Thanks all. We have made a decision. We have a call into Formaggion asking about Ponderosas. If these are not available, we will use standard organic lemons.
And on limoncello in general, the host of Limonquest, Ben Perry, has self-published a book of all his published and unpublished texts on limoncello, other-citrus-cellos, and infused liqueurs. We will being trying it out, following his logic that the whole operation involves so much expenditure, including out-of-state travel, buying a book is the least of one's costs.
will report, although as our Everclear is the high octane type, the report is likely to be in 6 months.
http://limoncelloquest.com/buy-offici...

Limoncello, yet again. Simple question: where to find good organic lemons.

And because the subject has been much discussed nd some maybe curious, here's the quick summary.
I have read the several threads on the subject on the spirits board a
We have decided to go with the Lifequest Limoncello recipe, but make only half the amount. The logic being, that leaves enough everclear to try a everclear/vodka mix the next time without traipsing back to little Rhody, if the pure everclear recipe is found too industrial/rough/ etc.

http://limoncelloquest.com/limoncello...

Thanks all for the recs After refelection, .Decision made. We have decided on 51 despite views on Board being decidedly mixed.
Those curious as to why, can read on.

our guest/host comes from the part of NYC which has the best Greek restaurants in the city (Qns) and knowing that she spent her Xmas holiday with her Italian family done where food is done by the grandmother according to Hoyle --all 7 fish served for xmas dinner---we felt that Kouzina was not going to be a fresh experiences and Waltham's best Italian (La Camp. and Il Capric.) was going to be at very best more of the same.

Wow. Thanks all. The eating out homework can begin. Fortunately, we have until May to do it.

Hungry mother and egg again new additions, thanks all.

Helmand was on the list. Have not been there is awhile. good to know it's holding up.
Roe deer added to our to try list. thanx.

Oleana was on our list. wanted to see if it got any votes, and here is yours.

Rendezvous added to our list of places to try.

Got it. Bondir and Cafe Miami would be new for us. thanks.

Confusion understandable. Salts is our choice when we have been hosted by others.

All Cambridge possible. Salts is where we go typically for celebrations.

We are invited out by a NYC visitor who is staying in Newton Centre and does not want to travel from her base. atmosphere nice but informal. Food more than bistro or bar food. Constraints include one person who is gluten allergic but I know eats Indian food. So the surrounding W towns are out of question; Lumiere and Blue Ribbon, as well.

From Board, I get the idea that 51 Lincoln is a favorite these days. Ideas welcome.

Getting ready for guests from Europe. We are hosting. Affordable is helpful but quality trumps. Ideas?

Thanks for spending the time and effort on educating this newcomer to beer tasting and, furthermore, for help her taste a beer that is, fair to say, not one of your favorites.

Sorry to be so late in answering. I will be printing out your remarks to go along with the initial enthusiastic ones of 2007 with the M Jackson quote and the notes on a recent tasting of Sami at the brewery, which follows.
http://wineaccess.ca/blog/try-samichl....

Is there a chart/template/standard list of qualities that we should follow, because --here is the confession--I have never read Jackson !

All this occurs on New Years day, so there is no rush in answering and if your own holiday feasting keeps you from answering at all, I will understand.

.

thanks, you have made me reconsider. There is an AA rental (formerly Belmont, Waverly Oaks, now in watertown ),and I will give them a call.Winchester is a long haul for us.

Bingo. Just the advice sought. if I can bother you for more explicit directions, breath in the glass not the bottle is what I am understanding. Any thought on how long?
As for cough syrup vs. heavenly, my introduction came from Terrasig, a science blogger
who devotes his Friday blog to spirits. And he was quoting, "the king himself, the late Michael Jackson" who wrote: " Of the world's super-strong lagers, Samichlaus was the most complex and satisfying. It had a reddish chestnut colour; a brandyish aroma; a firm, oily, body; creamy and cherryish flavours; and a warming, spicy, peppery, finish... Samichlaus was first made in 1980, when Hürlimann decided to pit its super-yeast against other techniques being used to produce very strong lagers across the German border. The Swiss still seem faintly embarrassed about having entered this unofficial competition, which they saw simply as a bit of fun......I had my first Samichlaus of the season in an unlikely place: the fashionable restaurant and "juice bar" Nosmo King, in Manhattan. The juice of the barley was served as an accompaniment to a chocolate dessert. My companion, Florence Fabricant, food and wine writer of The New York Times, felt that no fermented grape could have accompanied the chocolate so well. I was inclined to agree, but had to test her resolve. "Not even a Madeira?" I ventured. "Not even a Malmsey," she responded".

http://scienceblogs.com/terrasig/2007...

Thanks for the correction and inspiration. I confess to not doing my homework on this one. Lesson learned. hyperbole to be avoided even or especially on a board where so many are so expert.
However, my mistake is my gain. I have been warned that one of our guests so like the high ABV stuff that it would be to wise to have some complementary beer than can be chugged. And now I have a list of things to try before New Years Day.

Thanks. have found that the paper supply place at
3390 Washington St. Boston, MA 02130
has those cups.
and if iparty has every plastic beverage holder "known to man" as advised below, it's waaay closer.

Hope this question is not too foody fastidious, but we are having a tasting of several vintages of the Swiss/Austrian seasonal beer Samichlaus and a couple of different versions of our homemade cranberry infused vodka.

The Samichlaus,the most alcoholic beer known to man, has to be tasted in small doses, on advice of our lawyers and also because the stuff is so hard to find and costly. goes without saying for the cranberry.

As providing our own glasses for each round for everyone is impossible, what would people suggest in the throwaway category, both types and sources for purchase there of and where to find them.

Rental is possible but space consuming, and space will be filled to brim with people. Throwaway also will minimize the beer hall aroma that will naturally occur.

Hi all,
We are having an New Years Day food and alcohol tasting,
(Everything made in December for December)

Looking for a good, that is low cost, source of high quality paper/plastic stuff for a tasting. Cambridge, Bookline, Newton.

Hi all,
we have some copper cookware, some of it from way back when these newly wed US citizens could still afford things at Julia's Dehellerin in Les Halles.
We have been married a long time, so if quality was better 20 or more years ago, these are of that quality.
advice is sought on to who and where to take them; estimations of cost relative to other possibilites would be greatly appreciated.

here's the list:

one sauce pan t/one very large sautoir (straight sided frying pan, 10 1/2 inches across interior dimension x 3 1/2 deep) need relining
a cover is slightly ben and needs rehammering into shape
and an unlined copper egg beating bowl was overshined and there has been a change in the quality of the copper, so it needs an expert diagnosis of whether the change was fatal to the copper.

thanks in advance
and why not
bon appetit!

Thanks to all, we have decided on a strategy following your global advice which is to taste at several palces. which means taking our time. which means buying another present, which is now done.

as i explain in a post that I sent by mistake to the general Boston board. the essential is here.

the most importance new item. there;s a capone in Cambridge on northern mass ave.

Thanks to all below for great suggestions, many in doable distance.
apropos of Sonoma, my friend buys here modena balsamic from Wm. Sonoma, who started out in Sonoma but the vinegar comes from modena, Italy

-----
Sonoma
206 Worcester Rd, Princeton, MA 01541

I am looking for a Balsamic to give to someone as a gift whose standard is Villa Manadori Balsamic Vinegar from Sonoma. Equal to, better than or very different from, at about the same price or a bit more.
Ideas? sources? Formaggio is close and usually reliable. Does anyone recommend one of their Balsamico Tradizionale from Modena or Reggio Emilia?

Thanks all. Choice was Highland Park, based on consensus of views here in past year: only one without a mark against it in its price category, and it was a great success. Purchased at Save-mor for IIRC c. 45.00.

Our scotch maven friend suggests the new whiskey store in the mall OPPOSITE Whole paycheck, that is on the Trader Joes side of Alewife/Freshpond parkway.

We are looking for a
Tallisker
Highland Park
Macallan 12 year old.

and cannot wait to get it on web.

ideas?

thanks. that's reassuring to hear.

will do.

Some of our fruit infusions are being offered at a charity auction. I have been advised by someone with lots of experience that cork is the best solution, and that groelsch, Kepit, or fliptop with gasket bottles both leak air and lead to spoilage.
our target audience is unlikely to drink it all at once. in fact, they are likely to drink it over several months.
Anyone have an advice on how to cork/close it so we can promise a shelf life of a few months. we will be using 3/4 liter wine bottles.
thanks

thanks. we decided to try the different commercial limoncellos to get an idea of the taste we desire. so next season, I'll use your advice!