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I've noticed and wondered the same thing when hunting through flea markets/antique/collectible shows routing out some vintage cocktail shakers, glassware, stir sticks and whatnot. Perhaps the current aesthetic design of the moment in time? I have some fantastic crystal champagne flutes designed in the 1980's that are ultra long, slender, showy and dramatic. Reminds me of those ultra conservative, navy Ralph Lauren wool gab suit wearing days working in corporate law firms, while also sporting the drastic jet black and hot pink hair jumping around to the likes of New Order/Depeche Mode club going nights. All contrast and excess. I haven't used those champagne flutes since either.

My freezer solely serves the purpose for the much needed ice on hand at all times deemed necessary for a cocktail and to store my vodkas, one bottle of gin and one bottle of Jägermeister. I enjoy the muted effect on the juniperness (like drinking a Christmas tree!) of the gin and having my alcohol as cold as possible so as not to melt my little ice cubes at an alarming rate and muddling up a perfectly good cocktail due to procrastination. (I'm still working on that acquiring the taste of gin thing, however the botanicals of Tanqueray 10 seemed to be more to my preference).

thrasymachus: An eGCI class covered cocktail glassware a month and a half ago, or so. That was the most I've found on the subject from various cocktail publications. I hope that helps. Cheers!

Thanks Basilgirl! It was a great way to use up the last of the roast chicken! Today: remaining homemade pita and some baba ghannouj, ice tea and a slice of the cinnamon crumb cake I made yesterday. Yup, I'm a carbo loader today.

A couple of weeks ago I groaned when I saw a huge Cheesecake Factory near my beloved Nordies, downtown Seattle. (Wasn't it once one of The Bon Marche's, but all juniors clothing??) Now one is opening within about a week in the newly developed Legacy Village, now being touted as the "Rodeo Drive" of Cleveland shopping. Grrr. I'd truly hope that CF is not on Rodeo Drive (wasn't the last time I was there about 10 years ago). The news media is fawning over lining up to go to eat there! On a positive note, we are FINALLY getting a Crate and Barrel! Yes, I get to give my UPS man a rest from the catalog orders from their lovely store! Besides Ohio's outrageous wine markups (Craig posted the link to an article in the Wine forum), I think I need to move. Cheesecake Factory = Rodeo Drive eats Indeed!

Sour Grapes!

I grew up with a canning friendly family. This year I'm only doing a few jellies and jams. Blackberry, raspberry and I'm going to attempt some crabapple jelly. This weekend I'm going to make pumpkin butter. I really want to get into doing tomatoes and more pickles. What is everyone's choice of jars? I've always wanted to try some of those Weck's but can't find them easily without mail ordering. Ball are everywhere, K-mart, grocery and hardward stores all stock them. I've always felt if the cashier or any other person at the store gives ya a funny look, it is only because they don't know the joys of the process nor the rewards in taste and flavour. Deeply satisfying.

I remember some absolutely wonderfully prepared cafeteria food (!) from when I did the corporate law thing at Eaton. The WHQ had an incredible cafeteria and a separate, top floor sit down restaurant (jacket required, which was something for a company that was one of Cleveland's first to go "Eddie Bauer" casual dress, everyday). Same was true of legal giant (debatable) Jones, Day's in-house diningroom. I also remember some fabulous 3 cocktail lunches too... or my favourite bakery/deli's Tomato Florentine Soup with a half sangie of herbed cheese, lettuce and tomato on an oven fresh multi-grain roll. Sometimes lunch was the most looked forward to meal of the day! When I worked for our fair city's municipal law department, lunch time was legendary. I became friends with the chief of the photography department and we would often dash off to Chinatown for dim sum or Villa y Zapata for Mexican or Minh Ahn for Vietnamese. Other times we'd have lunch in the comforts of the photo lab sharing homemade goodies. I'll never forget when we walked in on a somewhat embarassed coworker already knee deep in the process of lunching. He had covered his enlarger with clean photolab towels, lit a candle, opened a hearty local microbrew to accompany a hunk of hard salami and crusty bread (I forgot his veggie of choice, which might have been kolrabi!). Fun times, good memories and wonderful food. Early yesterday afternoon, my neighbour came over and we made pita bread together, from scratch. Yes, the first few didn't puff. But enough did to have a delicious lunch with left over roasted chicken breast. I made it into a salad of homemade mayo, cranberry raisins, a dash of left over dry white wine, toasted walnut pieces, a pinch of garlic powder, sea salt, pepper and dried rosemary from my garden. This was really lovely stuff. In the similar spirit to the Dinner thread, what's up for lunch? edit: spelling!

I like the clam bake. A restaurant my old roomie worked for did a different themed clam bake every Friday evening throughout the month of September -- Florida style, Pacific Northwest, Maine and I forgot the last one....

Oh my! Bugger of a typo!

How about a celebration of the various styles of clambakes? Can't wait to see some of the pics. I'll almost be able to smell those smokey meats.... And I truly believe Matthew could bartend any function better than most try to do for a living too!

Thanks Robert! It's about as much as Easy Design and AOL permit for homepage creating urges. I think I might try a Werewolf, a spin off on Rusty Nails, which I enjoy very much this time of year. I'll try to monkey around with that midi file and who knows, silly music for a silly page may come together. Here are additional Halloween themed drinks, alcholic and non, here (Webtender Drink Recipe database) and here (Kathy Hamlin about.com).

That is those Aussie in a can wines right? Ooooooh, thank you! I haven't opened that free sample some mysterious wine rep dropped off a week or two ago. The food and fun sounded fabulous.

These are a few of the drinks and recipes from various sources (Webtender, distillers) for some Halloween fun. The title(s) and fonts were accurate to my table tent menus, minus these silly/fun gifs. (none are copyrighted nor infringing to the very best of my knowledge) Now if I could only get that embedded music midi file to work.... Cheers!

Sandra - Enjoy that meal my lovely friend. I should hope it has sent that assistant sommelier to seek out a new situation.

*sniff* BLOW OUT THOSE MARLINS. My heart was with the Cubbies. Been there. Insult to injury: a replay of the Marlins in Cleveland was replayed last night. I will NEVER forget being able to hear a pin drop in my very over capacity filled bar for that not long ago game (but seems like lightyears away now for those Smindians). Oh, foodwise.... Seemed to be the beer of choice. GO YANKS.

Now *that's* an ugly can of worms to attempt to open here with several eG members that are in the biz of creating and plating up some fucking awesome food that guests crave. Let's not revisit this? (as a few points resurfacing here within this thread already tossed about, i.e., 'do you need change' and tipping)

i dont want to be in a position to judge on how german cuisine really is.. i certainly have my doubts on that... even in big cities as cologne you will have a hard time to find a good place 4 dinner... but most "good" regional cuisine chefs (as there ist nothing like a "german" cuisine) have a great tradition to use fresh "season" ingredients and dont try to do asparagus and strawberry in winter... also the ingredients come from the region to keep the miles on the actual product down, which is not only ecological but also qualitywise good... the treatment of humankind is pretty good in germany these days... if you payed attention to your teacher in school you might have noticed that has been so for moren than 50 years.. treatment of human kind is but something that the US really cant impute during the last year... torturing and keeping prisoners in an unhuman way during the iraq war is something the US was blamed even by organisiations like amnesty international.... besides my opinion on your president is that he is not elected correctly and a fucking lunatic too !!! you have never been to germany anyway, and if your opinion is really what you wrote you shouldnt bother us with your attendence... cheers t. egads.... OKAY! What the heck does what I've quoted have any shred of interest to the topic of VANILLA KarenS and schneich?! I got a good look at the recent price of the everyday Neilsen Massey Madagascar Bourbon variety. My eye's popped out of my head with the $11.00 figure on a cutsy, cut out, flourescent sign. Thank heavens I have a fairly decent stock, a nice gift of some lovely quality whole beans and some left over vodka, not of my exact preference, left over from a recent party within the household de beans!

I consider this extremely rude. Not just my pet peeve, though, it goes against the general rules of etiquette. The idea being that those who are still eating will feel very self conscious, especially if they're the last to finish. They feel like everyone is watching them and waiting. Which is, of course, true, because you can't (or shouldn't) order dessert or coffee or light a cigarette until that person is finished. Just plain courtesy, then, to leave all plates on the table until each diner is finished with his meal. I've had to forcibly restrain waiters and waitresses who swoop in and grab my empty plate before my wife has finished her meal. That's why I always leave something on the plate as a decoy so I can claim that I'm still eating. Chad Funny, as in some ultra fine dining wherein we did simultaneous service with those ridiculous glass domes, silver charger plates, umpteen forks and distinct order of courses (Italian or French service, I forgot) armed with crumbers and specific 15 points of service for fricking tea.... The removal of a finished plate was first and foremost. Thought being, not rudeness but why have refuse in front of the diner detracting from the aesthetic of the experience. Do you really want to sit there with all of those little legs, shell fragments, tail fins and lobster eyes peering back at you as if you savagely desimated the little delightfully tasting creature? Nope. It is promptly removed and tossed into the garbage, because it is garbage. Remember, even the server assistants wore gloves so as not to personally touch anything that was presented or removed from your table. What to do when that dining companion is slower than the rest? Languish and savour those sips of your glass of wine and continue with the witty reparte! Life's to short to worry and attribute rudeness when none is clearly present!

Welcome to eG. A day I hope that day will *never* come. My friends in the service industry in Europe are all green with envy for the amount of tips earned on this side of the pond. See, they work for tips too, but have a fair wage. In short they wish to have the tipping culture, presence and acceptance in Europe as it does in the States. But should my employer abolish tipping, in all honesty, they could never pay me wages equitable nor commensurate to what I earn in tips. Think about it and why so many remain in the biz refusing management positions. I made the error for opting for salaried management and gladly (read quickly) walked away from it too. And this is a gal with one semester of law school from Meechigan under the belt. The absolute freedom of my schedule and how it can and will indulge my whim or need to work I'll never return to the briefcase, pantyhose and conservative suit days I, admittedly, was once a sorry rat race participant.

Sure it will cure the hangover situation, but what that does to your digestive organs and liver is frightening and serious. I've got an article on that somewhere I'd be happy to provide a link to should I locate it.... It's just plain bad, bad, bad! Do yourself the favour and drink plenty of water (hydration) and munch on a few complex carbos and that will help mitigate or "slow" downsome of the effects of a consumption of an excess of spirits. And don't even *think* of greasy foods. (it will slow down the absorption of alcohol, however providing a false sense of security leading to a possible additional consumption of more liquor only for it to "dump" all at once into your bloodstream hitting you harder with a hefty drunk and a slower perceived effect of impairment of the senses from the alcohol -- say like when driving home.... boo all the way around).

I'm not sure what your point is. I thought you were saying that what is in common usage (word or recipe) should be the standard. I would disagree with that, given what is most "common" in cocktails today. People wouldn't think that McDonalds should set the standard for American cuisine, cocktails deserve the same respect. They had it in the past and its my hope, through education, they will have it in the future. While I prefer wit over a rant any day, I in no way intended to come across as smug. Perhaps the sincerity of my conviction reads as smug, but I stand convicted nonetheless. Yes, Meow Mix did ask how "you" prefer your martini, and I will assert that a martini means something in particular, and does not refer to any clear drink in a cocktail glass with an olive. I'd just say your guests are uninformed. I don't need to be tactful, my livlihood doesn't depend on their generousity. Something interesting I've found that the level of education on both the patrons' and the barkeeps' part really have huge regional differences. For instance, when I lived in SF I could order a Picon punch nearly anywhere and they'd know what it was. The biggest dive bar would ask if I liked it with grenadine or not. Bars there also knew what Negronis were about 50% of the time. When I'm in New Orleans, I'm almost guaranteed that when I ask for a Sazerac, I'm going to get one, without having to explain what it is. Too bad I can't get paid to research regional cocktail education and preferences... hmmm.... regards, trillium It's all consumer interest. If they don't bite, well then that "obscure" Negroni is made with all sorts of oddities that have no earthly reason for being present in that combination in the glass presnted to you, upon your "out of place" request. Regarding the standardization of the word Martini. I'm not for that, just noted from a long list of worldly sources that it has occured in one way or another. Some of them top of their game, while others, well that's just the way it is. I have a hard time disputing cocktails touted as martinis when they are *the* cocktail bar of all of the UK that makes many of my esteemed European counterparts ooh in glee with that establishment's barstaff's performance and astonishing consistency. And, choke on any of those that may consider McD's as the standard cuisine of America (sorry Canada and those good folks to the central and south!) That is a tad extreme at the very least and that being said, one I cannot and refuse to relate to on principle or with regard to martinis. Educating those about the mixed alcoholic concoction in correctness of terminology often results in a similar situation of a whisk(e)y newbie on another recent thread of today expressing they could care less about the correct terminology/"fight" of who knows the most about the subject and was merely interested in a good tasting and frugal/economical recommendation. I've accepted it and have chosen to move on. I'm service industry. Their wish is my command and I'll pour them the best tasting spiritous beverage they've ever had because that is what they wanted and asked for, incorrectly or correctly. Getting all caught up in which is "right" whether it be shaken, stirred, vermouthed or from the icebox is just plain silly. edit: Strawberry Margarita controlling the lack of typing ability/skills....

And entirely why I respect and adore you Robert. You keep us whiskey slingers honest, if said whiskey slinger has any interest in seeking truth. (oh, I sound like queneau. :groan:)

That's why I have chosen not to fight it and just accept....! Like it or not, well I believe it is impossible. Kinda of like what do you all call a daquiri that is made with vodka instead of rum? Is a Strawberry Margarita not a margarita because the original ingredients were of limes and not strawberries?