KatieLoeb

Your retired cat needs a new playmate. Get another kitty and let it do what comes naturally. If there's an organization that traps and spays feral cats in your area see if any of the kitties are being fostered and need a home. Nothing better than a formerly feral kitty to take on a mouse problem. I worked in a restaurant once that had a horrendous mouse problem. There was a stray orange tabby in the alley behind the restaurant. Chutney, as he became known, was a prodigious mouser and earned his keep every night when he was let loose in the restaurant. He'd eat the mice, but apparently found their faces weren't pleasant to eat. So he'd leave the little faces all over the rug. First person in every day was on "mouse patrol" and had to sweep up the little mouse faces. Ewwww. One day as we were musing as to why Chutney left the faces behind, our head busboy suggested it was so the mouse families could identify their deceased!

Cocktails!! There are any number of places where a little shot of ginger and sweetness would be delicious, In fact almost any drink recipe that calls for Canton Ginger liqueur could likely substitute ginger syrup.

Danne: The Starbucks and the Borghetti are fairly interchangeable, as they both have more of an espresso quality to them and seem a tad less sweet to me than Kahlua or Tia Maria. So one or the other will do. Try and find a bar that's well stocked and has several of them and do a side by side taste test. It's the best way to really analyze the subtle differences in flavor and find your favorite. The Borghetti is pretty reasonably priced too, which is nice. thirtyoneknots, I'm not so sure I get that overroasted burnt edge from the Starbucks liqueur the same way I do in their coffee. I just like that it's more espresso like and less sweet. I definitely don't like that flavor in their coffee and rarely patronize them unless it's the only thing at the rest stop on a long drive. I'll drink Wawa or Dunkin Donuts coffee long before Starbucks. Haven't tried the cream liqueur, but I'm not usually a fan of creamy things like that (one exception: Voyant Chai creme liqueur is delish!) so I doubt I'm missing anything.

Maggie: And I bow to your personal preference. That's kind of what I was trying to say, although it seems it didn't come across that way. Although I get paid to do this for a living, my palate isn't everyone's. I've just tried more things across the board usually <hic> . Most people try one or two things and always either order at a bar or purchase the same things over and over. My feeling is there's a whole world of stuff out there and you might surprise yourself by finding you really like something different than what you're accustomed to. Sometimes, if you're lucky, it's even more cost effective. Sentimental feelings are different. If your parents always drank Tia Maria and drinking that reminds you of them, nothing can possibly replace that - in your heart or your glass. I'm a bit more dispassionate when stocking a bar because I have to be. Cost, limits on shelf space, brand recognition, availability/ease of ordering are all factors I have to take into account. But I also see part of my job as trying to convince people to broaden their horizons a bit and try new things. The inveterate Tanqueray and tonic drinker might be surprised to find that they like some of the newer gins like Bluecoat or Hendricks even more. Or perhaps they've never tried Plymouth gin, which is just as old but a different style. A die hard Captain and Coke person might enjoy Sailor Jerry's more molasses like flavors and spicing better. And some of the newer entries into the liqueurs market are decidedly more flavorful and less sweet than their older and perhaps better known counterparts. The classic cocktail revolution is dialing away from the sweeter drinks of yesterday and going more for balanced flavors. And that's a good thing. And undoubtedly a whole different discussion... On a separate note: the Italian coffee liqueur I was trying to think of is Borghetti Caffe Espresso. I found the bottle I thought I'd finished with just a wee bit left in it. I'll have to make something with it this week. There's just a couple of shots left and I need to clear out the liquor cabinet a bit myself.

I'd finish both and buy a bottle of the Starbucks coffee liqueur instead. Tastes much more like coffee (espresso actually) and is a tad less sweet, which is a good thing for most drinks you'd be using it in. If for some reason it isn't sweet enough for you, you could always add some simple syrup or sugar to the drink and shake the hell out of it. There's an Italian coffee liqueur whose name is currently escaping me that's also very good. I'll try and get the name of it from my sales rep and report back. I had a sample bottle of it a while back and I remember thinking to myself it was more flavorful than Kahlua and would be a better substitute. To me it isn't about whether the brand is "known" or not, it's about how it tastes, both in a commercial environment like where I'm stocking the bar, or for my home liquor cabinet. In a commercial environment I'm forced to have brand names that would be requested, and even then I have limited shelf space and have to make choices. I'll always choose the better tasting brand. To me, the purer the taste of the ingredient in the drink the better. If I'm making a cocktail that calls for both coffee flavored liqueur and rum, I'd rather use the Starbucks and the best rum I have for that application (amber, dark, aged, uanaged, spiced, etc.), not a rum-based coffee liqueur. Unless you really think the Kahlua, or Tia Maria or Kamora or Caffe Lolita tastes best (and to my taste I find all of those too sweet) then don't stock it. Try different ones and find the one that pleases you most. Buy the mini or half sized bottles if you don't want to commit. Or go to a bar that has both and order two shots and do a side by side taste test. You might be surprised. Stock your bar with what tastes good to YOU. Especially at home, your guests will get over it. They get over it at a bar as well, and often leave with a bit more knowledge and a new favorite.

Anyone else enjoy this article by Craig Laban besides me? I found a lot of my old favorites as well as some new ones I wasn't aware of in there. Anyone have anything to add? Or find any significant omissions? My only omission would be mentioning the express bargain lunch at Amada and not mentioning that there's a lunch special available at Tinto also. A few places in Chinatown have pretty good lunch specials too, like David's Mai Lai Wah at 10th & Race. If I recall, you can have soup and eggroll and an entree for like $6.95. And the menu is pretty extensive. Talk amongst yourselves, but then let us all know what you've discovered...

The chef and pastry chef were apparently fired several weeks ago. Not sure why. I have a friend on the staff there who told me the grim news. Their interpretation was that the owners were somehow threatened by a chef/pastry chef that were garnering good reviews and getting the place great press. Go figure. I'll post if I get any worthwhile updates on the situation there. No word as yet as to where the former chefs may have gone.

Chris: You are both intrepid and thorough, an admirable as well as formidable combination of attributes. And please don't misunderstand me, I have an infinite amount of respect for that. But sometimes it's best to find a new liquor neat or over ice, a local microbrew or new wines that are available in your destination that might not be available at home that makes all the fussing less worthwhile. Cobbling together a mediocre cocktail just takes away from your enjoyment of a truly well crafted one as soon as you're back in a place where such a thing is possible. There's a vast and unexplored world of wine, spirits and beers that aren't necessarily at our disposal in our local orbit. That's what the discovery of travel is for. Not a MacGyver slapped together version of an Old Fashioned or whatever. Just because you can build a bomb out of a lipstick case is not necessarily a good reason to do it... I'm all for being adventurous. A dear friend of mine once managed to open a bottle of wine with two Volkwagen keys when we didn't have a corkscrew. But sometimes the gods are trying to tell us something. I love a great cocktail, as you all know. In these situation where I'm working way too hard for my reward, I'm often reminded of the lyrics of a favorite old song... "...if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with..." (with apologies to Stephen Stills for context) Go to the bar and ask the bartender what the local specialty is. And then try it. You might learn something, Or if you're firmly convinced there's absolutely nothing worthy of exploring at the bar, you can still have a beer, a glass of wine or a hooch-over-ice without your pants on in the comfort and privacy of your room. Don't ask me how I know this...

I know you didn't want to name the city, but somehow, "Lost in Austin" seems to ask for help in a nice and not so needy way. Since you already started another thread asking for just that, it seems like a no brainer to me. You approach the city and the food scene as a newcomer who isn't familiar with anything and can offer a fresh eye and new approach that both the newcomer and the native could appreciate.

It's true that they aren't eaten out of hand, but that they are always used pre-ripe is most definitely NOT true. They are most certainly eaten ripe. In Cuba they make fried tostones with underripe plantains and maduros (meaning ripe) with the ripe blackened and sweet plantains. They are definitely as sweet as a regular banana when allowed to turn spotted or totally black. They can also be boiled and mashed and eaten as a starchy side dish. I've never had a problem with the mold, but I usually eat them before they turn completely black.

only a personal sized ice cream cup?!! should have been at least a pint, katie. ← Normally it would have been, but I was too full from the bad prefab boxed protein fix and the huge amounts of fiber from the squash. I suppose I should be pleased that at least some part of me forces me to eat my veggies along with my PMS fix of foul food sources.

Forgive me, my sisters, for I have sinned... Half a box of Hamburger Helper Stroganoff jazzed up with sour cream and fresh herbs, a whole delicato squash, steamed and drowned in butter, salt and pepper and a personal sized Blue Bunny Light Super Fudge Brownie ice cream cup. ::hangs head in abject shame::

Well that's all very interesting stuff about the amaretto origins. I think the use of almonds was definitely brought over to Europe by the Arabs. Certainly that influence is clear in Spanish cuisine. Makes sense that Sicily would be a point of contact from North Africa as well. I infused the dried chile flakes overnight, but I think it was the quantity relative to a small volume of scotch that was the problem that time, not the infusion time. With the fresh chile I also left it overnight, but that wasn't hot enough. Meh. I'll figure it out eventually. I currently have a hibiscus infused rum drink on the menu and I infuse that over the course of one shift. I put the dried hibiscus in the bottle of Appleton V/X at the start of the shift and leave the bottle out where it's visible. Every time I go near it, I shake it. After about 6 hours I strain it and rinse the bottle out with a little Appleton white rum to get the last out of it. Rinse the bottle and funnel the now gloriously ruby red and floral scented rum back into the bottle. Perhaps I should try that with the scotch one evening.

Management at Caribou has never been their strong suit. I have several friends that used to work there, and after hearing their stories, I'm not particularly surprised by your bad experience with "management". The place survives by being in a highly trafficked area that's close to the theaters and tourist attractions. Not many natives bother with the place, except perhaps to sit at the bar, which is lovely. So where did you end up eating after the parade?

I'm not sure what the actual providence on the DiSaronno Amaretto is. I'd always been told DiSaronno was "almond" liqueur, so I just assumed that to be so. No reason to think that anyone wasn't telling me the truth. Perhaps my sources were misinformed. Once I tasted the Luxardo and learned it was made with real almonds and not apricot pits I could totally tell the difference and can't go back. The Luxardo has more of that Marcona almond flavor with just a tiny hint of bitterness. Like Sam, I don't find it any sweeter, just far more flavorful. I find that just a little goes a long way in a cocktail. Makes for a delicious Godfather with the Famous Grouse or any other blended scotch. I've been drinking a few of those lately as the weather has turned cooler. Such a tasty autumnal beverage... I really do love spicy drinks! I think it's something unexpected and surprising. I've been tweaking a chile infused scotch for a Godfather variant but haven't quite worked out the kinks yet. Dried chile flakes were too hot (coworkers were coughing and gagging!), and a fresh chile (seeded and deveined) was fruitier (which I really liked) but not nearly hot enough. Once I figure out the proper heat delivery system to proper volume of scotch I'll report back.

A gorgeous and gloriously ripe Hosui asian pear from my favorite local orchard. It was so juicy it was dripping everywhere. Clearly the Forbidden Fruit from Eden. Nothing less could be worthy.

I faked up a Spicy Chica for myself last night after a long shift. A splash of homemade ginger beer, simple syrup and ginger ale stood in for ginger syrup. I also used the Luxardo amaretto which I find to taste far superior to the DiSaronno, which has never seen a real almond in its life. Very tasty drink! Averna makes a sambuca from star anise that might be an interesting substitution or addition in this drink as well. Then it would really have that delicious dessert spice thing going on.

In addition, there's an excellent selection of Eastern European packaged goods like teas, jams/jellies/preserves, honey and really good homemade pierogies back in the frozen case. Closer than Bell's Market and more specifically Polish in most of its inventory.

U.E.: Thanks for the props. The trail of tasty beverages I left behind at Amada I think lives on only in the basic sangria recipes at this point, and perhaps in the training of the last few original staff members that are still there. A lot has changed there in the past two years, and of course a beverage program needs to evolve to remain fresh and interesting for the guests as well as the staff. The beverages are in the capable hands of my friends/colleagues Manager Kevin Lundell as well as bartender Stephen Siebert and the other excellent bartenders on staff. There's plenty of creativity happening there, as I often stop by to check out the latest works in progress. As for me, I'm a short walk away at Chick's Cafe & Wine Bar. Link is in my signature. It's an old school saloon that reopened in April 2007. I've been there since July '07. I have a lot of freeedom to play with the cocktail list. We won a "Best of Philly" this year for Most Inventive Cocktails, which pleased me greatly. You'll have to stop by next time you're in town. PM me and let me know when to expect you. I'll be looking forward to it!

Tom pretty much got all clairvoyant and read my mind and made the very same suggestions I would have. Cucina Forte has the most etherial gnocchi ever. No contest. Penne does great pasta of all sorts. On the BYOB front the only place no one has mentioned yet is Modo Mio, which as I recall usually has at least one great pasta dish on the menu on any given evening. Actually, by that criteria, Radicchio would fit the bill as well. Their pasta dishes have never disappointed me either. And howzabout Il Virtu? Whilst I've not had the personal pleasure yet, the ownership knows their stuff and the chef makes awesome pasta that I experienced elsewhere that she worked. You will not be disappointed with a trip there for pasta, I am completely certain. If you want pasta, you've come to the right place. An embarassment of riches by anyones standards.

Grand Marnier is made with a brandy base and sees some wood aging. Triple Sec or Cointreau is made with neutral spirit base and does not have any wood aging. Two completely different things. Smell and taste them side by side and the differences should become more obvious.

emphasis added And a fine large batch beverage it is. I've made several versions of this, as well as written about it, but the basics always include rum, brandy/cognac, peach/apricot brandy, sugar and lemon, and sometimes brewed tea. Depending on which source you believe, the date of its creation is either 1732, and it was the "starter beverage" for the meetings of the Schuylkill Fishing Club, or was concocted in 1848 by Mr. Shippen Willing of Philadelphia, to celebrate the occasion of allowing the ladies to attend the annual Christmas party of the State Fishing and Social Club of Pennsylvania. Regardless of which fishing club created it, it's damned tasty stuff and a real crowd pleaser.

The Euro is losing strength against the dollar, but I don't know if prices will drop with the same alacrity with which they rose... Something to hope for/look forward to though.

Mine too. Granted Don has four years in as saucier and then sous chef at Emeril Lagasse’s NOLA, but can his gumbo really be as good as any found in the New Orleans? If I were to be passing through New Orleans in early November, where might I pause for a worthy comparison? Edited to add: painfully alluring pics throughout this thread. ← I remember some pretty respectable gumbo to be had at Mother's. It wasn't as high falutin' as Cajun Kate's - no smoked brisket or duck - but it was as good as any I've had before or since for the basics. The Old Coffee Pot had a very tasty gumbo also, as I recall from my July 2007 trip to NOLA. Those would be my recommedations for a comparison, but I'm certain the locals can do better.

David Snyder at City Paper has discovered our clandestine spot for Slavic cuisine: Love Slav His assessment is similar to ours. I have to get back here ASAP, before it's impossible to get in...