KatieLoeb

I haven't been in a long time, but Molyvos was top notch last time I ate there. Not inexpensive, but very well prepared Greek specialties and an excellent wine list with some interesting Greek wines available that are reasonably priced.

I was asked by a local publication to come up with an absinthe cocktail that would be simple enough for the average home bartender to prepare without any hard to source ingredients or complex preparations. This is what I came up with (complete with directions and sources for the amateur): Absinthe Martini 101 .5 oz. (1 Tablespoon) Vieux Carre Absinthe (distilled right here in Philadelphia) 2.5 oz. Gin or Vodka of your choosing 1 oz. Lillet Blanc (a French fortified wine that is similar to vermouth) 1 Tablespoon roughly chopped fresh mint leaves 1 dash orange bitters (Fee Brothers or Angostura Orange bitters available at DiBruno Brothers) Optional (for a sweeter drink): 1 teaspoon simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar dissolved together) or Agave nectar (available at Whole Foods) Garnish: Fresh lemon twist Pour absinthe into a cocktail/martini glass and carefully rotate to coat the inner surface of the glass without spilling and pour excess into an iced cocktail shaker. Add remaining ingredients (except for the garnish) and shake vigorously. Strain through a fine strainer into the coated glass. Remove a long strip of peel from a lemon with a vegetable peeler, taking care to remove only the yellow peel and none of the white pith. Point the twist over the glass, peel side facing the drink and fold the peel in half lengthwise, spraying the surface of the drink with oil from the peel. Rub the rim of the glass with the peel side of the twist and drop twist into the drink. Drink, rinse, repeat. I much prefer this drink made with Plymouth gin, but of course had to include the vodka option just because. The Vieux Carre absinthe is a bit more herbal forward and less anise forward than most absinthe I've tried, so I thought the inclusion of the mint would play up those flavors as well as give the mojito drinkers something to hang their hats on. It's pretty tasty when finished, and hopefully a good entry level cocktail for the absinthe neophytes.

Fascinating stuff Judith! Thanks for digging that up. That book sounds like a definitely flea market score! I love it when stuff like that happens...

Oops. OK - forget the Shark Bites. I was just trying to think of easy little blobs of protein that could be attached to toothpicks or laid out on a platter. Forgot about the mercury thing. I like the ideas you have, Mike. The mulled cider is good for an autumn day and those that don't want booze in theirs can go without. I'd put out applejack, bourbon or spiced rum. Any of those would work well in a cider. You could also consider making a fruit punch that could be topped with either ginger ale/Sprite/soda or sparkling wine depending on whether or not the person were imbibing. Great thing about large format beverages is that folks serve themselves and there's no constant hosting/bartending required. A selection of quiches is also an easy thing to make ahead. Either full sized or in tartlet form...

We just got a chapter started here in Philly quite recently. Pernod-Ricard definitely seems to be the "sponsoring party" in many cases. They throw their money behind it so as to have a captive audience for their products. The advantages are having the power of numbers, getting to hang out with your bartending brethren, swapping ideas, organizing trips, luncheons, tastings, etc. We'll be doing a local distillery tour soon as well as hanging with the DC USBG folks for Repeal Day. Wheeeeee!

Crudite and dip. Corn chips or scoops with hummus and/or salsa. A big salad with protein as previously mentioned. Some form of pure protein which could be shrimp cocktail, chicken bites, "shark bites" aka mako on toothpicks with dipping sauce, and/or cubes of cheese. Dessert is already provided. You'll have all the bases covered. No one shows up at these things expecting to be fed for the day. Seriously, you'll be fine with nice versions of the classic party food. If you're feeling fancy make some spanikopita or little tartlets or add a pasta salad to the mix. This is a no brainer. Easy peasy. You'll be fine. If you're feeling REALLY fancy do a carving station with a roast beef or turkey. Honestly, this should be a breeze.

What he said. Really. It was all really delicious and the best Thai food I've had in Philly so far. The soup was possibly my favorite, although it would be difficult to choose only one favorite from what were all very perfectly seasoned and cooked dishes. The pork was pretty awesome too. Service was friendly and well informed and the tableware was really beautiful. I'd like to have it at home, in fact. Selina, our lovely hostess, was very helpful in explaining all the cool infusions and cocktails made from them from their well stocked bar. And there was good wine by the glass to be had as well. I had a $5 House White that was a Tuesday night special (in addition to $1 oysters on Tuesdays!) that turned out to be the very creditable Handly Gewurztraminer which paired perfectly with the food. No more whining. They'll be seeing us again. Very soon, I suspect...

Only in the size of the traps used to catch them...

Kohai? Buehller?? Anyone? No commentary on the "cocktails in Italy" thing after several days? I'd like someone to find some source material to back up that postulation. Seems we've already cured the "must-be-grape-based" end of the matter with Cynar not being grape based. I'll back up my original statement that Campari isn't considered an amaro because it isn't served on it's own by saying it's a aperitif, because the company that produces it says it is. It's often like that. The marketing department decides what the product is whether it flies in the face of common wisdom and usage or not.

Online only. The "Less than $10 Sale". Starts today (11/2) and ends when inventory is gone.

I spy with my little eye... Qu'est-ce que ça? Madame TarteTatin??

The Chinese gentleman with the cool Asian produce had some Japanese sweet potatoes that taste like chestnuts when you roast/bake/nuke them. Very delicious and possibly my new favorite tuber...

We have a TV for the World Series. It'll go away when that's over, but you can eat oysters and enjoy the game for the next week or so... Not sure how they'll feel about letting you move in.

If you simply must do one of the touristy cheesesteak stands for the "experience" than definitely do go to Pat's over Geno's. (I personally don't like giving my hard earned money to bigots). But I don't know what about the experience you couldn't have at Tonys Lukes, along with a better cheesesteak and the option for a roast pork Italiano as well. In fact, I think the authentic Sou'filly cheesesteak experience is to be had moreso at Tony Luke's than either of the tourist traps. You can drive by "Cheesesteak Corner" and see the lines without actually standing on them and get the "experience". JMHO, of course...

Bob: How does the Oyster Po' Boy stand up to the version at Oyster House? Have you had one yet? I'm working lunch on Saturday if you'd like to stop in and go for the compare-and-contrast. I'm curious because I think ours is pretty darned good. I haven't seen Bill Beck in about 15 years, since he was the proprietor and my boss at the ill fated Pompano Grill that used to house the southeast corner of Passyunk Avenue and Bainbridge where the PNC Bank now stands. Hopefully time and experience have provided him with more wisdom in business decision making practices since then. I wish him the best of luck with the new venture. I'm certainly thrilled to have another alternative for good Cajun food that doesn't require driving all the way to Cajun Kate's and is open on days I can actually make it there. I'm in RTM often enough shopping that it'll be nice to try this place out.

Working in a raw bar, the Bloody Caesar is the house specialty. A standard Bloody Mary with the addition of clam juice. The usual suspects of seasonings in the tomato juice: Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, horseradish, fresh lemon juice, celery salt, kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper. And tomato juice and clam juice too. We started out with gorgeous heirloom yellow tomato juice, but as the season wore on, the juice became less consistent and we've opted for the standard red tomato Caesar instead. It's still really popular.

Clearly you've never sat on the other side of my bar. I've never had a customer order a Campari on the rocks, much in the same way I've never had a customer order a Luxardo Maraschino on the rocks, or a St. Germain on the rocks. Doesn't mean someone isn't doing it somewhere, but at least in the small statistical sample I'm dealing with, not happening. I'm speaking totally anecdotally and within my own tiny sphere of influence. I could be totally wrong, but it seemed a plausible explanation to me... I like your theory about the migration of cocktails to Italy, but what time frame is your point of reference? Are we calling the Negroni the starting point? By what criteria are you making this claim?

I agree with you, but I'm still thinking Jose has Mehta beat. Mehta makes some odd choices and I still can't forgive him for being such a dickhead about the grape leaves. Jose has the chops and he doesn't have to be a jackhole to succeed at someone else's expense...

Could it be as simple as Campari is not comsumed on its own, like most amaro?? Certainly in my experience Campari is more of a "condiment" liquor. The least complex preparation I've had ordered is Campari and soda, but more often with OJ or in a Negroni. I could be wrong, but I've been bartending and working in restaurants for a pretty good while now and I've never seen anyone drink Campari in the same way they would Fernet, Averna or any other amaro I've had at their disposal...

Texas Wieners @15th & Snyder does a credible Philly Surf & Turf, but the definitive version will always be at the late lamented Levis' Dogs on 6th Street. Good friends of mine used to rent the apartment above Levis' back in the day. They lovingly referred to their abode as "Wienie Manor".

David: Honestly, I can count on one hand the number of times I've really had to be hard on an obnoxious drunk. The above example stands out for me because the guy was such an idiot and had obviously been thrown out of countless bars in his day, that his pathetic attempt to act insulted and innocent was amusing to me. Another time there was a very loud group of young resident doctors from one of the local hospitals. Well dressed, well educated and exceedingly badly mannered. One young lady (and I do use that term loosely) was stunning but had a mouth on her that would make stevadores and sailors blush. And the more she drank the louder she became. After having several other guests ask me to ask her and her bunch to keep it down and doing so, and having a couple of my really good regulars move down the bar or leave, I told them that they were bothering the other guests and had to keep it down or leave. They argued, were insulting and tipped poorly. Classy bunch. :shrug: I'm really not that tough. More often than not when in that (hopefully) rare situation where someone has slipped through the cracks, I handle it quietly and the same way I would if they became intoxicated on my watch. I keep refilling their water glass, I slow down their service a bit and will sometimes try and recruit one of their friends to "help me out" and be a hero by keeping an eye on their buddy who is beginning to worry me. If necessary, I just tell them I'm not comfortable serving them any more, but that's a next to last resort because it's an awkward situation for everyone involved. You'd be surprised at how quickly some folks can turn from pleasant bar guests to dangerous scary drunks. Bartenders don't know if people are taking medications or not, or what they've had before they arrive at our bar and are in our care. The job requires psychological skills as well as vocational skills. You're host(ess) of the party, but you're also traffic cop, cashier, observer of human nature, part time therapist and baby sitter. It's not as easy as it looks... Back OT, I'm glad that wouldn't dissuade you from trying a place again. I haven't been to La Castagne in some time, so perhaps I'm due back for a visit myself. It seems to get mixed reviews, most of the complaints being about the service rather than the food, but I'd rather check it out for myself than trust a random online review. Of course, the opinions of PA forum eGers are always given more credence.

Without getting into an unpleasant discussion about reasonable diner expectations, I certainly think not expecting to be seated next to a drunken, slobbering, snoring deadbeat is within reason. Why the reviewer found the need to pack up his dinner and go puzzles me. I simply would have insisted on being moved away from the fray to eat my dinner in peace. No way that customer would have made it past me at my bar. She'd have been ejected the minute she walked in that trashed. I've flagged bigger jackholes than that too, believe me. I threw out this meth head idiot at Chick's once for drinking the equivalent of an entire bottle of wine in what I deemed was too short a period of time. Then he started harassing one of my female guests who was having none of it. Out he went. He told me he'd never been flagged before. I told him he was clearly too much of an ass for that statement to even possibly be true. So then I told him I was bouncing him for being a liar.

Without getting into an unpleasant discussion about reasonable diner expectations, I certainly think not expecting to be seated next to a drunken, slobbering, snoring deadbeat is within reason. Why the reviewer found the need to pack up his dinner and go puzzles me. I simply would have insisted on being moved away from the fray to eat my dinner in peace. No way that customer would have made it past me at my bar. She'd have been ejected the minute she walked in that trashed. I've flagged bigger jackholes than that too, believe me. I threw out this meth head idiot at Chick's once for drinking the equivalent of an entire bottle of wine in what I deemed was too short a period of time. Then he started harassing one of my female guests who was having none of it. Out he went. He told me he'd never been flagged before. I told him he was clearly too much of an ass for that statement to even possibly be true.

I'm with Sam on this one. The Monteaux is REALLY strong, so much so that literally a couple of drops will do the trick. The Cortas brand flower waters are easier to use because they don't become as overwhelming. I use about a teaspoon of Cortas OFW per quart of finished grenadine and that seems fine to me. Subtly floral and not overwhelming. But like salt, I suppose this is a matter of taste...

Ian: That sounds good, although when you say coriander, in what form do you mean? I think the Arrack will bring enough spice to the party, and perhaps not a flavor that ought to be messed about with. The hibiscus tea should make for a lovely color in the glass as well.