KatieLoeb

Friday December 5, 2008, Chick's will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition. We'll be featuring several retro specialty cocktails priced at $7.50 that are made using all American spirits - the Ward Eight (bourbon), Sazerac (rye), Scofflaw (blended American whiskey) and the Jack Rose (applejack). Come on in and celebrate your constitutional right to have a drink! Unless you get off on carrying guns or free speech, there's no other constitutional amendment that guarantees your personal pleasure quite like the 21st amendment. Have a drink just because you can! I'll be mixing it up old school, so come and join the fun!

I had late lunch delivered to work today from Plan Eat Thai as well. I ordered the Pad Thai lunch special ($5.95 for entree, soup and spring roll before 4PM!!) and an order of Tom Kha soup too. $12 with a tip for enough food to get me through my shift and a snack when I got home tonight. I ordered my Pad Thai with shrimp and tofu. It was good. I didn't find it too sweet as Andrew did, but it wasn't the best version I'd ever had either. The chicken rice soup that accompanied my lunch special was tasty and much improved with a squeese of fresh lime in it. My spring roll was decent, but it was still pretty hot when I ate it. Tom Kha soup was delicious! Plan Eat Thai is very reasonably priced for the caliber of food that you get. Siam Lotus was probably the best sit down Thai I've had in Philly. Pad Thai is about half a block from my house so I'll occasionally order takeout from there too. It's always been adequate. Need to find a place that has a real Thai chef and staff. Anyone know anything about the ownership/kitchen staff of our limited choices??

Seems a very contrived way of creating a story. Let's make up a premise and find bars that fit our mythical criteria. I make Sazeracs, Aviations and Bourbon Crustas at my bar. I also make cocktails I've created myself, using fresh local ingredients when they're in season. Just because Lancaster County herbs may not have the same national cachet and recognition that something from the Napa Valley Farmer's Market does, doesn't make my "farm fresh" cocktails any less appealing. Although the ice is obviously quite important at The Violet Hour (or they wouldn't waste their valuable time having eight different kinds), I strongly suspect Toby would rather be known for the brilliant concoctions surrounding the ice than the ice itself. Toby, please correct me if I'm wrong. Do we have to cleave to narrow definitions? Can't we all just make the best drinks we can whether we appreciate the retro-cool old school pre-Prohibition recipes or enjoy experimenting with new flavors that we find interesting in the present day? Can I make my own homemade mixers and use them in cocktails from several different schools of thought? Does it have to be categorized to death? Kind of sucks the joy out of it for me....

The funk is the je ne sais quoi, the "what the hell is that flavor I can't put my finger on" thing that defies description. I often have guests ask me what that strange thing I just added to their cocktail is. Usually it's Maraschino or Falernum when they ask because they don't recognize the bottles. I always say that I can't explain what it tastes like but it "adds deliciousness". That usually is sufficient. Particularly after they taste the end result. They usually nod knowingly and say, "yeah, I see what you meant." This same discussion might also apply to wines that bear those flavors that are unappetizingly referred to as "horse blanket", "wet dog" or "barnyard". Often a characteristic of Rhone blends, most of which I love unconditionally. Funk is a good thing. In cocktails, wine or cheese.

Were you upside-down after you ate that? Sounds dangerously delicious!

I love a good Sidecar (either with Cognac, Calvados or aged Applejack) when it gets cooler out. If I'm in the mood for something sweet then a hot cider with hooch-of-my-choosing or a hot cocoa with something sweet in it. Hot cocoa with Amaretto (Luxardo is my fave) or Cointreau is delicious. Anything that tastes good as a candy bar can be converted to liquid form if you just think about the flavors. If you like Mounds bars then add Malibu rum to your cocoa. If you're an Almond Joy fan then add some Amaretto as well. Peppermint Pattys? Add some peppermint schnapps to your hot cocoa. The possibilities are virtually endless.

Glad to hear the Pad thai is worth ordering. I'll likely try that next time. Andrew - just call them up and ask for the basic stuff the first time. Tom Yum soup, Tom Kha Gai soup, red or green curry with protein-of-your-choosing, Pad Thai. Make sure you ask them to include a menu for you to have for future reference. That should take care of the first order and set you up for the subsequent ones. Capaneus - I order takeout from there at work, so they definitely deliver to 7th & South. Undoubtedly they'll deliver to Andrew as he's so close by, but I suspect you are within their delivery range as well. I think delivery is free with a minimum order of either $10 or $15. They've always been reasonably quick as well - about 30 minutes or so if memory serves me well.

Some interesting ideas for a new White House chef in the following article from Michael Pollan. Farmer in Chief Although the article's main point isn't about the chef, some of the suggestions (a garden, a meat free meal once weekly, etc.) are quite interesting and would set a fine example for the rest of the country.

I've been ordering takeout lately from Plan Eat Thai (1516 Tasker Street, (267) 687-1778) and while nothing has totally made my head spin, it's been solid and very tasty every time. Tom Yum soup was credible, green curry was excellent. I haven't ordered Pad Thai yet, but that would certainly be a worthy benchmark.

I'm thinking those little twists are more about being a master of dealing with the situation at hand and getting the job done. A top chef would say "ok, this is what I have to work with so this is how I'll get it done". A flop chef would say "I can't" and start making excuses. I'm sure the boxed stocks are the result of advertising dollars as well. ← Swanson Broth IS writing Bravo checks. ← Hel-lo! We have Chef Christopher Lee of Gilt fame pimping for Swanson broth these days. Is it a great leap of logic or faith to assume that Swanson would pay dearly for some prime time product placement of the boxed broth to keep that train running on the same tracks? To be fair, there are several boxes of that very broth in my cupboards as I type this. I'm neither dissing the product nor the spokeschef. I'm just sayin'...

Woof. I can barely fit behind the desk to type this. Good thing the chair is on wheels... I had Thanksgiving with my dear friends, their kids and various and sundry siblings of theirs, cousins and spouses and their kids. Before dinner I made cocktails of spiced rum, pear schnapps, cognac, apple cider, spiced simple syrup and fresh lemon. I flamed the cocktail glasses with a misting of overproof rum and orange bitters from an aerosol sprayer and allowed the bitters to carmelize inside the glasses before pouring in the cocktails. There ought to be some photos of the pyrotechnics coming to me at some point that I'll likely post in the Spirits and Cocktails thread when I have a chance. Dinner was comprised of: 1 smoked turkey 1 deep fried turkey 1 smoked side of salmon Oyster cornbread stuffing Sausage cornbread stuffing String beans Brussel sprouts Cranberry-Jalapeno sauce with tequila Cranberry, pearl onion and Asian pear compote Mashed potatoes Rolls Gravy 2 Pecan pies (one homemade one store bought) Cheesecake Cupcakes Store bought chocolate mosaic cake Loads of food and all was delicious. The smoked turkey was particularly tasty and very moist. I snuck a small doggie bag of leftovers of that for lunch tomorrow. I also took a little nap during the second quarter of the Eagles game that was quite refreshing. I still think I shouldn't have any trouble sleeping well tonight after all that eating, even having had the nap. I love Thanksgiving. A holiday spent with good friends and family and eating and drinking well. What could be bad about that?

Matthew: If you're putting this all in a big bowl (the only criterion I have for something to be called punch, although academically I understand the rules are more stringent) you should leave out the sparkling wine. In a big bowl with that much surface area exposed, the punch will go flat over the course of the evening. Mix everything else and ladle that into your glasses and top with the sparkling wine to order. That way you can open fresh bottles as needed, and have each glass be as bubbly as the last.

Matthew, that sounds positively delightful! I think if you take the tangerine peel off with a veggie peeler in a very thin strip (no pith at all) just as you're serving and squeeze it over the drink and plop it in, that ought to do. You could also boil those thin strips in the syrup as you suggested. I like a bit of cardamom, a couple of star anise and a pinch of red pepper flakes in addition to the cinnamon, cloves and allspice in my spiced simple syrup for a more savory end result with a little kick!

It's so nice to see that overused advertising phrase "new and improved" put to actual and rewarding use. Excellent iteration avant-garde! My compliments!

I'll be working Saturday and Sunday nights, so if anyone wants to deliver gumbo to me, I will gladly repay them...

I have both at home. Care to share recipe? Any bitters, etc...? ← Actually, I had the fortune of having this made for me at my local watering hole, Southwark, one of Philly's finest classic cocktail bars. It looked like about 3:1 Laird's bonded to Antica, a good couple of shakes of Angostura and a cherry. If I were a stickler, I'd have preferred a few of the La Parisienne brandied cherries I stock at my bar on a pick, but I was on the other side of the wood, and happy for it. Sam, I suppose in the world of Laird's products, the bonded is still apple whiskey, albeit a strong one, whereas the aged stuff is more brandy-like/domestic Calvados in nature. I'd always thought of and heard an apple brandy or Calvados sidecar called an Applecart, but that might just be a case of "whisper-down-the-lane" misunderstanding.

I believe that drink is called an Applecart. I love the Laird's bonded, although I confess I bought my bottle in a "neighboring state". If you're already ordering SLO's from Laird I highly recommend their 7.5 year old Applejack. Closest thing to an American Calvados you'll find and a screaming bargain for the quality at $19.99. And that makes a righteous Sidecar.

There's a delicious looking recipe in November's Gourmet magazine for a Cranberry, Quince and Pearl Onion Compote. I'll be making a variant of this recipe next week (I'll be substituting Asian Pears for the quince and cutting down the sugar) for Thanksgiving. After years of making Cranberry-Orange Sauce with Grand Marnier, I decided it was time for a change. Quinces are difficult to find and expensive when you do around here. Also, I find them to be difficult to peel so I'm being lazy, I guess. But I like the idea of Asian Pear instead, especially since there's an orchard nearby that has a stand at the Sunday Farmer's Market and has three different kinds of heirloom Asian pears. They're my absolutely favorite fruit in the whole fruit world. I recently melted some membrillo in apple juice on the stove and made a delicious cocktail out of it that may end up on my drink menu at work. An aged Applejack Membrillo Manhattan. Damned tasty and very autumnal.

Had a lovely Manhattan made with Laird's bonded and the Carpano Antica last night. A delicious and autumnal variant of that fine beverage.

Not really affordable if you factor in the airplane ticket ... but tempting! Maybe FedEx... ← Well, that's probably true. However, should you be passing through Philly at any point, you know where to find me and some tasty paninis... FedEx isn't a good idea. Grilled cheese, like french fries, is only good when it's hot and fresh

In an attempt to make a night out a bit more affordable in these tough economic times, Chick's is starting Panini Tuesdays tomorrow evening, Tuesday 11/18/08 Recession Proof $5 Panini sandwiches. Your choice of: - Smoked Mozzarella, oven roasted Tomato, Basil - Truffled Wild Mushroom and Taleggio - Fig, Gorgonzola and Carmelized Onions - Serrano and Mahon with Dijon - Chicken, Brie and Pear with Membrillo Add a soup or salad or fries for $3. I'm off on Tuesdays and will likely be on the other side of the bar for some of those sandwiches! That's even easier than cooking dinner for myself.

I think the filling is the standard minced pork, ginger and scallion filling with some small cubes of gelatinized soup stock which melt into soup when steamed, but are still contained within the skin of the dumpling. That's the soup you slurp up when you nip off a corner of the dumpling with your teeth and suck the inside out. They are very very tasty.

Late lunch at Dim Sum Garden today after stopping at the Convention Center for the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft show (lovely, but like visiting a museum with price tags, not the sort of craft shows I usually enjoy where I find tons of unusual gifts for my hard to shop for friends...): Soup dumplings, aka Shanghai Dumplings, or #1. As tasty as ever. Beef Brisket Noodle with Soup. I spiced this up with a bit of the chile oil on the table. Really delicious and filling. I had to run to work for a few hours and they were able to bring me a container to save the rest in a doggie bag. I had it for dinner when I got home tonight and it was still delicious, even reheated in the microwave. The hand drawn noodles still had their texture, much to my surprise. That's my check for all of $12 off to the left of my soup bowl. A bargain for enough food to fill me up for lunch and dinner.

Ah. Easier than fussing, no? Perhaps no feeling of having conquered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, but painless and pleasing, I hope.

OK, OK. I get what y'all are saying too. I suppose this is akin to my very best moment of cooking under adverse circusmstances. I pulled off the most camera-ready perfect shiitake mushroom, fresh herb and brie omelet I've ever made over a campfire in 40 degree weather after it had just snowed on us overnight. My camping buddies were mighty impressed. Perhaps this only illustrates that I like to drink far too much, and under less than ideal circumstances will head directly to the path of least resistance that will accomplish the task at hand. To me, the task is to get a palatable and pleasing drink in front of me ASAP. A wider range of options means I have to wait less and can avoid any further frustrations that day...Most particularly if I've been forced to be in the company of folks I don't enjoy all day long. Get me that drink stat, doctor!