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Post by kerouac2 on Nov 20, 2021 13:21:07 GMT
I buy mine at Hema.
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Post by mich64 on Nov 21, 2021 1:15:25 GMT
Thank you for the Lee Valley post Lagatta! I forget about ordering from there and just enjoyed about 10 minutes looking through items on their site and I got a few ideas for Christmas presents.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 21, 2021 19:49:17 GMT
I am waiting for my grocery order which will include (I hope) a chile ancho liquor. Could be a case of curiosity killing the cat. Later a friend will come over with a bottle of Japanese gin. We'll sample that along with an American gin also in the grocery order -- Bogart's.
If y'all never hear from me again, you'll know why.
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Post by kerouac2 on Nov 21, 2021 19:51:56 GMT
I brought out the armagnac tonight. A Sunday weakness?
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 2, 2021 3:33:06 GMT
"Let's drink until our organs fail -- it's the manly thing to do!"
No, I've had nothing to drink, just loved this quote from The Great, said by dethroned Hugo of Sweden to dethroned Peter of Russia
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Post by tod2 on Dec 2, 2021 9:05:37 GMT
I usually have a glass of Riesling for a sundowner but switched last night to a Cabernet/Merlot blend. I did not enjoy it until I drank most of it with my steak dinner.
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 6, 2021 23:25:24 GMT
I'm having a perfectly lovely martini with Bombay Sapphire & Dolin dry. I decided I wanted it less dry & a tad thirst-quenching, so added some Lillet Blanc & a splash of soda. Instead of lemon peel, I used a shaving of just-harvested ginger.
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Post by htmb on Dec 7, 2021 0:36:05 GMT
Your martini sounds like something one would read about in a good novel, or a book on how to make delicious cocktails. Sounds delicious.
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 7, 2021 0:57:28 GMT
Wow ~ thank you! It was my reward post-shower for doing a particularly dirty & time consuming garden task.
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Post by htmb on Dec 7, 2021 1:06:33 GMT
Sounds like a fine reward.
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 7, 2021 3:26:47 GMT
I was a fine little gardener today.
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Post by tod2 on Dec 7, 2021 9:26:29 GMT
Tried a new wine last night and it got a thumbs up from me. A dry white made with Colombard grapes. Colombard is a white French wine grape variety that is the offspring of Chenin blanc and Gouais blanc. This makes the grape the sibling of the Armagnac Meslier-Saint-François and the nearly extinct Cognac grape Balzac blanc.( Wikipedia) Notable regions: Gascony, South Africa, California.
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Post by bjd on Dec 7, 2021 9:43:25 GMT
I had never heard of colombard grapes but just discovered that they are mainly grown here in southwestern France in the Gers department. And since it resists heat, it was planted in South Africa and Mexico.
Not much used alone, according to what I just read, but added to Pineau de Charentes and Floc de Gascogne, which are apéritif wines. Also added to cognac and armagnac.
Bixa, Lillet, which is produced just outside Bordeaux in Podensac, is traditionally also drunk as an apéritif wine with a bit of orange peel added to the glass, since its base is bitter oranges.
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 7, 2021 16:59:58 GMT
Bjd, it would be interesting to find a bottle of pure colombard wine. It could be as lovely as malbec is on its own.
Thanks so much for that information on Lillet & how to drink it. I bought a bottle after reading a recommendation to use it for martini making, so have been hoarding it for that use, but now am compelled to give it a try as an apéritif wine. The orange peel seems a lovely touch.
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Post by bjd on Dec 7, 2021 17:29:20 GMT
Bixa, I'll have a look for some colombard wine since it's produced not that far from here. But it's probably not very well known and I don't drink much white wine.
Malbec is completely different, of course -- a tannic red wine, originally from Cahors area. It's not usually blended with other grapes.
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 7, 2021 20:02:42 GMT
Actually, I think it was originally more used for blending rather than as a distinct wine in its own right. I know Malbec as an Argentine wine and was surprised to learn that the Argentine version is different from the French. Apparently Malbec from the Cahors region is much more tannic. The Wikipedia entry on Malbec makes for interesting reading, stating in part: Malbec is now widely planted in Argentina. Grapes from this region produce softer, less tannic-driven wines than those from Cahors. ... Wine expert Jancis Robinson describes the French style of Malbec common in the Libournais (Bordeaux region) as a "rustic" version of Merlot, softer in tannins and lower in acidity with blackberry fruit in its youth. The Malbec of the Cahors region is much more tannic with more phenolic compounds that contribute to its dark color. Oz Clarke describes Cahors' Malbec as dark purple in color with aromas of damsons, tobacco, garlic, and raisin. In Argentina, Malbec becomes softer with a plusher texture and riper tannins. The wines tend to have juicy fruit notes with violet aromas. source
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Post by bjd on Dec 7, 2021 20:21:13 GMT
The first time I tasted malbec was in Argentina. Only later did I discover that it originated in France, near Cahors.
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 7, 2021 21:55:36 GMT
A very common Mexican blend is Cabernet-Malbec, from vineyards in Baja California. Honestly, I know hardly anything about wine and will drink what is set in front of me, but for preference a red wine. There are some quite drinkable full-bodied cheap Mexican reds, although I drink so little wine (& am stingy about buying it) that I couldn't tell you about the better, more expensive ones.
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 8, 2021 1:02:06 GMT
Oh goodness! I am having a "Huachinango" and enjoying the heck out of it.
What might that be, you ask. Well, a Bloody Mary made with gin is apparently called a "Red Snapper", something I did not know. I do know that I may never drink another Bloody Mary made with vodka, having tasted the gin version.
The reason for calling it a Huachinango -- Spanish for red snapper -- is that I gave it a Mexican twist.
Into a shaker I put ice cubes, tomato juice (drained from a can of diced tomatoes I needed for something I was cooking), some chips of fresh habanero chile, a dribble of agave syrup, ditto olive brine, a dash of Frank's Red Hot, @two ounces of water, Worcestershire sauce, a shake of salt, a big squeeze of lime juice, some sprigs of fresh cilantro, and a healthy jigger of Bogart's gin. I strained out a bit & tasted it -- okay, but not perfect. Added more lime juice, three or four scant drops of soy sauce, and the stroke of brilliance: a short squirt of fish sauce.
Oh lord, this is GOOD!
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 8, 2021 5:06:50 GMT
I would be exhausted after combining so many ingredients.
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Post by mich64 on Dec 9, 2021 1:24:17 GMT
Bixa, your Huachinango sounds delicious! With the last addition your wrote, the fish sauce, made me wonder if it tastes a bit similar to a Ceasar, which has a clam tomato juice but your recipe is full of flavours!
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 9, 2021 1:36:43 GMT
Mich, thanks to a talented Canadian friend I have enjoyed a Caesar, which is a wonderful drink.
Asian fish sauce is quite salty, so in most things you wouldn't add very much. And in those cases, it doesn't add any fish flavor at all. I often put it on tomatoes instead of salt in a salad because it locks in a salty flavor in a gentle but lasting way.
Asian fish sauce is my secret umami addition for when a food (or drink, in this case) needs just that little something but you don't want to add any more salt or anything. Shhhh ~ don't tell anyone!
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Post by whatagain on Dec 9, 2021 7:35:23 GMT
Well Bixa, your mixture seems quite tempting. I discovered gin only last month in Finland, so will try an easier version.
As for Malbec, you explained why i like argentinian better.
As for me these days, it is water in my glass and pepsi max from the bottle. I drive and eat mostly alone, 2 factors for low wine consumption...
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Post by bjd on Dec 9, 2021 7:47:57 GMT
I don't drink any hard liquor or cocktails and can't stand the smell or taste of gin. I'm not much of a drinker to start with so limit myself to some wine with meals, and not every day.
We opened a bottle of red wine from Côtes de Roussillon yesterday at lunchtime. I have cartons of wine that I got for free so just taste things at random.
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 12, 2021 7:03:08 GMT
Bjd, your wine situation sounds idyllic!
I'm having a lovely, light cocktail right now: club soda, Bombay 24, Lillet Blanc all poured over ice cubes. I dropped in a twist of lemon peel, then took it out immediately.
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Post by whatagain on Dec 12, 2021 8:22:55 GMT
We had Cava at aperitive, then 2 Cotes Roties. Then we finished a Moulis en Medoc and had 2 glasses of Whisky. The last being my fav. Glenn Morangie that went into Sauternes casks. Going to be a slow sunday.
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 18, 2021 0:20:00 GMT
A martini, by Bixa ~
Into a cocktail shaker put several ice cubes, then a twist of grapefruit peel. Over that pour 45 ml of The London No. 1 Original Blue Gin, 30 ml of chilled Lillet Blanc, and 30 ml of chilled club soda. Swirl the shaker a few times, then strain the contents into a frozen martini glass.
This is a little on the sweet side, but friendly and a gentle way to enjoy the botanicals in the London Blue.
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Post by casimira on Dec 18, 2021 17:51:55 GMT
Gee Bixa, for someone who professes to be a cheapskate about buying decent wine you sure are imbibing in some high end liquors! Bottoms Up!!!
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 18, 2021 19:41:47 GMT
Ha ~ true!
A friend and I have been taking some baby steps into exploring gin.
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 19, 2021 0:55:51 GMT
Breaking a rule right now by having a liquor drink two nights in a row, but anyway ~
Let me see if I can give accurate measures, as this mix I made is rather delicious.
I used a 12 oz glass. That would be 12 ounces if filled to the brim, so not the actual amount of liquid for the finished product. In metric, it's a 354 milliliter glass.
Put in some ice cubes, then the juice of 1/2 grapefruit. Add 1 1/2 oz i.e. 45 ml of Hendrick's gin, then pour in Canada Dry tonic to @1/2 inch below the rim of the glass. Give a quick stir, then drizzle in a tiny drizzle of agave syrup and top all with club soda. Stir & enjoy.
The flavors meld beautifully. If I'd had one, I'd have added a maraschino cherry to match the subtle hint of almond in the drink.
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