beans

Sure there are for the heart of the house, however I've never seen one for the front of the house. Restaurant owners don't seem to be concerned with training and contributing to the learning (not all for the charity of doing same but as solid recruiting grounds for developing future relationships with talented individuals, as well as make use of their talents for the benefit of the day to day operation) for anyone in the front of the house part of the industry. Simply they need someone to attend to guests while selling the hell out of the chef's features, inclusive of management. They need a solid service staff with a management team, that will have nearly as much commitment as the ownership, to make sure it runs smoothly and efficiently. Perhaps "interns" waiting tables, seating guests, or managing those that doing so, would not have that type of commitment as a culinary student hoping ot get that foot in the door of a fine restaurant, reputable kitchen/chef? I certainly hope the above is not the absolute and that perhaps training ground sorts of FOH opportunities are available, you just need to find them. Culinary school with hospitality management areas of study would be most beneficial. Many of the schools run an open to the public restaurant wherein students rotate with managing the FOH service, wait tables, hostess, etc. All very good experience. Still plugging for you Bond Girl!

In a PRNewswire story from yesterday, (these never seem to be directly linkable) this announcement appeared. Gist of it here in a short cut and paste: Busy, busy bees at Skyy -- new flavoured vodka on the way, too. Before anyone states a solid YUK to the product concept, those Mike's Hard Lemonade types sell very well in the summer. In fact when I really couldn't commit to a glass of wine, a beer or a Margarita, a tall cup of ice and one of these sorts of beverages (I like the Mike's Cranberry Lemonade and Skyy Blue) are quite refreshing and very relaxing poolside. I just can't drink more than one....

Speaking of product launches... just a few hours ago today, Skyy annouces its Spring rollout for Skyy Melon vodka. I noticed the careful highlighting of the lack of added sugar and carbs in the press release -- now quite a valuable marketing tool for spirits. Skyy Melon story here ******** Blavod Vodka acquires Extreme Beverages. Story here Who is [was] Extreme Beverages? Players Extreme Gin, flavoured Vodkas and Rum Blavod Vodka Cheers!

I grew up on TV. Every time I think of a still, images of the gizmo Hawkeye set up on MASH comes to mind....

They're not cheap here in Houston, either, but you get plenty of yumyum out of one durian. We usually get them frozen, then they have to thaw and sit for a while to achieve a bit of stinktitude. Then it's just a matter of busting them open and grooving to the tire-fire custard! You gotta' love a day and age where a machete is a kitchen necessity.

They can be strange, silly or fun. We've only had a couple of launch parties but many promos. Our rep brought in these bongo beating purple "jumping beans" (they were clad in a head to toe purple unitard that even covered their head) some years back when we hosted Absolut Kurrant. They beat the bongos, jumped around, shouted and scared the crap out of 85% of the customers. Did I forget to mention they were very loud?! Captain Morgan comes around all of the time during the summer. For awhile they had a guy in a really wrinkled polyester and velcro get up. He had a penchant for being there ever Saturday afternoon and ended up walking around and partying with the Hawaiian Tropic bikini contest girls, becoming progressively sloshed. Then Captain Morgan had the girls with the polaroid cameras to take your picture with the Captain, in the same but less wrinkled get up. They often served tiny samples of mixed drinks. Miller Lite girls, Jäger girls, the Cuervo bus in our parking lot, bleh, it all becomes a circus of events and all eventually blur together. I also remember Absolut Mandarin and Skyy Citrus launch parties on our upper deck. (Some really nice tip $$$$ from the reps). The freebies are all dependent upon the particular state's liquor laws. oHIo changed not very long ago and now limits the give away items not to exceed the cost of those annoyingly blinking logo'd pins/light necklaces or bottle openers, money clips, key chains or temporary tatoos. No more decent ball caps, shirts or useful drink coolers! The shirts were always cool and we got the really good ones that were usually embroidered golf shirts or long sleeved button downs. Ah, the good ol' days.

Oh rats. I wouldn't toss it, but find a mixer to compliment or lessen. (depends on how much you enjoy the bitterness -- I do know someone that does!) For tart fruits, like raspberries sometimes, I have added mango to sweeten the mix a bit with excellent results. I just don't know what to do with bitter....

No. Our gin sales are probably the worst (rarely is one requested). Product roll out parties are usually big for us with any and all new vodkas -- guess our reps figured out some of our best sellers.

What Chris said. If I wouldn't eat it in a tapenade, I wouldn't put it into my Martini. And I rather enjoy my garlic stuffed ones. Keeps the vampires away. Welcome to eG ColinRiggs!

I agree. Especially when she threw in something as horrific as 9/11. Okay, so this is the nagging question, I even brought up at work: Why is more being attributed to a thread, posting and/or message board than is written? In Heather's case, did anyone say that someone is feeding their family out of a dumpster? (Her reference point of the Walmart thread). Where is this "right" or "wrong" thing going on? And why is it right or wrong?????? See, I don't even know because I didn't read it because it didn't interest me! I would have to wonder because of the proactive nature of the moderators on this forum. All IMHO, but why take eG that seriously?

Yes! A positive spin does wonders!

I hope no one said this verbatim. [continuing] There was some of that attitude in the Semi-Homemade thread or the Rick Bayless thread. In most instances I think that if someone sees a trend in food that they think is flat-out wrong (as was happening in that thread), they should be encouraged to say so. I've been fumbling with this post and have written it a couple times now, so be forewarned and salt as needed. In the case of Semi Homemade -- I can understand. That same warfare is happening at FN fanatic forum, too, but mostly in hopes the execs are seeing it and understanding the general public distain for that show. If anyone is feeling some cognitive dissonance for their food/cooking/eating choices, there are a myriad of underlying reasons. Why blame others or complain about "food snobbery" for posting their opinion? Do I care if others sneer at my standards of caught in the wild, fresh salmon and never farm raised? Does that make me a food snob? If so -- big whippy skippy! I find it wholly a myopic point of view to expect others to be like me and enjoy eating x, y or z, or be upset when that is not happening. I thank gawd that there are those not at all like me posting interesting and diverse ideas, opinions and thoughts about food and drink. No opinion is any less valid.

I hope no one said this verbatim. [continuing] I wholly agree with Kim. Perhaps personalising this too much can really drive you wild. Those that are posting about high end dining/ingredients deserve as much respect as the guy/gal that prefers the Semi Homemade route of product choices. Complaining about food snobbery is the pot calling the kettle black -- each side is judging the other, if there even are sides. We are all entitled to our own opinions, especially so with food and beverage choices. So why feel bad about it? Why should I care about other people's preferences and/or choices on an electronic medium? So what I enjoy my Gimlets with vodka? Do I care that MatthewB seizes each time I mention it? I feel no guilt....

I *knew* there was a reason I thought of cocktails using sherry -- the Nov/Dec 2003 issue of Cheers featured a drink created by Dale DeGroff. Here it is: Blond Manhattan 1 1/2 oz. Jameson Irish Whiskey 1/2 oz. orange curaçao 1/4 oz. Fino sherry dash of bitters (orange or Angostura) Stir all the ingredients in a bar glass filled with ice and strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with a flamed orange peel. Electronic link to this here, third one down. [/interruption]

Article Here

Beverage Industry Magazine choose WET as the Best New Product of 2003. Article Here Product and brief product platform Anyone try this yet?

Certainly not where I work! The restaurant has been around 15+ years with exceptionally high six figure earnings on only a Friday night. And we are not serving a la Trotter or the run of the mill TGIF stuff either. We do a fantastic business, which is exactly why I returned to work there. We are built around a solid concept of good food (CIA grads with experience running the kitchen), good service, decent wine list, excellent barstaff (something established *long* before I was employed there), outstanding bar selection(s) and it is casual. bcnchef: I wish you luck and much success, too. edit: bleh, typos.

The starfish!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for your comments, and link, Jason. I have learned from reading older threads about your recommendations. I also know I've only started on a journey of tasting, understanding and enjoying. I also truly enjoy the mission to try the less commercial but wonderful producers of some of the particular spirits in which you have tasted and/or written about. Oooooh, selfishly all great stuff shaping up for 2004 adventures. I've tasted some goodies, I really look forward to something that will blow my socks off.

Nothing heinous, just some polite souls that will not comment, perhaps. Many of the wine forum are a bunch from WS, which I'm glad I knew (I lurked often and posted almost nil) that migrated here for some spice of life. I think I remember reading something about 28 views and no comments -- don't read into that "statistic." Honestly, I would not trust culinary students to taste test any of the wines I may be interested in. (Sorry NeroW, but I love ya gal).

The remedy for any crappy wine you are served at a party is ice cubes and 7-Up or club soda. ...or the nearest planter.

Carolyn: Other than mixing it into your potato-leek soup (I use it for my potato chowder with hot smoked salmon myself), and sipping some delicious flights, consider any of the following. The Soviet Cocktail I may mix up tomorrow.... [Yes, I adore Webtender, wonderful site owner and a great bunch of contributing tenders]. I'm still a port kind of girl, so this is another 2004 thing on my list to try.

I'd start in the middle. Perhaps one that is a VSOP? The more it is aged, the smoother and more mellow it becomes. If you started with a XO, it might ruin you for anything else (ummm, speaking from experience I tasted -- Remy, Courvossier, Hennessy XO and Paradis, Martell and Davidoff's aged cognacs during my first introduction to the lovely spirit). Or if you are brave, give a VS a try and you've got nothing but bigger and better things to move on to trying. Taste them and post your notes here!

Aw, but sip or two of Louis XIII and you'll understand the fascination/love affair. *sigh* Beans: A excellent suggestion, but very cost prohibitive. Last time I checked a bottle of Louis XIII was about $1150/bottle! You are paying for that exquisite Lalique crystal decanter it comes in... Our restaurant owner got a bottle of Louis XIII on one of his trips (I think to the Bahamas), along with Hennessy Paradis, Richard Hennessy, Usquaebach Gold Elite 50 scotch whisky, Usquaebach Silver Elite 25 scotch whisky, and Bacardi Millenium. There was another bottle that we tasted in this bunch that was a cobalt blue, ceramic "jar" with a deer's head on it, that I cannot remember it's name.... It was a fun afternoon when he returned with all of these goodies.