JMF's Profile
Too much smoked fish
If you have a Foodsaver vacuum packer, it freezes well. But it has to be vacuum packed.
On creating liqueurs and spirits ...
Infusion is the word. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infusion
When you infuse with alcohol (or vinegar),the filtered result is a tincture. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tincture
Many scales you find in stores are not accurate enough, that's why I recommended the one I did that is accurate down to 0.1 gm, but also has a 600 gm (a little over a pound) capacity. I have two scales that I use at home, the one I mentioned, and one that isn't as accurate, only down to 1 gm, but has a 5 kilo/11lb, capacity.
On creating liqueurs and spirits ...
I would make very small batches first using 8 oz canning jars. Dried botanicals for things like Yarrow Labrador tea, etc. work better than fresh. To make a concentrated tincture, try about 1/2 oz dried botanical to 6 oz 190 proof neutral spirit and let infuse for several days, tasting each day. Some botanicals only need hours, some days, some weeks, and the flavor profiles can and usually does change during this time. Do each one separately so you get to know their flavor profile once infused.
For fresh ingredients, you have to make sure you fill the container completely to the top with the neutral spirit, so there is no air, or else you will get oxidized, off tasting flavors and brown and muddy color.
Get food grade citric acid and use a small amount, 1-2 grams per liter, in the final liqueur to help preserve it and add a tiny bit of pleasant tartness to balance the sugar in the liqueur.
Get a GOOD digital scale, they aren't expensive, I use the Jennings CJ-600 scale in my home lab, the accuracy is good enough I use it in measuring ingredients for my commercial batches of bitters. It has a 600 gm capacity and is accurate to 0.1 gm. and is $45 here
http://www.oldwillknottscales.com/jennings-jscale-cj600.html
Also some of those 2 oz and 4 cup angled, Oxo clear measuring cups. Accuracy and detailed notes help make higher quality products.
On creating liqueurs and spirits ...
if you do a search on this board you will find some very lengthy and informative threads about infusing and liqueurs. Here are a few samples.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/304297
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/792785
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/304884
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/823937
It's That Time of Year - Make Your Own Cointreau / Triple Sec / Orange Bitters
without preservatives or stabilizers homemade liqueurs are best used soon, or kept in the fridge or freezer. Adding citric acid helps stabilize them a lot, and/or keeping them at high proof, plus fine filtering works well too.
Station House - Bronxville
The burgers were good no matter what time. I used to go there a lot as a kid, teen, and early 20's.
Station House - Bronxville
I don't think I ate at Maude's, or hung out there more than 1-2 times. A few times when it was Rockwells.
Station House - Bronxville
The burgers and fries at pete's during the 70's, 80's and early 90's were awesome. yes the patties were cheap frozen ones, and the fries too. but there was something about the griddle and fryer that turned institutional food into amazing .the burgers had this fantastic smoky taste, and the fries were so crunchy good. I remember going into the kitchen on many a late night, after it was closed, and making burgers and fries for the staff, and anyone still around at 3-4am.
San Raphael cocktail recipe?
From the 1949 Esquire Drink Book, a recipe for the ST. Raphael:
1 Half-pony Gin, 2 ponies St. Raphael Apertif, 1 pony OJ, fill w/ seltzer.
http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/san-raphael
http://www.straphael.fr/gb/the-products/cocktails/cocktails.html
Station House - Bronxville
Before Milburns (the legal name was Milburns Cafe, Oxford Tavern INC.) it was called The Oxford Tavern, which was it's original name going back to at least the early 1930's, although it's nickname was The O Club during the 70's & 80's, maybe earlier. I used to hang out there a lot in the late 70's and all through the 80's. There and around the corner at The Spinning Wheel, now Palmer Lounge.
I actually knew a man who used to go there by horse and buggy, drink a few ales, then get a gallon pail filled with ale to take home. He would invariably fall asleep and the horse would make its own way home, then neigh to wake him up so it could get into the barn.
I haven't found the food at the Station House to be that good, but I haven't eaten there in a few years so that may have changed.
Was it ever actually called Dennings? I was out of town for awhile in the 90's, but don't remember hearing it called that. Although I think that's the name of the current owner.
Classic Cocktails in Manhattan
The Bar at Monkey Bar has always been packed to the rafters the several times I have been there recently. I only go because Ms. Franky Marshall is one of the best bartenders in the country. She won several competitions in the last week alone.
Angus Beef (It's only a marketing term)
It is illegal to use growth hormones in chicken in the US. The chickens are bred to have huge breasts naturally.
Tub Gin....anyone try it?
I haven't tried it, but it is contract distilled by Peach Street Distillers in Colorado, and they produce decent stuff. I think their website is ridiculous, I don't understand their marketing target.
Japanese whisky question
One thing you will find as you explore spirits is that each one "opens up" with varying amounts of water.
When I drink for pleasure, I tend to like more water than many people do. I usually order it neat, and a glass of ice and water on the side.
For work I taste spirits at exceptionally high proofs, but in tiny amounts, as a spirits judge, and a distiller, my palate has become used to tasting things at high strength, but I don't enjoy them as much.
Bottle sizes for tonic water/club soda
365 is in no way even close to the quality of Fever Tree or Q. Where are you? I haven't seen Fever Tree in other than small bottles.
Which Two Cuisines for the Rest of your Life?
I would say Chinese and Italian as well. For each that would include the whole country, all the regions, etc.
What are your favorite new gins?
Yeah, I totally spaced out. I do that at times. I meant dashes, not teaspoons
How many fellow Chowhounders are or have been in the biz?
Since this last post I have over 600 paid, published articles on food and beverages under my belt, but I don't write much the past year or two. Mostly because I spent several years partnered with a winery and opened a brewery. Then left that and spent another few years partnered in a spirits brand and distillery. I created the products, distilled and produced them, etc. So I now have two spirits on the market and a cocktail bitters. I just left that and am consulting again, and work with restaurants and bars creating fine cocktail menus, and teach seminars and classes on spirits, cocktails, bitters, etc.
What are your favorite new gins?
There are several cocktails that have large amounts of bitters in them.
Frozen Burritos-Do You Eat Them?
I like the idea of frozen burritos. But I have never had a frozen burrito that I thought was better than mediocre. Just recently I bought a bag of the El Monterey Beef and Bean burritos. I made one, took a few bites,and threw it and the whole bag away. Lousy flavor, nasty texture to the filling, I thought it was just ghastly.
Is there any value to dehydrated scallops?
Frozen scallops are not expensive for restaurants. The dried scallops are very expensive. They are used more like a spice or flavoring.
What are your favorite new gins?
As Bill said, common acceptance is 6 drops to a full dash, if using an Angostura bottle. Other bottles have different size apertures. Many high end cocktail bars put bitters in dropper bottles, and also spray bottles.
There are apx. 20 drops per ml., and 5ml in a teaspoon, (15 ml. per tablespoon) so four teaspoons
What are/were "aloes"?
I just got agarwood from two different sources. Five grams for $25-40, and that is for low quality. Recently someone paid $1,000,000 for one pound of the highest grad agarwood resin.Nice to add to my botanical library. I now have 216 botanicals, all also in tinctures, and 31 as distillates.
What are/were "aloes"?
Some references in old cocktail and spirits books in a friends library. Don't have exact names of texts. Plus stuff I remember from reading in my own library, which is in storage now. The rest I base on many years of research, attending and presenting seminars, etc. on herbs and other botanicals, spirits, cocktails, food history, etc.
Refrigerate or freeze amaros?
Black balsams really starts to improve at 5+ years. I have a 40 year old unopened bottle. But it feels like it may have evaporated.
best online site to buy bitters?
The problem with The Meadows is they severely overcharge. When a normal retail price is $18 for lets say Bittermens or Dutch's,The Meadows charges $26. heck,they charge $12 for a 4 oz bottle of Angostura, which runs $6.49 at my local supermarket.
So the place is a total ripoff!
The best online place, with a great selection is www.CocktailKingdom.com
What are your favorite new gins?
A quick email to Toby Maloney, formerly of the Violet Hour, got the recipe.
The Public Purse
1.0 oz Averell Damson Plumb Gin
1.0 oz Death’s Door
.75 oz fresh Lime Juice
.125- oz Rothman & Winter Violette
.50- oz Simple Syrup
21 drops of Peychaud’s Bitters
1 Egg White
Glass: Coupe
Ice: None
Garnish: Orange Pigtail Knot
Shake all ingredients WITHOUT ice for 30-60 seconds. (This is called a Dry Shake. It emulsifies the ingredients and should be done with all cocktail recipes that call for egg; egg white, yolk, or whole egg.) Add ice and shake for 20 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with orange zest twist, twisted into a tight coil, called a pigtail knot.
