slkinsey

What makes you think that mushrooms/garlic/onions/etc. don't contain proteins? Almost everything contains proteins, and there are certainly plenty of people who are allergic to, e.g., mushrooms. I'm also not sure I buy the idea that "a food allergy is an immunologic response to a food protein" and only a protein. All that is required is for the food to contain an something that produces an allergic response (I believe, e.g., some polysaccharides can act as antigens). If one were eating a dish dusted with ragweed pollen, that could produce an allergic response and would therefore constitute a food allergy.

I've thought about this a bit with my setup, and decided against putting food directly into the waterbath. Ultimately I was swayed by two factors: 1. I didn't want to get potato starch (or any other bits of organic material) on my circulator. This seems like asking for trouble and a maintenance hassle. 2. It's perfectly easy to dump a bunch of sliced potatoes (or whatever) and water into an open bag or a rigid container, and then clip the bag or container to the side of the water bath. There is no need to seal the bag or the container in this context.

Right. Dash technique makes a difference, as does the fullness of the bottle. It's also the case that different dasher bottles have a different dash volume. I've found my Hazel Atlas bitters bottles have a consistent dash volume so long as the bottle is not filled into the neck. Angostura, in my experience, can have an especially large dash volume if it is aggressively dashed "ketchup bottle style" (as opposed to the "quick tip" dashing technique).

I have found that chicken breasts work best for my family at 153F for 2 hrs (wrapped individually), but you can certainly go down to 140F if you want to. 67C for chicken breast? That's too high for me. I mean, it's good at that temperature compared to the usual dried-out cottony whole chicken breast cooked by conventional means (which is why I only do scallopini if cooking chicken breast conventionally), but I vastly prefer 60C. I just follow the timetables and cook to sterilization.

Katie, iirc, there is an Improved [spirit] Cocktail "master recipe" in Imbibe!

I love parsley! It's my favorite herb. One great use of parsley is a variation of spaghetti aglio e olio. Just add a fistful of finely minced parsley at the end (and, if you're me, a hefty pinch of crushed red pepper).

I probably wasn't clear: It goes something like this: You start off with cracked ice, a mixing glass and a cocktail glass, all at -18C. You have spirits at 21C. You introduce the ice and spirits into the mixing glass and stir. Thermal transfer ensues, and the temperature of the liquid goes to, say, -3C. At this point, the liquid inside the mixing glass isn't getting any colder. Ideed, if you left the spirits sitting on the ice until the mixture reached thermal equilibrium, the temperature wouild likely be higher than the current temperature. At this point, you strain the liquid out of the mixing glass into your -18C cocktail glass. Thermal transfer once again ensues -- this time between the (already cold) liquid and the (even colder) glass -- further reducing the temperature of the liquid an aditional 1 - 1.5 degrees C.

WRT measuring the liquid, the best thing would be to get a high accuracy plug-mount Thermapen and put in the thinnest probe. This would be able to read the temperature of the liquid in the mixing glass well and quickly without too much worry about influence from pieces of ice and the sides of the mixing vessel. I would suggest inserting a spoon into the mixing vessel, "holding back" the ice to create a void space between the ice and the side of the mixing vessel where there is only liquid, and inserting the tip of the probe into the void space. A Thermapen gives an acurate reading in around 1 second or less.

It makes perfect sense that a frozen glass would make the drink even colder. The same thermodynamics work in that context that work when you mix a drink in a chilled mixing glass: Assuming that the glass is colder than the drink being poured into it, there will be some transfer of thermal energy from the drink to the glass. We generally chill glasses to make sure that there is no thermal transfer in the opposite direction (from the glass to the drink) but any time the glass and the drink are at different temperatures, there will be some transfer of thermal energy. Note that the effect Toby is describing works only with a frozen glass, which will be at around -18C -- when the glass is chilled using the traditional ice and water method, it's unlikely it even reaches 0C (in this case you are simply mitigating the warming effect of thermal transfer from the glass to the drink to the greatest extent possible when starting with a room temperature glass).

If you look at the OP you will see that he says: "22 F, after being stirred with cracked ice. As an experiment, I used freezer-chilled gin and refrigerated Cocchi Aperitivo Americano and diluted with fridge-temp water instead using room-temperature spirits and allowing to sit." It's not clear to me that the gin was entirely freezer temperature or not. But 22F certainly doesn't strike me as being too cold. Different temperatures may be better or worse for certain drinks. I remember Audrey's Falling Leaves cocktail is one we have observed to be better after it has a chance to warm up a bit. On the other hand, it's hard for me to imagine a stiff Martini that's "too cold" -- "not sufficiently diluted" (which is a common problem when the gin is from the freezer), yes, but that's a different aspect of the drink. Here's the thing about temperature and cocktails -- It's a bit like salt: You can always "add" a little heat after the cocktail is mixed just by waiting, but it's never going to get any colder than it is when it's poured into your glass.

We had several batched cocktails at our wedding party in November, so I have given this some thought. It's a great way to get a top quality cocktail at a place that may not be known for its mixilogical acumen. If you don't mind shaking them out to order, you can batch just about any cocktail. Just make sure that, if it includes fresh herbs or juices, you don't incorporate those ingredients until just before your party begins. Also, don't forget about punch, which is making a huge comeback. We had a punch at the wedding party, among several other batched cocktails, and it was a huge hit. If you don't want to go with overly familiar things like a Manhattan, but don't want to stray too far from what people know, I'd suggest something like the Vieux Carré Cocktail (1 oz each good rye whiskey, cognac, and sweet vermouth with a teaspoon of Bénédictine D.O.M. and two dashes each of Angostura and Peuchaud's). It batches well, and goes well over ice in a small rocks glass. If you splurge on a great rye, a VSOP cognac and a great vermouth like Carpano Antica Formula, this can be a decadent drink (we did this one at our wedding party, but were paying enough just to get the room that we could specify tip-top shelf spirits without increasing the bottom line). Audrey's Tantris Sidecar batches well, and is another drink that's novel enough to be exciting but familiar enough that it's not challenging for non-cocktailians. It's a delicious drink that's widely known for a reason. The Last Word also batches well, and since it's an "equal parts" cocktail, it's very easy to measure out. What about a champagne cocktail? A French 75, a Prince of Wales, a Ritz, a Champino, an Old Cuban or a Champagne Apricato are among many champagne cocktails that are easy to make. Just batch and chill the base, then pour into a cocktail (or champagne) glass and top with cold champagne.

This is exactly what I do. I bring the water bath up to within 1C of the target temperature on the stove. I've also considered leaving the burner on low -- too low to maintain the temperature, but high enough that the circulator's heater has a very reduced workload and is mostly for accuracy.

Rob, those seem like very high temperatures (right around 88C and 64C, respectively). The higher/shorter temperature in particular seems quite high. Medium rare being around 54C, I have to assume you were going for a well-done texture? How would you describe the differences between the two examples? In particular, I'd be interested in your thoughts and observations on how the 48 hour brisket differed from a skillfully done brisket cooked in the traditional manner. Was it falling apart?

If you're thinking of purchasing a FoodSaver, you really should consider one of these. I eventually bought one to replace my FoodSaver. Much stronger vacuum & easier to use.

Off the top of my head, I'd try one of the Western Beef outlets; perhaps Big Apple Meats; any one of a dozen Chinese meat shops in Chinatown (these often sell bags of chicken bones for making stock); or any one of the dozen or so full-service butchers (my local is Oppenheimer Prime Meats). Might not hurt to check with Whole Foods either.

All depends on how much booze you put in the glass, how much ice you add to the glass and the size of the ice. But here's the thing: You can always stir a little longer to get the proper dilution, but if you start out with too much thermal energy there is only so cold the drink can ever be. (Similarly, if the drink is too cold for your liking, you can always let it warm up, but it doesn't work in the other direction.)

Maybe, yea. Although Erlenmeyers are usually too narrow at the top. I see you linked to "wide mouth" flasks -- I wonder how wide they are at the opening? If the opening fit a Hawthorne (and especially if it had a pouring channel) it might do in a pinch. Ideally, I'd prefer something curved in such a way that the widest part of the mixing vessel was in the center rather than down at the bottom.

I use a 5 gallon stainless stock pot. But I live in a small NYC apartment and have to multitask with equipment. If you have the ability to store your sous vide vessel somewhere out of the way when it's not being used, I'd recommend modifying a large insulated cooler. This will be much more energy efficient, and will have a lid.

A silver stirring spoon isn't too hard to keep clean by hand, so I wouldn't worry about it. I have an ancestral silver stirring spoon, and use it every time I make a stirred cocktail. As for shakers... Good luck finding an affordable solid silver shaker (which is what is generally meant when one says "sterling silver" instead of "silver plated") with a decent design for shaking. Anyway... a few things about silver shakers, which as chance would have it is an area in which I have some experience: 1. Silver has extremely good thermal conductivity -- better even than copper. A solid silver shaker is going to have some weight to it, which means that the thermal capacity of the shaker will be at least as high as the thermal capacity of a glass-and-metal Boston shaker, and most likely a good bit higher. This means that it is the worst possible material to use if your shaker is at room temperature. The shaker will have a high thermal capacity to conduct into the liquid, and due to having excellent conductivity, will be very efficient in conducting that thermal energy into the liquid. This also means that a heavy solid silver shaker is an excellent choice if the shaker will be pre-chilled by being frozen in the freezer. In this case, the good thermal conductivity and large thermal capacity are working in your favor by efficiently conducting plenty of thermal energy out of the liquid instead of into the liquid as it would with a room temperature shaker. 2. My experience is that running silver through the dishwasher (especially using standard dishwasher detergent and especially if there are other metals in the dishwasher) will at best dull the silver after a few washes and at worst will severely tarnish the silver. The effect will depend on the composition of the silver ("sterling silver" is an alloy). Better to simply wipe down the silver with a bar towel and give it a light swipe with a silver polishing cloth at the end of the evening.

That's the general idea. Of course, that particular mixing vessel is too small (and the bartender uses only a single large piece of ice) to be particularly efficient. But something with a similarly curved shape and a volume closer to 30 ounces, capable of accommodating at least ten cubes worth of cracked ice, would work nicely. In my mind's eye, it would be taller and narrower than a snifter, which would make it easier to pour out of.

I wouldn't necessarily say that caroway is "an anise" -- which carries the implication that it is a type of anise, which it isn't. Caroway and aniseed are in the same family (Apiaceae -- hollow stemmed plants including parsley, fennel, carrot, etc.) but not in the same genus. Caraway is in the genus Carum (species: C. carvi) and aniseed is in the genus Pimpinella (species: P. anisum). Personally, I can't say that I think caraway has a particularly liquorice-like flavor and aroma. I think it's pretty uniquely "caraway-like" in flavor (think of the seeds in traditional caraway rye bread). Anyway... if you want to expose yourself to caraway, pick up a bottle of akvavit. If you can still find any Aalborg brand in the US (they have apparently stopped importing it), it has a particularly notable caraway flavor.

Given the area of contact for thermal transfer, and presuming a very hot pan with a decent heat capacity and a reasonably powerful burner, this is not a concern. I've had no troubles browning off completely frozen lamb shanks that I was later going to braise overnight. Considering that udon noodles are quite soft, this isn't a surprise. I'd think that chewy strong pasta made with high gluten flour would be necessary for this technique. Nicely done, Doc. It's still not clear, howwever, whether he's talking about reducing cooking time or actually gaining some kind of culinary benefit. I suspect the former and have my doubts as to the latter.

The only reasons to use glass are (a) it's easier to see the dilution, and (b) if the glass is pre-chilled, there are some thermal benefits. Needless to say, if the mixing vessel is not pre-chilled, it is disadvantageous from a thermal perspective to use glass. Most home users can spare a little extra room in the freezer for a mixing glass or two. Most bars use room-temperature equipment, which means it would be more advantageous to use a metal mixing vessel. Bars like Pegu Club that are able to freeze their glass mixing vessels are generally able to produce the coldest stirred drinks. All of which leads to the general rule of thumb: room temperature equipment = use metal frozen equipment = use glass It's up to the individual home or professional mixologist as to whether it's worth the trouble to freeze the equipment. There is no reason to freeze the typical thin metal mixing cup, because the thermal capacity is too low to make a difference.

I like the Marchegiano dish pollo in friccò This more or less consists of one cut-up chicken which is browned in olive oil, then braised in white wine with fresh rosemary, garlic and juniper berries. The way I was taught to make it, you keep only a shallow layer of white wine boiling furiously over high heat, and replenish as necessary. When a bottle of wine is boiled away, the chicken is ready. Here is a dish made using a similar technique, with black olives and thyme instead of rosemary and juniper:

Timing is all dependent on the variables I posted upthread. If you have very cold ice in big pieces, it can sit for quite some time without diluting. On the other hand, if you have 100% finely cracked ice, you want to get the spirits on and off the ice rather quickly. In general, you're looking for something between 20% and 25% dilution, depending on the spirits (proof, intensity, etc.) and the desired effect. It's up to each person to work with the materials they have and arrive at an optimal strategy. I personally find that hand-cracked ice straight out of the freezer works best (I've experimented with machine-cracked ice, but this is a bit too small and results in more dilution than I want). I fill a frozen glass mixing vessel as full of ice as it can possibly be packed. Given this arrangement, I find that it can sit for a minute or two with no ill effect. The more coldness you bring to the game, the slower the ice will melt. You'll always get a more watered drink if you stir with 3 ice cubes instead of 23 ice cubes. Of course, the longer the booze sits on the ice, the more dilution you're going to get. And the more chilling you're going to get (up to a point). The trick is matching up optimal chilling with the proper amount of dilution. One way to play with this on a more scientific basis would be to pick up a jug of cheap vodka, a Thermopen and some finely calibrated measuring flasks. But the results you get at home with your ice and your equipment won't necessarily hold true at someone else's home, never mind a bar like PDT (in general, the Kold Draft ice at top cocktail bars starts out better in terms of purity/density, but ends up warmer than home ice by the time it's used -- this is one reason they can't use as much cracked ice as I can use at home and generally go with a mixture of cracked and whole ice for stirring).