even to my overly bitter sensitive palate), however it was clear that the Campari and Averna were duking it out heavily in the glass. I can totally see how Nonino or Ramazotti would make this drink sublime. I added an unspoken orange twist garnish as well...

Jen: You are most welcome. I remain amazed that this thread keeps getting bumped up by new Limoncello makers. It's awesome knowing I have helped to put tasty things in liquor cabinets all across the globe.

I have! I've been twice last month, in fact, and it was lovely. Menu is ambitious, with a section of "pick your protein" to be grilled, as well as starters and mains as well as sides. The tuna ceviche with pineapple is one the most delicious things ever. It was a special the first time I went at the beginning of March, and was on the regular menu by the end of the month when I went the second time. Staff is friendly and helpful and gave me some good travel tips prior to my trip to Argentina this month. Extra points for that!

The new spring cocktail menu is the subject of an entry on this week's Meal Ticket blog at City Paper. Some good photos of the drinks and some unflattering pics of my cohort Andy DeGiulio and I behind the bar. The pretty pink drink in the little coupe glass is the Sansom Street Sour, one of my favorites. A Hibiscus and Gin Sour with Whiskey Barrel Aged bitters floated on top for a lovely aromatic. Yummy stuff.

Thanks for noticing, Mike. I wish there were an online link for the Quarterly. That's actually a really good article and there are some excellent gin cocktail recipes in there. Aside from the ones I already knew, of course...

Hi Jeff! I'm happy to share. Morningstar 2.0 oz. Hendrick's gin .50 oz. Lillet 1-2 Dashes Orange bitters Flamed orange peel Add Hendricks, Lillet and orange bitters to iced shaker and stir vigourously. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Flame orange peel above surface of drink. Basically this is a 4:1 Hendrick's French Martini with the addition of the orange bitters and the flamed orange oils. We heat up the peel, flame as much oils as possible onto the surface of the drink and then dip in the peel and discard it. Served gloriously naked and refreshing. The Morningstar is the creation of Andy DeGiulio, one of my cohorts behind the stick at Oyster House. Saloon Keeper's Daughter 2.0 oz. Old Overholt Rye .50 oz. Luxardo Maraschino .50 oz. fresh lemon juice .25-.50 oz. housemade grenadine (to taste depending on how sweet you like it and how tart your lemon juice is) 1-2 dashes Angostura bitters Lemon twist Add all ingredients to an iced shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist that has had the oils expressed over the surface of the drink. Some of the veterans in this forum might recognize this formula as the Red Feather Boa, one of my first original cocktail creations from several years ago that I'd never actually put on a menu anywhere. However, we changed the name since (in the words of several of my coworkers) "no straight man will ever order that drink". Since it's a pre-Prohibition style drink but still sort of a "girly-whiskey drink, it morphed into the Saloon Keeper's Daughter.

This year made whole wheat matzoh balls with vegetable stock for our pescetarian seder. They came out great. Used half whole wheat matzoh meal and half regular (I figured this was much like using half whole grain flour when baking bread) and then followed the directions on the box with the addition of club soda rather than the stock. Light and fluffy but a bit more flavorful than usual. Quite delicious!

New on the cocktail list at Oyster House - the False Alibi, named for the L'Alibi aperitif that is part of the recipe. Kind of like a more elegant smoky margarita. L'Alibi is like Lillet, but with a bitter quinine finish. Cocchi Americano would stand in nicely for this. This drink was really a group effort. Probably the only cocktail ever created by committee that came out this tasty. 2 oz. Siembra Azul Reposado .5 oz. L'Alibi (or Cocchi Americano) .75 oz. fresh lime juice .5 oz. agave nectar Laphroaig single malt in an atomizer Large strip grapefruit peel Mix tequila, L'Alibi, lime juice and agave nectar together in an iced shaker and shake vigorously. Spray a chilled cocktail glass with 2 spritzes of scotch to coat the inner surface. Strain drink into glass and squeeze grapefruit peel above drink and garnish.

While Huntingdon, WV, the "Unhealthiest City in America" is the focus of this program, the problem is utterly pervasive in every city, town and village in the country. There are few places where the choices of institutional foods even barely graze that which is healthy or diverse. I've seen horrible choices even in a hospital cafeteria when I'm there for a doctor's appointment. I'm reminded of the Reagan administration labelling ketchup as a vegetable! As if. Combine that with overburdened two-income (because they HAVE to be) families with time constraints and it's a recipe for disaster in terms of balanced meal planning and proper nutrition. Getting soda machines out of the schools is a good first step, and I truly believe that Jamie's heart is in the right place in following up on that. The very idea that this generation of children will live shorter lives than their parents even in the face of much advanced medical care and treatment is a condemnation of the status quo. Someone has to be the first to sound the trumpets. Even if it's a foreign chef with suspect motives. But I believe he's right and deserves to be heard and more importantly, his advice to be followed.

I'm working on a Singapore Sling variant with G Sake (sponsor) and Ginger Rooibos/Green tea infused Plymouth for a cocktail competition in a few weeks. Several iterations tried so far. The skeleton is there, I just need to decide whether to use Cherry Heering or Shoya Plum wine and/or B&B or straight Bendictine. Kyoto Sling 1 oz. Ginger Rooibos/Green Tea infused Plymouth 1.25 oz. G Sake 1 oz. fresh lemon juice .5 oz. Cherry Heering or Shoya Plum wine .5 oz. Benedictine or B&B 1 tsp. 4 Copas Agave nectar dash Orange bitters dash Angostura bitters Shake all and strain over fresh ice in a Collins glass. Top with a splash of soda and stir gently. Garnish with an orange wedge and piece of crystallized ginger on a spear. As soon as my recipe is perfected I'll report back on exact proportions. This is for the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia Sake Fest which will take place on 4/14/10.

Excited as I was to discover that quinoa is kosher for Passover, I'm adding THIS recipe for Cranberry Almond quinoa to the menu for our vegetarian seder. I definitely want to eat some carbs that aren't matzoh based.

Girlfriend, we have missed you too! And your hubby's cooking! It's a good move down here where there's a much more appreciative audience for your talents. Let me know when you're ready to shine up that liquor license. I'd be happy to help with a cocktail and wine list if you need it...

You heard it here first folks. According to Michael Klein at the Inky, the much lamented Paloma will be making a comeback in South Philly sometime in June. Woo-hoo!! Congrats to Adan and Barbara! We'll be eagerly awaiting the reopening in the old Mezza Luna space. I couldn't be happier. This is right in my 'hood...

Sign outside of Ladder 15 today was advertising some tasty munchies and cheap drinks for Happy Hour. I'm still dying to try the burger with bone marrow on top. :drool:

Liz: Stop by Oyster House bar for a Dark 'n Stormy. We make our ginger beer in house and always have the Gosling's Black Seal on hand. Either I or one my cohorts can definitely take care of that for you...

So we should just have a shank bone sitting on the seder plate and the rest of the poor lamb should go to waste?? That certainly seems antithetical just on principle if nothing else. Why would there be a prohibition on lamb?

The House made Aquavit is finally on the menu at Oyster House and is getting good reviews. It was originally planned to be one of the new oyster shooters (a Danish Mary with a squirt of tomato juice in there as well) but it came out so good we decided to serve it ice cold and straight up in sherry glasses. Delicious with oysters, smoked salmon and Deviled eggs, or just with a beer. Pretty pleased with this one. As soon as I have the recipe typed up I'll try to remember to add it to RecipeGUllet. Latest infusion is an Orange-Ginger Rooibos and Green Tea into gold rum that will be served tall with soda or Sprite, a splash of Combier and a wee squeeze of lemon, garnished with an orange wedge and a piece of candied ginger. Great thing about the Rooibos/Green Tea infusion is it doesn't turn tannic so it's easy to do and fairly consistent. It's a no brainer for a warm day. Working on a good name for it if anyone has any suggestions.

Well perhaps having the waters more "contained" will get the reluctant in-laws to get into the spirit a bit more. It's not like you'll be leaving them a choice if they want to come in the door and eat, yeah? What about some frogs for the water? Float some lily pads and you could feed them some crickets from the pet store and wipe out two plagues at once! The children I have celebrated 2nd night with the past several years have a "Plagues Bag" that has plastic bugs, frogs, a cow mask with pox for cattle disease, sunglasses for the plague of darkness, etc. that really make that part of the seder come alive. I'm certain someone with your creative energies could create their own version of THIS. If you were feeling particularly morbid you could paint around the door with washable vegetable dye. That might be overkill though.

Lior: Wouldn't it be better to have two tubs of water on either side of the entrace so that the "waters are parted", so to speak? Seems a bit more historically accurate and a lot neater. No need to have wet dirty feet tracking into the house...