alacarte

I'm a huge fan of all variations of spicy and savory cocktails. Bring on the Bloody Marys! And I completely get the concept of vinegar in cocktails, whether as a gastrique, or a classic combo like balsamic vinegar-and-strawberry. And then I saw this press release from Grey Poupon: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/cool...CC%7D&dist=hppr Mustard in cocktails? An emphatic No, thank you. Closest I can stomach in this category is a horseradish or wasabi-infused liquor.

Unbelievable but true -- the Wall St Journal asked the Sommelier Society of America what to do when you're caught sans corkscrew. Here's what they said: Alternative #1: Drive the cork into the bottle. Alternative #2: Use a woodworking screw as corkscrew substitute. And as an aside, they note to expect "some spillage" with either method, but they say it's better than not having access to your wine at all. (ok - I agree with that one.) Anyone else have a creative alternative to the corkscrew?

Katie, please pass along to Maria & crew that the Seersucker Fizz rocked! I love spicy drinks, so that was my personal favorite. I was also a fan of PDT's Sargasso, which took second place -- not just because it was tasty, but also because I got a history lesson about East India Sherry!

Congrats to the mixology whizzes over at PDT - they took first and second place at a cocktail competition hosted by Clements Rhum earlier in the week. I was there & tried the winning drink, "Bitches Brew" (Clément Première Canne, Pampero Anniversario, lime juice, St. Elizabeth All-Spice Dram, Demerera Syrup, and an egg!), and it was delicious. Full description of the event & winners are here, on NRN's drinks blog: http://nrnstandardsandpours.blogspot.com/2...-challenge.html Will this be added to the PDT cocktail menu?

Maarkt, 21st and 6th - http://www.marktrestaurant.com/index2.htm

yep, it's the vegetarian/kosher/halal ilk. good dosas - they smell amazing! - although I think they are best eaten in the restaurant vs. delivery

Try Pongal.

This rocked. Love the details, and love the pictures. I think your next book should be about hilarious dinners at the homes of famous foodies. Jeffrey Steingarten needs to invite you over. now. Looking forward to that perfect Caesar Salad recipe?

Fish's Eddy - esp. if you can catch them during a sale.

Second Ave. Deli. No contest. (yes, the food is every bit as good as the old place, even though it now costs 50% to 75% more....)

.....and Clarke's review begins with this gem: Love that quote.

I really like Felten's WSJ columns. If anyone's read both the columns & book -- is it just a compilation, or something more?

The July issue of Gourmet also had a recipe for basil lemon syrup for basil lemonade or vodka gimlets -- you could try substituting lime for lemon zest.

bondgirl & I went to PDT a couple of weeks ago, and I had a great experience there. Tried the Aperol Sprizz as well as Negroni, and both were well balanced, delicious drinks. It was a pleasure to sit at the bar and watch the drinks being made and chat with the bartender. We were there early enough in the evening that chatting was a possibility -- by the time we left every seat was full and the bartender of course was quite busy. My only comment is that the food in no way measures up to the quality of the drinks -- all that's on the menu is Crif dogs & fries! It's fun to have cottage fries with a perfect Negroni, but it kind of shatters the experience, quickly brings you back down to earth. They need to Pegu up the menu a bit.

I'm having college flashbacks.... I remember two techniques on this one: Brute Force technique: cut away a small part of the watermelon rind from each end of the fruit; pour a bottle of vodka in each end and replace the rind. Refrigerate overnight. Delicate technique: Use syringes full of vodka to pierce the rind and infuse the watermelon all over. It takes a long time and you need to take care not to break the syringe needles in the rind, but it provides a more dispersed effect.

I went back and looked at the drink again, It does indeed include white cranberry-flavored aquavit. Much better.

This is how it's being used at Aquavit (NY) - I have not yet tried it: Elderwhite cocktail: White cranberry-flavored aquavit, white cranberry juice, St. Germaine liquer and a splash of Chambord (edited to add aquavit!)

Orange bitters mixed with tonic or seltzer is a nice combo on days when you don't feel like alcohol.

This is kind of old news...so old that Wine X magazine has gone out of business...but Wine X mag used to sell jelly bean "recipes" to approximate the taste of different wine varietals. Clever idea. You can click through on the specific wines to see the "recipes" some of which are very complicated! Wine Bar Menu

Good luck with your very worthwhile project! You might want to check out Tru in Chicago - they have a cupping program where they pair coffee of different origins and roasts with their desserts...not all of them chocolate, however.

I once tried to use Kulfi as a cocktail concept. It kind of worked, but in the end it just tastes a lot like a frozen White Russian. my Kulfi cocktail recipe

I know this is post-Derby... but I picked up a copy of the Journal of American Mixology (I may be mangling the name of the journal?) and there was a fascinating article on the history of the mint julep. The writer (the owner of LeNell's) dissected the use of mint, the origin of the silver julep cup, etc etc. Worthwhile reading.

On a recent trip to London, I noticed that Pimms & lemonade was on offer at most of the pubs, even written up on blackboards outside to entice drinkers inside. And then in the supermarket, I saw precious tiny pink cans of pre-mixed Pimms and lemonade, which I bought to sip back at the hotel.

I'm learning about bourbon...or trying to, anyway! What's the best type of bourbon to use in a julep? I see we have one vote for Rittenhouse rye on this thread, and another for bonded. Is there a particular type (or brand) that works best with the mint and other flavors?

I like the "savory desserts" concept. You don't often see salt & pepper on the dessert cart. I guarantee we will be hearing more about this as a rising trend. You read it here first!