MitchW

Try gin.

In San Sebastián, not necessarily a city known for its cocktail scene, we went to the fancy bar in our somewhat fancy hotel. Ordering a wet Martini for my wife, and explaining how she likes her Martini, said Martini was served. Only problem was, it was made with Martini Rosso. However, last night here in Madrid: both the “wet” Martini and the rye Manhattan were just fine (albeit free poured, but at least not shaken). Del Diego Cocktail Bar, in Chueca.

Magma = food good, service comical.

Yes, the no comments thing was basically started because they didn’t want anyone disagreeing with anything they wrote, even the factually inaccurate stuff.

One of the more disturbed paintings! Another… With a murder of crows. Another of his 3 final painting.

Of course, many VvG exhibitions over the years have been seen by many. This is his last, final painting. He painted, and then shot himself in the heart that evening, and died two days later.

I use a vacu-vin (sp. ?) once I open a bottle of vermouth, and keep the bottle refrigerated. They’ll last at least 3-4 weeks that way. And fwiw, I mostly buy and use 375 ml bottles, except when that’s impossible.

Really good meal at Soces last night.

She’s a good chef. Pig & Khao still hanging in.

Now I really miss that chicken and porridge dish from his first place here.

It’s good, and yeah they sure like to advertise!

One of @Sneakeater's favorite vegetables: Fioeretti, roasted along with some Brussels sprouts. But I only use olive oil, salt, pepper, and in this case, Silk chili. It was a side dish for spaghetti and meatballs! This needed no side...stir-fried chicken thighs, with carrots, celery, scallions, mushrooms, ginger, garlic, chili oasta of some sort. Jasmine rice. Freshly made crab cakes, vegetable samosas (possibly my favorite thing from Trader Joe's - it's the only frozen product I buy), and Brussels (again) in the Jacques style (i.e. sliced, sautéed).

We're gonna be in Spain in a week or so - Donostia and Madrid. We wanted to go back to Rekondo but closed for vacation, as are a number of others.

My last recommend from Chambo was Magma. We're going next week. Along with Soces. Le Gran Bain has a big counter/bar for solo diners and have always had good food there.

I'm sorting through, and reboxing, my collection of 45s. These are there: RIP

The only recipes I've seen without Dubonnet have sweet vermouth in lieu of.

I have master lists from a number of the early serious cocktail bars here in NYC (don't ask, please don't tell), and there are very few Fernet cocktails listed. The two above are the ones which pop, though as with @Sneakeater's Vieux Carré, proportions tend to differ based on the bar and/or the bartender. The recipe I show for the Don't Give Up the Ship (apparently via the Zig Zag) is: 2 gin; .5 Dubonnet; .25 Grand Marnier; .25 Fernet

Oh, nice!

@Orik - are you using Okume for your dashi ingredients, or another secret?!

I think, though I may be wrong, that calories may be controlled by the quantity of food one eats, and burns, on a daily basis.

I'll add pasta and rices to this.

Lighten up, Franceses - it's a fucking restaurant review.

Yeah, I was able to read and I certainly don’t have a subscription to that publication.

Not that I've been in a long time, but every once in a while it's nice to read a nicely written review. So, without much ado... Frenchette, New York: ‘I was looked after in a way I’m unused to in the UK’ — review

Then even the spelling would be wrong!