davis_sq_pro's Recent Activity
Chowhound Post
Falernum?
Yes! I love the stuff. Here's a drink I recently created with it:
Southern Lights
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1/3 oz Velvet Falernum
2 oz aged rum (I've been using Thomas Tew Newport Rum for this drink, but Appleton Extra or Matusalem Gran Reserva would be good substitutes)
1/2 oz lime juice
1/2 oz grapefruit syrup*
2 dashes Angostura
Shake, strain. Garnish, if desired, with a grapefruit twist.
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* To make the grapefruit syrup, start with 4 pink grapefruits. Cut off the peel into large chunks and squeeze the oils out into the container in which you're working. Then chop up the flesh, combine everything in the container, and muddle with 1/2 cup of white rum. The idea is to get the oils, the juice, and even some of the bitter notes from the pith--the entire flavor of the grapefruit.
Bring all of this just to a boil, then strain, reserving as much liquid as possible. Return the liquid to the stove and reduce to 30% of the original volume. Remove from the heat and mix in an equal part, by volume, of turbinado sugar. Once cool, add a few ounces of white rum (for preservative qualities). Stored in the fridge, the syrup will last for a couple of months.
Chowhound Post
cocktails you've invented that worked or didn't
Best consumed after a night of knocking back a Miller Lite 24-pack or two?
Chowhound Post
Homemade Drink for Christmas Gifts.....?
The Chow eggnog recipe will keep up to a year in the fridge. As a matter of fact, the longer you keep it the better it gets. Last year I made it in July and it was fantastic by the end of December. This year, unfortunately, I didn't get my act together until October, but I have big plans for making another batch come January, to be consumed next December...
Chowhound Post
Suggestions for B & B replacement?
Thanks for this tip. I'd never thought of mixing amaro with anything outside of a proper cocktail--and most of the time I just sip it straight. But after reading this last night, I poured myself a glass of Ramazzotti and Cruzan Single Barrel, 60:40 or so. In a word: delicious! The rum really compliments the amaro, and the combination is of course a bit lighter and less syrupy. Definitely something I'll be playing around with more in the coming weeks.
Chowhound Post
what to do with a bottle of Maraschino liqueur?
I usually see it w/ green chartreuse. Not that yellow wouldn't be nice as well--a bit sweeter, less intense. Maybe a good drink for earlier in the evening, to be followed by the full-force version later?
Chowhound Post
Homemade Drink for Christmas Gifts.....?
Egg nog might be a nice choice. Most people have never had good nog before and it really is quite tasty. The Chow recipe is really great:
http://www.chow.com/recipes/10758
... this year I made it with some allspice dram and a bit of peach liqueur in place of some of the bourbon--both modifications I found from Googling around for various recipes. But the base recipe is great as-is.
Story Comment
How to Carve a Turkey with Mark Dommen
I don't think it's that under-done--maybe just a few degrees. I think most of us are simply used to nasty, chalky, dry, over-cooked turkey, thanks to those thermometers that the manufacturers put in, set to go off at 180--about 15 degrees too high. Which from what I gather we can thank the FDA for. The guidelines might be great if you're really nervous about any chance of a food-bourne illness, but I would personally rather take a small risk and have a delicious meal. YMMV, and have a great Thanksgiving!
Chowhound Post
Turkey day cocktail ideas
I just saw this thread and was going to suggest applejack as well, specifically for a Marconi Wireless: 2 oz applejack, 1 oz sweet vermouth, 2 dashes orange bitters (or, even better, a dash or two of Fee's Whiskey Barrel Aged bitters, which has a cinnamon note that goes great with Thanksgiving). Stir, strain. Garnish? If you feel the need.
If you don't care for vermouth, may I suggest you try a fresh bottle of a different brand? The Marconi Wireless, made with Vya, is absolutely stunning. Probably very good with Carpano Antica as well. Maybe Punt e Mes if you don't mind something closer to the bitter side. Don't bother with Martini and Rossi, Stock, and the rest of the $3/bottle group--if you've only tried these then you can't say you don't care for vermouth, just that you don't care for cheap vermouth. And by the way, if you do buy a fresh bottle store it in the fridge. It can and will go bad sitting in your liquor cabinet.
Chowhound Post
What do I toss from the liquor cabinet?
If you haven't used it in 7+ years, chances are you're not going to use it. With the exception of high-end spirits (XO cognacs, single barrel whiskeys, and the like), I would ditch everything that you haven't touched in more than half a decade. If you want some later you can buy a fresh bottle. Chances are good that you won't.
Chowhound Post
Kotobukiya closing?
Just got back from my first trip to H Mart. Good news for those on this thread who are still waiting for the new market in Medford but are willing to venture out to Burlington: The H Mart has a huge selection of Japanese items. Pretty much everything I used to buy at Kotobukiya was there, with the exception of some of the pickles I used to pick up. But the gigantic kimchee selection solves that problem nicely, at least for now. Among other things they have Tamaki Haiga, many varieties of natto, and a huge selection of nori. Now I just need to figure out when the off peak times are--I waited almost 15 minutes for a parking space.
Chowhound Post
"Exotic Sushi & Tapas", has anybody been there yet?
Just curious if anyone knows what happened with this place? It's right down the block from where I work. I went there once, had some relatively tasty rolls. Then a few weeks later (maybe a month and a half ago) the place shut down, with signs saying that it's undergoing "renovations". Which might make some sense if they didn't spend six months working on the place before it opened. It looked like they were doing an okay lunch business--I have no clue about dinner--so I'm surprised that it closed so quickly.
Chowhound Post
martini anyone?
If you're making cocktails for 12, I hope you're not making 12 different cocktails! You could simply make one big batch in a pitcher--and stir the whole thing. Assuming, of course, that everyone is drinking Manhattans. Shaking cocktails for 12 is no easy task either. Even in my biggest shaker I can only realistically do two drinks at once, and making six rounds is still quite a bit of work. Perhaps I need to invest in a paint shaker or something?
Chowhound Post
Best American spirit - rye - bourbon??
If you're near the financial district:
Brix has a pretty good range of higher-end bourbons. And price tags to match.
Federal Wine & Spirits has an even better selection, along with much higher price tags.
Chowhound Post
martini anyone?
Off-topic, but the Last Word contains Chartreuse, not Cointreau. If you like that drink, I encourage you to try the Final Ward, a twist from one of the bartenders at Death & Co. Equal parts rye, maraschino, lemon, and Chartreuse. Awesome drink, better than the original in my humble opinion.
Story Comment
How Do You Say “Pho”?
Agreed with miznic--who cares how you pronounce it. Slurp away and no one will understand you anyway!
BTW, a Vietnamese friend explained the pronunciation of bahn mi as "bah'n meh". Kind of a sharp emphasis at the end of the "ah" sound, as if there were a silent "d" there. The "meh" part, at least, is easy enough ... but I don't bother trying to pronounce it correctly anyway, since most bahn mi places don't sell anything else and I can just ask for "one with BBQ pork and one with beef, both extra spicy" or something similar :-)
Chowhound Post
Grey goose and Kirkland Signature brand vodka the same?!
Here's an interesting article on a blind tasting which favored a less expensive brand, Smirnoff:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/26/din...
I've shared this with several vodka-drinking friends over the past few years and it hasn't made a bit of difference, but it's still fun to see their reaction--it's always "no way, that stuff is swill!"
These are the same people who tell me that they won't drink gin because it tastes like a Christmas tree and won't touch vermouth because it must taste terrible if you're only supposed to put a drop in a martini. So they actually ARE drinking it straight, but heavily iced ("vodka martini, wave the bottle of vermouth over the top of the glass").
I assume the Mythbusters taste test was done with room temperature vodka? Once shaken with ice in a "martini" the vodka will be extremely cold, diluted with whatever ice was used, and will have a bit of brine from the olive, so I expect that any subtleties that were there will be lost... Personally I think vodka martinis taste like chilled lighter fluid, but that's a conversation for another thread :-)
Chowhound Post
What is a good cognac for mixing?
Agreed with equinoise that a "decent" VSOP should be fine for most mixing duties. Key word being "decent". I've recently been working my way through a bottle of Martell--cost me around $30--and I'm quite happy with it. I've tried some other VSOPs that I paid only $10 or so for, and have been disappointed. With Cognac, in my experience, you really do get what you pay for (at least until you get to the crystal decanter level) and the $10 stuff has pretty much been trash. I think something in the $25-35 range is a good bet for mixing quality drinks.
Chowhound Post
Grey goose and Kirkland Signature brand vodka the same?!
It is a myth that number of distillations has anything to do with purity. The number is not the issue; rather, it's the quality of the distillation. Most vodkas, by the way, are created using a simple formula: A tanker truck pulls up to the back of the factory and delivers a load of NGS (neutral grain spirits) distilled by some other company. This is diluted with water, put into a fancy bottle, and a marketing spin applied. Vodka is a great spirit for a marketer, since by definition the best vodkas aren't supposed to look, smell, or taste like anything.
Chowhound Post
Has the Whole Craft Cocktail Thing Gone Too Far?
What kind of a heathen are you? At Friday's, Mecca of the mixological craft, the Daiquiri is made properly: a subtle blend of pineapple juice, tequila, vodka, and red dye #5, with a Sour Apple floater and a blue cherry on top. To make the drink any other way is clearly just wrong.
Chowhound Post
cocktails for 75-100 - kenmore/fenway location?
You might be able to get the front area of Eastern Standard. I'm not sure exactly how many people it holds, but I've been to an event there with a number of guests in that approximate range. Assuming that you're doing this while the weather is still nice, as two thirds of the area is a covered outdoor space. Great cocktails, good food, and certainly not at all dingy.
Chowhound Post
Looking for Lyle's Golden Syrup
Last time I bought a tin I swear I tasted a bit of a metallic flavor. So I switched to the squeeze bottles... Either way, the stuff is addictive and amazing. It is to sweet what Sriracha is to spicy.
Try making a pecan pie with it sometime. It leaves corn syrup far, far behind.
Chowhound Post
Kotobukiya closing?
Any updates on the new store? My various ingredient stockpiles are used up or almost used up at this point. Must refill soon!
Chowhound Post
Where to find Peychaud's bitters in eastern Pennsylvania?
I figured it wouldn't be your kind of thing. No worries!
Chowhound Post
Where to find Peychaud's bitters in eastern Pennsylvania?
I don't agree that they lack flavor per se, but they're certainly not as concentrated as Angostura. Easy fix: Add more. Two dashes of Peychaud's where you would use one of Angostura. A Sazerac with Angostura--no matter how tasty--is not a Sazerac; it's an Old Fashioned with an absinthe rinse.
Here's a drink I created that really highlights the flavor of Peychaud's. It's a riff on the Trinidad Especial, a drink made with a large amount of Angostura, but uses Peychaud's in place of the Angostura, Velvet Falernum rather than orgeat, and rye instead of pisco. And a bit of absinthe, since we know from the Sazerac how well that pairs with Peychaud's.
Unnamed, as of yet:
1 oz Velvet Falernum
1 oz Peychaud's
3/4 oz rye
3/4 oz lime juice
1/8 oz absinthe
Shake with ice and strain.
Chowhound Post
Report: York-area, Maine
Will try those next time, DaveCan. Speaking of sushi, I was just reading about how Maine has a big sea urchin industry. Sea urchin roe is one of my favorite nigiri toppings; do you know if that place serves local urchin? Or any other restaurants that do (either as sushi or some other preparation--I've never actually had it any other way but I would certainly love to)?
Chowhound Post
Best all-purpose dark rum?
Aside from the rums others have mentioned, I'd like to add Pampero Aniversario to the list. It's quite inexpensive ($25, I think?), mixes relatively well, and is not bad for the occasional sip (not fantastic, either). And it comes in a leather pouch, which is kind of a cute touch (that said, I recommend throwing out the pouch, as I find the leather smell to be distracting from the rum experience, but YMMV).
Chowhound Post
Report: York-area, Maine
I spent some time with the family in York last week and just wanted to relay some of the highs and lows (in that order):
Harry's Seafood Market, in York Beach
This was the best place we visited. I visited twice--lobster roll the first time, crab roll the second. Both rolls were generously-portioned and the seafood was properly cooked (and not overcooked), served on a grilled bun with just a touch of mayo and a tiny bit of diced celery. And no lettuce (which in my opinion is a very good thing). The sandwiches are served with "homemade" chips that are good, but a bit too crunchy for my taste, so on my second visit I upgraded to sweet potato fries. They came out of a freezer bag but were still really tasty.
Wild Willy's Burgers, on Route 1
We visited Wild Willy's towards the end of our trip, after getting slightly sick of seafood. I'm not sure if that's influencing my review, but I have to say that I went in with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the burgers. I tried a bison burger, which was the best I've had to date, served with a tasty horseradish sauce and some sauteed mushrooms. I found out later that it's a chain and they have a couple of Boston-area restaurants, so I'll have to give it another shot and see whether the seafood was messing with my point of view.
Jamaican Jerk Center, on Route 1
When we pulled up my MIL declared that she wouldn't eat a thing from "this dump"... Take that with however many grains of salt you like; I personally wasn't at all put off by its appearance, and eventually she was persuaded to eat something as well. I tried the curried goat dinner. Decent portion of tender, flavorful goat, served with rice and beans and a grilled(?) plantain that was a bit on the mushy side. The curry could have been a bit spicier, but I still really enjoyed it. I also tried a beef patty which was tasty but a bit on the salty side. Bonus: They sell Ting, the best grapefruit beverage in the universe.
Blue Sky, in York Beach
I'd been looking forward to trying this place for some time, and wondered how a "fine dining" type restaurant would work in York Beach. Answer: It doesn't, really. We visited on Tuesday night and the place was -dead-. The town itself had some activity, so it wasn't for a lack of potential customers. I just don't think it's a good fit for the area.
The dining room (or maybe I should say "rooms"--it's kind of split into three areas) is/are nicely designed, with a finished wood motif that is somewhat more evocative of a ski lodge than a beach place. We started with some fairly good cocktails--a Mai Tai that unfortunately contained pineapple juice, and a tasty drink including a raspberry-infused tequila--and then our server disappeared for quite some time.
This disappearing act turned out to be the theme of the night; our starters were delivered by the hostess, who apologized for dumping them in front of us, saying "I don't usually do this, you know." Before we'd had a chance to finish the starters, and long since our drink glasses had been emptied (no one had been by to offer another round), a busser arrived with our entrees. We did not see our actual server again until a few minutes after that when we finally flagged someone else down and requested a wine list so that we could have something with our meals.
The starters--we both had an heirloom tomato tart--were okay, a bit on the dull side. The entrees, on the other hand, were quite good. We tried the brick chicken, which was crispy, tender, and, in a word, comforting, and the short ribs. The ribs were braised then deep-fried, a preparation I've never had before. This gave them a crispy shell and ultra-tender interior. Amazing. Alas, the risotto they were served with was slightly under-cooked. Oh well, nothing is perfect...
So, food good, service very bad. I wouldn't make a whole lot of effort to return, unless I happened to be trapped in York with nothing better to do.
Fox's Lobster House, Nubble Point
We were staying nearby, so we visited Fox's twice. The first time I tried a lobster mac and cheese special. This was an "interesting" mix of overcooked and undercooked pasta, about half of which was sauced with a watery bechamel (a ladle-full of which had been dumped over the top of the dry pasta, thereby accounting for the inconsistent saucing). Here and there, floating amidst the noodles were some bits of lobster. Okay, I thought this might have just been a mistake, so we went back and ordered from the takeout counter. This time I tried a lobster roll. More expensive than at Harry's, with maybe 75% as much lobster meat. The meat itself was stringy and overcooked, bathing in mayo. The bun came lined with lettuce, which if you've read the Harry's section you know is something I consider to be a minus. I won't return to this place.
Visited a couple of other places that I don't feel like commenting on beyond saying that they were pretty mediocre: Sand and Surf on Long Sands, and Cape Neddick Inn on Route 1. Sand and Surf was the better of the two, despite Cape Neddick Inn trying a lot harder. Go figure :-)
I'll stop there. Hope this helps someone; enjoy!
Chowhound Post
Where to find Peychaud's bitters in eastern Pennsylvania?
You can buy it online from KegWorks.com...
Chowhound Post
a good mudslide variation?
Tip: Make sure to have someone around to hold your hair back about an hour later...
