plattetude

I never saw 80 proof! I'm a big fan of the 110 proof for sipping, and it makes a phenomenal manhattan for sure.

And also in that early wave, featuring Dale and Audrey one way or another, there's Rainbow Room, Bemelmens, Beacon, Blackbird.... And I've got a soft spot for Grange Hall in the mid-to-late '90s, where Del Pedro was mixing things no one knew about -- my first taste of Luxardo Maraschino, in an Aviation, that arguably put me on the path to cocktail geekdom. So. Jealous.

At 90 proof, Ford's has become my go-to for a Beefeater stand-in. (Though I do have one handle left of 88 proof Beefeater.) In a similar vein, and same provenance, I'm a fan of Phil's Yeoman Warder. 2 oz Beefeater London dry (I mean, yeah, one would want it to be Beefeater, but Ford's is the way to go now) 3/4 oz Dolin dry 1/4 oz Cynar 1/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino No garnish.

Late to share my two cents since I'm more lurker than participant here. I'm gutted by this in ways that feels unearned but I've held Sneak in such high esteem since the eGullet days, and it's literally only through his screenname that I found my way here. His broad tastes in high and low art, cuisine, music, movies, freaking comic books, every damn thing, and his ability to articulate and engage has always astounded me. And that he was universally beloved by all (far as I can tell) in a forum that has had its share of contentious folks is no mean feat. I deeply regret that I'd never met him. There's a hole in the universe and his memory will be a blessing.

Yep, they even put out a cookbook.

Past couple nights have been indulging in an Alpine Negroni (Naren Young - Dante). Good stuff. 1 oz gin 3/4 oz Suze 3/4 oz Cocchi Americano 1/2 oz Genepy barspoon white creme de menthe 3 dashes lemon bitters dash 1:1 saline (I'm a heathen and just add a pinch of kosher salt) Stir with ice, strain over a rock, garnish with rosemary sprig (or, you know, not because we don't always have everything)

+1 on Fish Shop. And a fine pub in the same neighborhood, The Cobblestone, with nightly trad Irish music. Brother Hubbard (two locations, one north of the Liffey, the other south) does a fine breakfast. If you'd want to visit the James Joyce Centre (small but charming), right around the corner is a sandwich shop, 147 Deli, that is phenomenal (takeaway only).

My understanding is that the scarcity and expense are all being driven by panicked hoarding. Yes, the monks aren't increasing production (as they announced a couple years ago) but are maintaining existing production levels. It shouldn't be as unavailable as it's become except for the hoarding. (And yeah, I bought a couple bottles of each when the price started creeping up.) I did a side-by-side of straight Green Chartreuse vs Faccia Brutto Centerbe and found Centerbe decidedly underwhelming. And then a side-by-side of Green Chartreuse vs Dolin Genepy which was *much* more compelling. Then a Zephyr cocktail (2 oz london dry gin, 1/2 oz Cocchi Americano, 1/2 oz Green Chartreuse/Genepy) and aside from the color being decidedly less green, the Genepy held up very well.

I was there! Agreed. Pier 17 is pretty great, at least when the weather is perfect. And it was a great show, though I think they kept themselves from being too freewheeling thanks to the 10pm hard curfew at the venue.

Wife and I went in early Feb and even with it being early in the new regime, very good experience. It definitely felt like Blanca but just as definitely had a distinctly new culinary bent with her Chilean (and other South American) influences. Recommended if you liked it before!

I do and I shall! Meanwhile, just now, a modified Sun King (fka my own submission in the Fruit Bat series) 2 oz rye (Old Overhold bonded) 1/2 oz Cocchi Americano + 1/4 oz yellow Chartreuse (replacing 3/4 oz blanc vermouth) 1/4 oz Suze 1/4 oz maraschino 2 dashes orange bitters It's a little richer but stilllll good.

Yesterday's cocktail... Rhubarb Gimlet 2 oz gin (Greenhoook American Dry) 3/4 oz lime 3/4 oz rhubarb syrup* Shake, strain into coupe * Rhubarb syrup (easy-peasy Morgenthaler method) equal parts chopped rhubarb, sugar, warm water, whizzed in a blender for a few minutes to a puree and strained through a fine strainer (and cheesecloth/chinoise/whatever, as you like)

Also, Officers' Reserve is a really lovely navy strength, sherry-barrel rested offering. And for the price, both that and the standard line are great buys.

It's on a knife-edge, but it really works. It's got roundness and depth, but not cloying. The expressed lemon peel (which I hadn't mentioned) is pretty necessary too I'd say.

Last night at Attaboy, had a particularly fabulous equal parts drink they've been pouring lately Dandelion 3/4 oz gin (Ford's) 3/4 oz Montenegro 3/4 oz Elderflower liqueur (St. Germain) 3/4 oz lemon rinse absinthe