Indulgence of the Night - June 2008 Incl July 4th

TimmyBoston said:

How was it?

Click to expand...

Fabulous, as expected! I posted an explanation in the acquisitions thread, and I'm sorry that my still-unrefined scotch palate can't describe precisely why and what about the Lagavulin that I love, but I do. I don't know if this will make an ounce of sense, but compared to the Highland Park 12 it seems to transition a little better/more smoothly from the sweet to the smoky.

I'd be excited to hear what additional recommendations you might have for me after taking into account my taste for the Lagavulin.

Creme brulee-

scald 2 cups heavy cream
beat 6 egg yolks with 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (if you have a real vanilla bean, better still), and 1/2 tsp zest of an orange
slowly add cream to eggs, beating constantly
strain through chinois and transfer to ramekins
bake in bain marie @325 for ~25 min until set (centers will still be jiggly and soft)
chill

When ready to serve, sprinle top of ramekin with sugar and shake off excess. Use a blowtorch to heat sugar until it is golden and bubbling.

analog_kid said:

Torano Silver Exodus Robusto(from our own and the very generous Bob O. Thanks!) and Spotted Cow. While not the best pairing, the smoke and beer were excellent. The Exodus was really good, spicy and woody with a hint of leather and tons of smoke. Seriously, this thing pumped out more smoke than I have ever seen from a cigar. I punched it and there was a nice steady stream of smoke oozing from the cut.

Click to expand...

Glad you liked it. I was just delivered another Fiver of them.

Last night was a few Bear Republic Racer 5 IPAs.

ouch said:

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (if you have a real vanilla bean, better still)

Click to expand...

Cook's journal or mag, for some reason I can't remember the name, stated the imatation vanilla tasted better than the Real stuff. I'm undecided.

(centers will still be jiggly and soft)

Click to expand...

Just the way I like it.

Tonight, it's the solid, simple pleasures: a snifter of Buffalo Trace, a clay pipe packed with Pease Montgomery.

I met one of the Torano/CAO reps at the tobacco store in Petoskey. They had a buy two get one free special. I snagged a couple of Torano robustos, I can't remember which ones, and a CAO Brazilia.

The Brazilia was very nice to my untrained palette. I saved the other two for when my son comes to visit.

After working 12 hours, a swim in the pool with the kids and a made from scratch patron margarita with cointreau and fresh lime juice with the wife.

analog_kid said:

Torano Silver Exodus Robusto(from our own and the very generous Bob O. Thanks!) and Spotted Cow. While not the best pairing, the smoke and beer were excellent. The Exodus was really good, spicy and woody with a hint of leather and tons of smoke. Seriously, this thing pumped out more smoke than I have ever seen from a cigar. I punched it and there was a nice steady stream of smoke oozing from the cut.

Click to expand...

Love the cow. Fat squirrel and Uff-Da are great as well.

I am slowly trying the absinthes now available on the American market, to see if I can stop importing the good stuff (Jade Liqueurs absinthe, specifically PF 1901) from overseas. The unfavorable exchange rate is making it impractical.

This evening, I tried Kubler, a Swiss absinthe which is now available stateside. At 53% ABV, it's a much lighter absinthe than is traditional. Its flavor profile is also less complex than others'. It doesn't hold up too well on its own.

However, it's an excellent absinthe for the many cocktails that call for such. PF 1901 dominates any cocktail, whereas Kubler plays well with others. This is my new mixing absinthe.

On topic, I am currently enjoying it in a Rochester cocktail, which I've blogged about before, here.

Tonight in anticipation of the awards ceremony:

The black stump 2007 Durif Shiraz

An Australian gem, young but with lovely potential. A really nice relaxing wine. I get a lot of blackberry and blackcurrant from this one, it is intensely rich, almost port-like in character, but smooth as butter.

There is a bushel of steamed crabs waiting to get picked up as soon as SWMBO gets home from her baby shower. That is my indulgence of the night.

Potsticker dumplings with dipping sauce, all from scratch.

French Onion Soup with White Cheddar and Country Bread
Wiener Schnitzel
Creamed Peas And Carrots
Yukon Gold Pommes Frites with Paprika Aioli

Black Forest Cake

Tomorrow's dinner post should be awesome as my area's new Wegmans grocery store opens that day.

Wild Turkey 101.

[youtube]Hg-7LQm88T4[/youtube]

Two brothers:

Sazerac Rye (Sam's 10yo bottling)
2007 Thomas Handy Rye

That is some great rye there!

Roger

Shane said:

Tonight I had Five Guys Burgers & Fries, but for dessert I had some homemade chocolate pudding I whipped up the night before.

Click to expand...

Love Five Guys! There's one around the corner from us. Best burger in the world for five bucks and their homemade fries are top notch...

jon619 said:

Love Five Guys! There's one around the corner from us. Best burger in the world for five bucks and their homemade fries are top notch...

Click to expand...

My friends and I refer to that place as "Burger Heaven". For a franchise, they don't skimp on anything.

Yesterday's potstickers were pronounced to be superior to the dinner we had later last evening in a restaurant; so much so that I've been requested (ie: obey or die) to make them again tonight. I said okay, as long as I can use premade dumpling wrappers, as making the homemade skins is about 75% of the entire process. We get a very good brand of premade ones- they're the perfect consistency, thin, easy to pleat, and uniform. For a penny apiece, they're tought to beat.

Filling:
1 pound ground pork (either store bought or whacked with two cleavers)
1 puck tofu (acts like breadcrumbs in a meat loaf)
1T each of minced ginger, shallot, garlic, and scallion
1T soy sauce
1T black vinegar from Chianking region
1t sesame oil
1T cornstarch
Mix and refrigerate at least 1 hour

Rim edges of dumpling wrappers with egg wash or corn starch slurry. Place a heaping teaspoon of meat into a wrapper and fold, pleating edges.
Heat pan over med/low heat. Film pan with oil and put in dumplimgs, leaving space between them. Cook around 3 minutes, then add boiling water (or stock) to pan to cover dumplings half way. Cover and continue cooking around 4-5 minutes, until liquid evaporates. Remove cover and cook 1 minute more. Remove to plate- they don't call them potstickers for nothing, and you'll need to "help" them out. They should be golden brown on the bottom and steamed through on the top. Serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping sauce:
1T soy sauce
1t dark soy
1T sugar
1T rice wine vinegar, preferably black
1t sesame oil
2T water
1/2t each of minced garlic, ginger, and scallion
1T minced cilantro
Combine and let stand.

Rughi said:

Two brothers:

Sazerac Rye (Sam's 10yo bottling)
2007 Thomas Handy Rye

That is some great rye there!

Roger

Click to expand...

Man, yes, the Thomas Handy is special stuff. Hunt down some George T. Stagg bourbon, too -- it's basically the same technique (barrel proof and unfiltered). Amazing.

Eating dinner with my fiancee last night at an awesome BBQ place:

Lucille's BBQ


Had the BBQ Tri-tip (phenominal) with braised greens (so good) and peanut cole slaw (pretty tasty). Washed it down with a Mint Julip w/ Maker's Mark. For desert? Bread pudding with bourbon sauce. THe whole time there was a live blues band playing. I loved it!