Drink of the day

[Savor Dam]

I'll give it a shot and let you know.

Unless you are being exceedingly moderate in your consumption, I recommend giving it a measure larger than a shot !

[danlo]

Ay yi Patron or Hornitos are the best tequila brands--sheltered, you're all so terribly sheltered...

[Menolly]

All I know is whatever was in the margaritas at the 2007 elohimfest did me in well...

[Vader]

I just remebered I still had a pack of flavored sirups I got from my colleagues a dew years ago. It was intended to be used with coffee but since I prefer my coffee filtered, black, hot and with no milk or sugar I never used and totally forgot about it.

Today I used the raspberry sirup.

6cl / 2oz vodka (Finlandia, 50% / 100 proof)
4cl / 1.5oz fresh lemon juice
2cl / 0.5oz raspberry sirup
2cl / 0.50z orange liquor (40% / 80 proof)

Shake with crushed ice and strain in whiskey glass on ice cubes.

[Brinn]

So how was it?

[Vader]

Fruity

[Vader]

I don't know about the USA, but over here they tend to serve Caiprinhas with Pitú Cachaça and brown cane sugar.

My cousin - who was born in Brazil and lived there until she was six and later returned as biology student to spend a few years in the Brazilian rainforest - ensured me that Pitú (no idea if it is known in the USA) is just an overprized and industrially produced Cachaça made for export. Nobody in Brazil uses it. In fact only the poor use Cachaça anyway. If you can afford it you use vodka. And no brown cane sugar, but white cane sugar, as fine as possible ...

[Brinn]

That's all greek to me.

[Vader]

That's all greek to me.

This is greek: -->

[Menolly]

That's all greek to me.

This is greek: -->

OPA!!



<-- loves ouzo set aflame over sagagnaki and served with pita

Sagagnaki

Three 8-oz pieces of Haloumi Cheese
1 cup cornstarch
About 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
about 1/2 cup blended olive oil
6 TBS Ouzo

2 cups Chicken Stock
Juice of 2 lemons
Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper
1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Start by cutting each piece of cheese with a serrated knife in equal size slices (3 per serving). Place the cornstarch on a shallow dish. Lightly coat each piece of cheese on all sides. Set aside.

Place the oils to a depth of 1/4" in a large skillet and heat over very high heat until very hot but not smoking.

Add the coated cheese slices without crowding the skillet. You may have to do this in batches. Fry for about 2 minutes or until golden. Turn and fry the other side for another minute or two until golden brown.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cheese to a double layer of paper towels to drain. Prepare the lemon sauce.

Lemon Sauce - Makes about 2 cups

2 cups Chicken Stock
Juice of 2 lemons
Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper
1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Place the stock in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to boil, Lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until reduced by half

Add lemon juice along with a pinch of salt. When hot, begin whisking in the butter a few pices at a time.

When the butter has been completely incorporated and the sauce is emulsified cover, reserve, and keep warm. When ready to serve, fold in the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Plating the Dish / Fire it Up!
Heat up the lemon sauce again to get it hot. Turn the flame off. Place 3 pieces of cheese in a HOT sagagnaki (or other heat proof) dish. Plate both dishes in this manner. The key to getting a good flame is that the dish is hot. Take the dishes to the table and spoon a tablespoon of ouzo over each one. Be sure there is nothing above or near the dish that will catch fire. Using a fireplace match or a long butane lighter, ignite the ouzo, allowing it to burn out.

Pour the hot lemon sauce over the top and enjoy the spectacle. Repeat with your second dish. Pour yourself a really good bottle of Greek white wine, toast and give a good shout- OPA!

[stonemaybe]

We went for Tapas the other night (to a chain called La Tasca, it's not bad, we had a half price voucher!)

Anyway, I don't normally have a dessert (gf does), but I do enjoy a brandy after a meal out. Nothing special, usually a Courvassier or something like that. La tasca had an offer on, any dessert plus any brandy for £5.95 and as most of the desserts were about £4.50 and the most expensive brandy £4.50 too, we did that!

Their best randy was called Torres Jaime I

Superb brandy which has been rested for up to 30 years, it is rich and dark, with a complex bouquet, typical of lengthy ageing, plus a smoothness which characterises great brandies.

(I like the 'up to' bit )

I've never seen a brandy served the way they did it - and I was very impressed, though I can't say if it was the brandy itself or the method of serving that made it so nice. The waiter got a brandy glass, put a blast of hot water from the coffee machine in it and let it sit for about a minute. Then he dried the glass completely, poured in the brandy, and immediately covered the top of the glass with a napkin folded into a fan type shape. he then used the bottom of another glass (exactly the same size as the opening in the brandy glass) to push the napkin into the brandy glass, slightly. Sealing in the fumes and flavour!

Best brandy ever!

[Harbinger]

I don't drink many mixed drinks. If I were to indulge, it would be an LIT or a greyhound. I dislike vodka and I dislike grapefruit juice but somehow the nastiness of the two cancel each other out and they go well together. Sometimes I'll sample my wife's daiquiri- and once I downright stole it. It was the best one either of us had ever tasted- the strawberry seeeds were highly visible and the rum to sweet ratio was perfect.

As for my sipping pleasure, I usually take bourbon on the rocks. I prefer Woodford Reserve and Eagle Rare. I always have an emergency bottle of Knob on hand as well.

[Vader]

I couldn't live without good vodka (I prefer Finnish or Swedish vodka to Russian) or Cuban Rum (Havanna Club).

LIT is Long Island Iced Tea, right?

[stonemaybe]

Some of us are still waiting for the gooseberry colada recipe.......!

[Harbinger]

LIT is Long Island Iced Tea, right?

Right.

[stonemaybe]

*shudder*

Discovered Jaeger bombs last night. They should be illegal.

[Avatar]

At all costs avoid Handgrenades then...as for a jaeger bomb, except instead of standing the shot up in the glass of red bull, use another shot glass of tequila to balance the shot of jaegermeister against the rim in the mouth of the larger red bull glass.

Then pull the pin by removing the tequila glass and downing its contents, allowing the glass of jaegermeister to fall into the red bull before downing that too.

--A

[Menolly]

*flies right over my head*

...and thinking I'm better off not knowing...

But, is there a youtube anywhere that shows what it is you are describing?

[stonemaybe]

At all costs avoid Handgrenades then...as for a jaeger bomb, except instead of standing the shot up in the glass of red bull, use another shot glass of tequila to balance the shot of jaegermeister against the rim in the mouth of the larger red bull glass.

Then pull the pin by removing the tequila glass and downing its contents, allowing the glass of jaegermeister to fall into the red bull before downing that too.

--A

someone suggested this, the same night. didn't understand them at the time - hadn't done a bomb yet - and i am so so so so so glad that the handgrenade didn't happen, i felt rough enough as it was, without any tequila!

edit: this is a jager bomb
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGCwBjLoKY0

jagermeister is a spirit-strength (35-40%?) equivalent to a 'tonic wine' like buckfast (full of caffeine), red bull is a caffeine/taurine energy soft drink.

[Vader]

At all costs avoid Handgrenades then...as for a jaeger bomb, except instead of standing the shot up in the glass of red bull, use another shot glass of tequila to balance the shot of jaegermeister against the rim in the mouth of the larger red bull glass.

Then pull the pin by removing the tequila glass and downing its contents, allowing the glass of jaegermeister to fall into the red bull before downing that too.

--A

I'm sorry, but I avoid any drink that requires the dexterity of a shaolin master. I am old, I need to get drunk the fast and simple way.