eG Foodblog: johnder - Bouncing Around Brooklyn

[Chufi]

John, your apricots have an uncanny resemblance to the Dutch boerenmeisjes (see here for details), except that one has sugar aded and it should mature for about 8 weeks. The Dutch stuff is drunk (eaten, really) apricots and all, but if you would strain it, you'd have a sweet, very apricoty alcohol. Although you're probably looking for something not sweet?

[johnder]

John, your apricots have an uncanny resemblance to the Dutch boerenmeisjes (see here for details), except that one has sugar aded and it should mature for about 8 weeks. The Dutch stuff is drunk (eaten, really) apricots and all, but if you would strain it, you'd have a sweet, very apricoty alcohol. Although you're probably looking for something not sweet?

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Wow, that looks really good. I believe all the classic cocktails that call for apricot brandy actually are looking for something along the lines of an apricot liquer which would make it sweet. The Marie Brizzard Apry is very, very sweet. The taste has been compared to a jolly rancher candy, so I am thinking this i]boerenmeisjes could be a good idea. Especially if I can thin it down considerably.

Thanks Chufi, now I just need to find that brandy!

[Chufi]

Thanks Chufi, now I just need to find that brandy!  

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well, I had discussions about this with other US-based eGulleters, and I don't think you can get it outside of the Netherlands. It's a flavorless, 35 % alcohol, used primarily for preserving fruits and making advocaat (a kind of eggogg). It's pretty nasty stuff and no-one in their right mind would drink it on it's own (although elderly aunts of mine drink it straight, with a teaspoon of sugar mixed in).

So the best substitute would be something like vodka with a not too pronounced flavor.

Edited October 1, 2006 by Chufi (log)

[sadistick]

Great looking dinner John, did you supply all those wines as well?!

Do you use one of those fancy shmancy machines for your sous vide cooking? It perks my interests, but I have no room for another large contraption!

Also, I think the issue was with the dried appricots. I have tried using both dried and fresh, and fresh always turns out better for some reason. I actually dont use the entire fruit either. Typically I will cut away most of the flesh and make preserves, and use the stones with some leftover fruit and soak in brandy, not vodka. I find Brandy works better with Plums/Apricots, and vodka works best with cherries and peaches.

Cheers.

-Justin

[johnder]

So we went to Gramercy Tavern for a drink or two. (Jim says "Hi", Katie)

Jeannie started out with Jim's beta test of his homemade tonic. Simple gin & house made tonic. Very tasty. Now I need to learn how to make tonic.

The house made tonic is amazing. It blows the doors off anything I have tasted before.

I had a Van Brunt.

Next, Jeannie had the Tea Whiskey Hiball

This was amazing. It is going to be my next summer drink. It was like an awesome Iced Tea, with scotch!

He had a concord grape smash on the menu that called for Ketel, Grapes and Lime, but I didn't want vodka so he made it Agrigole and it rocked.

All the time we snacked on their bar nuts. Spicy, Salt, Sweet. Man, it makes you want to stay and drink. (I guess that is the point)

[johnder]

Great looking dinner John, did you supply all those wines as well?!

Yup, we recently did an inventory of our wines and pretty much planned the meal around the wines.

Do you use one of those fancy shmancy machines for your sous vide cooking?  It perks my interests, but I have no room for another large contraption!

I did use an immersion circulator. If you get one without the bath attachment it isn't really that big. Maybe the size of 2 stick blenders. I just used a rubber container to do the cooking in. 5 gallon pastic buckers work too.

Also, I think the issue was with the dried appricots.  I have tried using both dried and fresh, and fresh always turns out better for some reason.  I actually dont use the entire fruit either.  Typically I will cut away most of the flesh and make preserves, and use the stones with some leftover fruit and soak in brandy, not vodka.  I find Brandy works better with Plums/Apricots, and vodka works best with cherries and peaches.

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I figured fresh ones would work better, but unfortunately I decided to do it after the season was over. I guess I need to wait until next year to try it again.

In the meantime I am going to try and track down a bottle of Hermes (Suntory) Apricot Brandy.

john

[johnder]

We ended up getting back later than expected from Gramercy (surprise), so we just decided to order some take-out sushi. Which is fine, since I am still pretty exahusted from cooking yesterday.

Just a generic take out sampler. I forgot to take a picture of the spicy crab roll and the spicy tuna roll, but most of you know what that looks like.

[MarketStEl]

40 minutes until cocktails start, 1:40 for dinner.   Here are the final photos until after the dinner is over.  

Plates for each course are setup.  Cheese garnish is ready, Tomato salad waiting to be dressed.  Weinoo, here is the espresso machine.   You were correct, it was next to the fridge.

Your square and rectangular plates are great. I adore square plates. Where did you get yours? Anybody have any reasonably priced suppliers?

Great blog, BTW - I'm so full from dinner I could burst, but you're still managing to make me salivate...

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You won't believe it, but the square & rectangle plates were from Target. Love that place.

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Oh, I'd believe it.

I was talking with a friend this afternoon after fixing a late brunch, and we both agreed that we Target. They have managed to combine good design and good (even high) quality with low prices. (We do note that the company has signed on a slew of Big Names --Michael Graves, Todd Oldham...-- to produce high-style merchandise for their stores.) We were wondering what Target understands that (sorry, Martha) Kmart misses?

[eje]

[...]

In the meantime I am going to try and track down a bottle of Hermes (Suntory) Apricot Brandy.

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Oh, huh, Hermes make an apricot liqueur? Interesting!

FYI, there is a recipe for dried apricot liqueur here on Gunther Anderson's site. Like Chufi, it recommends rehydrating the apricots before steeping.

Really impressed with the Saturday meal. Wow, you guys are hardcore! Truly inspirational.

[KatieLoeb]

Oh my gosh. Jim is making his own tonic at Gramercy?? Jeez. I'll never be able to keep up. Not that I ever could, but he's setting the bar (so to speak) pretty high. Dang.

[weinoo]

Awesome looking meal, John!!

Are you eating nothing but carrot and celery sticks this coming week?

Edited October 2, 2006 by weinoo (log)

[johnder]

Well things are winding down, slowly decompressing from photo documenting everything. I think I will be instinctively reaching for the camera every time I eat over the next few days.

This morning, just a latte.

Beautiful day in New York, crisp, clear. Good for detoxing.

[johnder]

Ok Katie... here you go. Straight from the lips of the amazing Jim Meehan, cocktilian superior of Gramercy Tavern. For those of you in NYC, I highly suggest you go to Gramercy Tavern while this is still on the menu. You can taste a fantastic drink with the super awesome Chartreuse VEP.

To make spiced tea syrup (adaptation of recipe I got

from Jared Brown and Anastasia Miller's website):

2 quarts 1-1 simple syrup

25 grams whole cloves

50 grams cinnamon sticks

bring above ingredients to a boil

remove and add 90 grams darjeeling tea (loose) and let

steep for 5 minutes (we use In Pursuit of Tea and it

rules)

strain the syrup throught a coffee filter and add 1/4

cup vanilla extract

( we use Mr. Recipe)

Store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for

up to a month

I use this tea syrup to make this variation of the

Savoy Cocktail Book Champs Elysees recipe:

3 parts Maison Surrenne 1993 Cognac

1 part tea syrup

1/2 part Green Chartreuse VEP

1 oz fresh lemon juice

Shake and serve up with a lemon twist

[johnder]

Nope, it's the sandwich for me.  I wish I could find a sandwich as good as that.

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Me too. I don't have a huge sweet tooth, but brie will do it for me every time. I can't wait to see what you do with those little "cukes" John. I've never seen anything like them!

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I am finally getting around to answering all the questions I missed during the week. I ended up just eating the cukes plain. They were super sweet cucumbers. Very addictive. I am going to go to the market this week to see if I can get more. I think they would be dipped in Kochu-chang too!

[johnder]

For me, it was the pic of the pate sandwich.  Oh, my.  I know what I'll dream of tonight!  Since you only have one a month, I assume it is just that effing good?  Do they make their own pate?

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No, they use a Dartangan pate from what they told me. They kick it up with a good sprinkling of fresh coarse pepper too.

[johnder]

[...]

In the meantime I am going to try and track down a bottle of Hermes (Suntory) Apricot Brandy.

←

Oh, huh, Hermes make an apricot liqueur? Interesting!

FYI, there is a recipe for dried apricot liqueur here on Gunther Anderson's site. Like Chufi, it recommends rehydrating the apricots before steeping.

Really impressed with the Saturday meal. Wow, you guys are hardcore! Truly inspirational.

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Take a look at this website.

I just need to track down the Hermes product line. White curacao? Aweeeesome.

I bet their white peppermint is kickass too.

Anyone in Japan want to work on comission sending me a bottle of two? I will make it worth your while!

edit: Apparently they make Hermes Violet too. I can't read anything on here except the titles. Another website.

[BarbaraY]

Your blog is leaving me speechless. You and your friends did a beautiful job. Lovely food, wines, and cocktails. And then finish with Sushi! What more could one ask for.

[johnder]

Awesome looking meal, John!!

Are you eating nothing but carrot and celery sticks this coming week?

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Close, I probably should. Although tonight I feel the need to have some comfort food. Maybe some chicken cutlets tonight with string beans and boiled red potatoes with a pat of butter.

[johnder]

Oh my gosh.  Jim is making his own tonic at Gramercy??  Jeez.  I'll never be able to keep up.  Not that I ever could, but he's setting the bar (so to speak) pretty high.  Dang.

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Yah, Jim is definately an ambitious fellow. He made a tonic syrup that he just combine with sparkling water at the last minute when serving. I am going to the herbal store later today to try to recreate. I hate getting an idea like this in my head. Now it won't leave.

John

[edsel]

Ok Katie... here you go.  Straight from the lips of the amazing Jim Meehan, cocktilian superior of Gramercy Tavern. 

...

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Any chance we could get the tonic recipe?

[johnder]

Hmm interesting, I was reading about quinine and this is a little concerning:

Excessive dosage or continuous use of quinine may cause cinchonism, characterized by ringing in the ears, headache, dizziness, changes in blood pressure, and even death.

and...

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration limits tonic water quinine to 83 ppm, which is one-half to one-quarter the concentration used in therapeutic tonic.

Quinine is often added to street drugs cocaine or ketamine in order to "cut" the product and make more profit.

[johnder]

Ok Katie... here you go.  Straight from the lips of the amazing Jim Meehan, cocktilian superior of Gramercy Tavern. 

...

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Any chance we could get the tonic recipe?

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Keep an eye in the cocktail thread. I will try. There are already a few threads talking about it here and here and an external one here.

[johnder]

Found this from the slightly evil google book search. Not exactly a tonic water, but seems to be more a tonic tincture. Pretty cool. Not sure what ss or Oij is, docsconz?

Full text here.

Tinctura Chichonae et Quassiae Composita -- Tonic Tincture

Take of Chinchona,

Quassia

Colombo

Gentian

Serpentaria

Chamomile, of each 3ss.

French Brandy  Oij.

[johnder]

I am not sure when this blog will be closed down, but I wanted to end by saying I had a blast. It was a lot of work, but well worth it. I think I answered everyones questions from the thread, but if I missed one, I apologize, please PM me and I will get right back to you.

Aside from that, thanks for coming into my kitchen and enjoying the past week with me.

Looking forward to doing part II of the blog in the future.

p.s. keep an eye in the cocktail threads for more on the tonic syrups.

John

[docsconz]

Found this from the slightly evil google book search.  Not exactly a tonic water, but seems to be more a tonic tincture.  Pretty cool.  Not sure what ss or Oij is, docsconz?

Full text here.

Tinctura Chichonae et Quassiae Composita -- Tonic Tincture

Take of Chinchona,

Quassia

Colombo

Gentian

Serpentaria

Chamomile, of each 3ss.

French Brandy  Oij.

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Sorry you got me with those notations. I believe that they are somewhat anachronistic.

Congratulations, John, on a superb blog. I had a lot of fun reminiscing about my hometown and getting a better sense of what it is like today. Had it been like that then, I might never have left. Then again, it wasn't so bad even then. It was just a wee bit different.