A new interest...

Cocktails have never really been my thing. Maybe the occasional gin and tonic or bourbon and coke on a night out but that's about it. I don't drink much to begin with and when I do it's usually beer. For some reason I began browsing the cocktail-related discussions on eGullet and something occured to me. Cocktails are an excellent lesson in balancing tastes and combining flavors because there's nothing to hide behind. There are also some cool techniques being used by modern bartenders (mixologists if you insist) that, once I learned about, I had to try. It appeals to my need-to-learn. That little corner of curiosity that keeps me in the kitchen half the night when I should be sleeping after hearing about some cool new cooking technique. This particular cocktail involves a couple of techniques (infusion and fat washing) to produce Don Lee's twist on the classic rum and coke... The Cinema Highball.


butter and popcorn infused rum - coca cola

Royal Foodie Joust: Fish, Nutmeg and Coconut

Another really cool Royal Foodie Joust hosted by the Leftover Queen blog. I missed a couple rounds, the deadlines came and went faster than I realized, but I managed to get this one done a whole day early. I didn't shoot for unique (I think Rob already cornered that category with his really cool entry) or particularly modern this time. It's dedicated to the cuisine of Jamaica and I stayed pretty much traditional with the ingredients and cooking methods with only a few minor changes to allow for the challenge ingredients and what is available locally this time of year.


escovitch cod - coconut milk rundown - green banana porridge - pickled red onion - nutmeg