High Velocity Lie-Nap! wrote:I subscribe to Bon Appetit and Saveur magazines. Hey, I know how it sounds, but it's not like I pay money to view a YouTube video on how to chalk a kettleball.
Anyway, I see this recipe/advertisement for a drink called a Negroni in Bon Appetit--the hipster douchebags in the photo should have warded me off, but I was trying to be a little open minded. This drink is Gin, Sweet Vermouth and Campari--equal parts, although I tend to add some shock and awe value to the drinks I pour and might have gone wee heavier on the higher proof stuff, i.e., the Gin. Now a refreshing Gin and Tonic is about as Crossfit as I get, so I don't drink a helluva lotta Gin, but rocked out the classic Beefeater label. I do like a good Manhattan, so I'm down with the Sweet Vermouth in the house. Campari was new to me, however, but I dropped the 25 bones on the bottle as an act of good faith for all of the majesty that is Italian cuisine. I have to ask, WTF were the Italians thinking when they made this stuff? I guess anything will taste good after sipping on anything with Campari in it. That stuff makes Underberg taste like Swiss Chocolate.
WTF?
Am I the only wanna-be-hippster-douchebag stupid enough to buy a bottle of this shit?
*where's my American Spirits, anyway?*
Gav, what the fuck do they have to say about this red bile in Torino?
High Velocity Lie-Nap! wrote:I subscribe to Bon Appetit and Saveur magazines. Hey, I know how it sounds, but it's not like I pay money to view a YouTube video on how to chalk a kettleball.
Anyway, I see this recipe/advertisement for a drink called a Negroni in Bon Appetit--the hipster douchebags in the photo should have warded me off, but I was trying to be a little open minded. This drink is Gin, Sweet Vermouth and Campari--equal parts, although I tend to add some shock and awe value to the drinks I pour and might have gone wee heavier on the higher proof stuff, i.e., the Gin. Now a refreshing Gin and Tonic is about as Crossfit as I get, so I don't drink a helluva lotta Gin, but rocked out the classic Beefeater label. I do like a good Manhattan, so I'm down with the Sweet Vermouth in the house. Campari was new to me, however, but I dropped the 25 bones on the bottle as an act of good faith for all of the majesty that is Italian cuisine. I have to ask, WTF were the Italians thinking when they made this stuff? I guess anything will taste good after sipping on anything with Campari in it. That stuff makes Underberg taste like Swiss Chocolate.
WTF?
Am I the only wanna-be-hippster-douchebag stupid enough to buy a bottle of this shit?
*where's my American Spirits, anyway?*
Gav, what the fuck do they have to say about this red bile in Torino?
There's a great book by Jeffrey Steingarten called "The Man Who Ate Everything". He was (is?) the food editor at Vogue. He had a lot of food phobias to get over, so he challenged himself to keep pushing through foods he had an aversion to. His theory was that if you try something 10 times, you'll come to like it.
Campari proves the exception to this rule. I have tried it 20-30 times-Negroni's, with soda, Americano's, etc. They are all ass. I won't touch the stuff again.
If you want a good summer drink, go with the Dark & Stormy. Gosling's Black Seal Rum, ginger beer and lime. The lime is key, and use good ginger beer.
Dixon was alive again. Consciousness was upon him before he could get out of the way; not for him the slow, gracious wandering from the halls of sleep, but a summary, forcible ejection. He lay sprawled, too wicked to move, spewed up like a broken spider-crab on the tarry shingle of the morning. The light did him harm, but not as much as looking at things did; he resolved, having done it once, never to move his eyeballs again. A dusty thudding in his head made the scene before him beat like a pulse. His mouth had been used as a latrine by some small creature of the night, and then as its mausoleum. During the night, too, he'd somehow been on a cross-country run and then been expertly beaten up by secret police. He felt bad.
-Kingsley Amis, Lucky Jim
"That rifle on the wall of the labourer's cottage or working class flat is the symbol of democracy.
It is our job to see that it stays there." - George Orwell
cunch wrote:I believe a good rule of thumb is to take white wines out of the fridge 1/2 hour before you plan to serve them , and put red wines in 1/2 hour before you plan to enjoy them.
Good thing you don't believe you can fly.
davidc wrote:I've found standing on my head to be particularly useful
Ed Zachary wrote:How do you like Shift Dave? New Belgium is hit and miss for me. For every brew I absolutely love there are 3 I won't drink again.
And I love that they are going in the craft brew in a can direction. Beer out of a can doesn't have to be bad beer.
Its a really good beer. It's not the kind of beer you'd serve in a Belgian beer glass. Its the kind of beer you'd drink out of a can but still say that's a good beer. I think that's what they were going for and they totally nailed it.
I've also found New Belgium to be hit or miss. This one is a keeper.
WTF is with the canned beers these days anyway? I see cans o'beer for very premium prices and I immediately say fuck that noise.
At 3pm this afternoon, before going to a children's birthday party at 5pm, I'm 2 (of 4) deep in some Stockton Oatmeal Stouts. Pretty good tasting, the $6 per 6-pack is even better.
I have to stop red wine completely. Makes me sweat, I become argumentative over tiny shit, and I sleep like shit afterwards (that's really the kicker, waking up at 2am for the day just don't work). Oh well, I'll have to settle for beer.
What a duck says wrote:WTF is with the canned beers these days anyway? I see cans o'beer for very premium prices and I immediately say fuck that noise.
For most of them you don't pay more than you do for bottles. I like the Sierra Nevada Pale and Torpedo IPA. Dale's Pale, if you can find it, is an excellent IPA.
"Liberalism is arbitrarily selective in its choice of whose dignity to champion." Adrian Vermeule
The negroni bitterness is something of an acquired taste. I like them and, though pink, are a great summer drink. If you're into amaro or other bitter drinks and not looking for something overly sweet, syrupy, or citrus-y in the summer it's one of the best. You need to make sure that it's a 1:1:1 ratio. Too much gin, or not enough vermouth and they just taste bad. IMO soda water ruins it. I'd also use a typical London dry gin like beefeater because something herbal/vegetal like Hendricks doesn't seem to work either. (though I love Hendricks in a martini)
Dark and Stormy is another go to for me but ginger beer (I use Barritt's) can get a little syrupy/sweet after a few.
Other great summer drinks- Whiskey Smash (crushed ice, turkey, lemon juice, simple, mint, maybe a dash of bitters) and the 50/50 Firefly Sweet Tea and Water.
If you have a real bar around you a proper daiquiri or margarita can also be a great summer drink, but at most places you'll get some kind of pre mixed sorostitute concoction.
Also seen a lot of tiki drink revival over the last year or two- I'm partial to the zombie as long as they keep the Falernum in check.
"That rifle on the wall of the labourer's cottage or working class flat is the symbol of democracy.
It is our job to see that it stays there." - George Orwell
I'm posting this as a warning. Do not buy this gin!! I'm always on the hunt for something cool and different and I dig gin. This one in particular is highly rated by gin affectionados...St. George Dry Rye Gin. So I bought a bottle last night and tried it straight and this shit would make a seasoned Al Qaeda operative spill his guts immediately. So upon adding some tonic water it did little to ease the pain. I never throw away booze so I finished it and I will consume this bottle but it will be a long uncomfortable journey. It supposedly has twice the juniper than most gins and let me tell you...that ain't cool. Oh well.
