End of Summer Update

Long time, no update blog.

It's been a busy summer, and I've been too preoccupied with stuff to blog much.

Facebook is one culprit. It's too easy to post micro-updates there -- and far more convenient for my lazy tastes! I also started a Twitter Feed, so I got a little overwhelmed will all the places I could say something -- and didn't know what to say. (I've also got a LiveJournal, but hey, I can haz moar overload?)

I also was also blogging a lot about my cocktail adventures, but I eased up on the drinkin', so I haven't had many recipes or stories to tell.

But for those of you who are following along at home, here's How I spent my Summer Vacation.

1) Chicago - We spent a week in the Windy City with our friends Bryan and Sara and had a wonderful time. I think I promised to blog about our time there, and never quite managed to. As a lazy shorthand, you can at least see some of the trip here.

2) Work. The animated feature I am working on is due out March 2010, and work has gotten a lot busier as we race towards our deadline. We're well on target though, and I'm really proud of the work we have done. I haven't had much time off, and Herself and I have been sticking close to home, enjoying food, drink, and friends without breaking the bank. Read more about our local adventures at Herself's blog, The Hungry Passport. (Really looking forward to aiding and abetting Herself's '52 Weeks' project!)

3) House Stuff. Owning a home is never dull, and we've been wrestling with a number of home improvement projects. Well, that is to say, we've been trying to figure out which ones to do! We've finally settled on redoing the bathroom -- and I'm sure some of that will leak it's way onto the blog in coming months. Other than that it's mostly been yard improvement and cleaning! Yuk!

4) Gaming. We got a Nintendo Wii, finally, and we've enjoyed the heck out of Wii Sports. But it's gotten a little stale. Anyone else have some recommendations on fun party games? I'm still doing a little RPGing, but it's mostly online now, as my core group has scattered somewhat to the four winds. Thankfully, there's this free Java-based app called MapTool, which has enabled us to keep playing despite the distance. Certainly beats carrying heavy books & minis around!

5) Movies. (and TV). We've cut way back on the hours spent in front of the TV. Too many other things we'd rather do. But Netflix and Hulu have been there for us -- in particular we've enjoyed Carnivale and True Blood. I don't mind saying that I have a definite preference for shows that aren't afraid to embrace fantastical talent. Carnivale is a particular gem whose time came too soon. HBO should have let this one play out. True Blood is also good, and its sense of humor keeps it fun -- but it still feels like a guilty pleasure -- a bag of Cheetos compared to the complex feast that was Carnivale.  Speaking of guilty pleasures, my friend Ix finally convinced us to take a look at Top Chef (Las Vegas) and we've been enjoying that, too!

6) The Beach. We've been a few times this summer but not nearly so much as we'd like. Ventura's been "discovered" and you have to go a little farther afield to avoid crowds and score a little space from the teeming masses of L.A. We did manage to get to Oxnard and take a boat cruise out to Anacapa Island a few weeks ago. We'd hoped to escape the heat and the smoke from the terrible Station Fire -- but the island was kind of a desolate piece of scrub-covered rock. Not smokey, but still hot. The best part was the boat ride -- and our dolphin escort!

7). Politics. I've been reading way too much about the Health Care "debate" and the only conclusion I've really come to is that I'm sick to death of what passes for political discourse in this country. Why all the yelling, people? Both sides seem unable to get their  &$#% together to reach any meaningful resolution to the issues. Americans want reform, it seems, but are rigid in their ideological positions, and unable to see the forest for the trees. /end rant. The Ink Gorilla does not really want to discuss politics on his blog - but just couldn't help himself this once.

8) Writing. Doing a lot of offline writing, and got myself on a schedule that allows me 1-2 hours a day. I'm loving it, and have been more productive than I ever was before. It seems I'm more of a morning person than I thought I was!

Fall is officially here, I guess, and there's a lot to look forward to. My folks will be visiting in a few weeks, and it's always great to visit and find fun things to do around SoCal while they are here. You can bet that it will include plenty of eatin' and drinkin'!

Aside from that, Herself and I will be celebrating 12 years together come October! Many w00ts, all 'round.

Take care of yerselves out there.


p.s. - trying a new look for the blog. 'Rounders' template just isn't doing it for me anymore! 

Home Again!

Herself and I have returned from our long-awaited trip to Chicago. We had a wonderful time, and our friends Bryan and Sara were wonderful hosts! Thanks guys!

Head's still a bit thick from the soggy-end of this damnable cold, and several hours spent in the the timeless gloom that is modern air-travel. So no major reports tonight -- but I aim to post a few entries about our trip over the coming week. Needless to say, we ate and drank every chance we got, but we didn't have many budget-busting meals. Dinner at the Beard-nominated Publican was the culinary highlight of the trip, and we tossed back several good drinks in honor of the vacation gods.

More tomorrow & soon....

Continuing the Cocktail Kick: The Demeanor & The Scoff Law

Over the past weekend, Herself and I tried several cocktails we'd never had before.

First up: The Demeanor.

Gin is a favorite in our house, so we're always looking for new ways to enjoy it beyond the classic Martini. Herself was also looking for a recipe to use some of the creme de violette we have -- so far we have only made a variation on the Aviation with it. We're not big sweet Vermouth drinkers, either, but it's perfect in this cocktail:

The Demeanor (recipe from the Internet Cocktail Database)

1 oz. gin
1 oz. sweet vermouth
1/2 oz. creme de violette
1 dash orange bitters

stir in mixing glass with ice and strain
serve in a cocktail glass.

When first mixed, the drink resembles a generous pour of stump water, but don't let that fool you. Within moments, it clears up an turns a warm caramel color. It's a mighty good drink, mellow yet herb-y from the gin (we used Tanqueray 10). Definitely one we'll be adding to the repertoire!

Next: The Scoff Law

I was looking for a fun drink to make with whiskey and grenadine, and I found a recipe for the Scoff Law in Ted Haigh's Vintage Cocktails. I'm a big fan of a good whiskey sour, and this definitely falls into that flavor profile. Sweet whiskey, tart lemon, smoothing grenadine. And you gotta love the name!

The Scoff Law (recipe from Ted Haigh's Vintage Cocktails)

1 1/2 oz. rye
1 oz. dry vermouth
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
3/4 oz. grenadine

shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
garnish with lemon peel.

I liked the drink, but I think I'll have to work on the proportions to get it just right for my palate. As mixed, it was a little too tart for me.

Overall, a very successful couple of experiments.
(And speaking of experiments, more Fernet-Branca drinks to come...)


The Demeanor (left) and the Scoff Law. Cheers!

The Fernet

I'm playing with cocktails again, this time for an event my friend Chuck is 'hosting' online this month -- Mixology Monday!


The challenge is make a cocktail with an amaro (that's a 'bitter') liqueur as the star of the drink. Perennially difficult (but great for an over-full stomach) is Fernet-Branca. I'm determined to try and make something quaffable out of this stuff!

I started with a recipe provided by the good folks at the The Internet Cocktail Database (pretty much the first stop in any internet cocktail journey, I think) and found a whole bunch of recipes calling for Fernet-Branca. I decided to start with the basics.



The Fernet
(modified from the Cocktail Data Base's recipe found here)

1 1/4 oz Rye Whiskey (I used Old Overholt)
1 1/4 oz Fernet-Branca
1/2 Barspoon of simple brown syrup*
1 dash Fee Bros. Whiskey Barrel Bitters

Stir with Ice & strain into a cocktail glass.
garnish with a squeezed lemon peel on top

* a simple syrup made with brown sugar instead of the refined stuff. Quite tasty!
I used 1 cup water with 8 oz (dry) of brown sugar. Cooled and strained into a squeeze bottle. It'll keep for a while in the fridge, but put a spoonful of 100 proof vodka into it, and it will keep for a long time!

So how was the cocktail? I gotta admit, the first few sips didn't seem much different (or tastier) than a snort straight out of the Fernet-Branca bottle (Herself would like me to remind all of our potential guests that we never drink straight from any of our liquor bottles. Ever.). After a while, though, my palate warmed to the concoction and I began to appreciate the complexities of the stiff herbal bitterness of the Fernet-Branca and the mellow sweetness of the rye and sugar. The last few sips had a wonderful note of lemon from the peel (which had sunk straight to the bottom).

By the end, I was really enjoying this drink, but I don't think it's going to become a regular fave except as a kinder way to imbibe some F-B when the overindulged tummy troubles begin...

I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars. (It is a pretty drink, though!)

Martini Shot

A nice way to wrap up the weekend.

The Filmograph

I've developed quite a passion for a good cocktail these days, thanks largely to our friends Chuck and Wes, who not only are regulars on the LA cocktail scene, but also print their own menus for drinks at their house.

I'm always on the lookout for a new ambrosial nectar to sip, and I've found my favorite of the moment: The Filmograph.

I spied this in Ted Haigh's Vintage Cocktails over Christmastime, when we were back in Memphis with the family. Dad, in particular, was intrigued by the combination of ingredients, and as I'd offered* to play bartender for the duration of our visit, I was obligated** to mix him one.

*(by offered, I mean insisted on...)
** (by obligated, I mean insisted on...)

Here's Haigh's recipe for the Filmograph, a cocktail that as he says, evokes the "silent film stars":

The Filmograph
2oz. Brandy
3/4oz. lemon syrup* (i.e. sirop de citron)
1/2oz. kola tonic

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
*Ted suggests using fresh lemon juice, as the syrup can be cloyingly sweet

There was one small problem. Memphis is a veritable wasteland as far as exotic ingredients go. And Kola Tonic is seemingly as exotic as they get. Rose's is the only outfit left that makes it (as far as I can tell), and pretty much the only people who regularly drink it are the South Africans, apparently. Faced with flavorless mixes and daunting Blue laws, I was nonetheless determined to make that cocktail.

Here's my Christmas recipe for the Filmograph. Since Haigh invoked the silent film era, I think I'll call it:

Burnt Nitrate
2oz. Brandy (preferably a bottle opened 15 years ago)
3/4oz. lemon juice, freshly squeezed with plenty of pulp
1/2oz. reduced cane sugar cola.

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker and strain into a cocktail glass. Scoop out floaties. Garnish with a lemon wedge. Wait. Don't put anymore lemon in it. Trust me. Put the lemon down...

Yeah, it was as bad as it sounds. Using pure lemon juice instead of the sirop de citron was a good start, but ultimately an assault on my tonsils (sorry, Ted. Sorry, Dad). The brandy was of questionable lineage and age, and my attempt to reduce the cola and make my own "tonic" just left the drink tasting like a flat co-cola with a whole lemon floating in it. Ugh. A disaster.

Well, on a recent trip to a grocery in "Little India" down in Artesia, I found a whole shelf of international syrups and cordials and much to my joy, they carried Rose's Kola Tonic. Finally!



I was tempted to buy every bottle they had, but that would have been overkill (you know, sometimes it's just the thrill of the hunt). I took two home, one for me, and one to give to my friends, just in case they had not acquired a bottle for themselves.

On its own, Kola Tonic does indeed taste a little like a flat cola, though with a nice herbal depth that the sody-pop giants definitely lack. I could see mixing this with a little soda water, lemon, and ice and having yourself a fine drink. But this is about the Filmograph cocktail, so on with the show.

The Filmograph (House Mix)
2oz. brandy (we used E&J)
1/4oz. lemon juice, fresh
1/2oz. simple syrup
1/2oz. kola tonic

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Somewhere between the gloopy sweetness of sirop de citron and pure lemon juice, Herself found that a little simple syrup added to a small quantity of fresh lemon juice worked perfectly (for our tastes, at least.) The resulting drink is light, crisp, and not too sweet. I've had one every night this last week -- it's a great transition drink from our winter Widow's Kisses to our summer Gin Gimlets. I guess that would make it a great drink for spring -- but we'll likely enjoy them all year long!



Herself served this one up in a short glass since we don't have any coupes and our martini glasses were all dirty. We didn't slosh nearly so much, but we did get a little sloshed after a couple of them...)

A TALE OF TWO SOUPS: Part One (Tortilla Soup)

When I'm feeling puny, soup is one of my go-to comfort foods, and as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't get much more comforting than tortilla soup. It is the perfect lip-smacking blend of salt and spice, broth and crunch as you're likely to find this side of consciousness. Okay, maybe I overstate its restorative properties, but this is my blog, so I'm entitled.

A few weeks ago, I was feeling a bit off, with not much of an appetite in the bargain. As soon as the ick started to wear off, my stomach impatiently reminded me it needed filling, and I began to cast about for something to satisfy its reawakened cravings. It just so happened that the commissary at work offered up their version of tortilla soup at lunch that week. It's good stuff, if a little salty, and I immediately decided I needed to try and make some myself.

Fortunately that week, I also discovered the wonderful mattbites, and while trolling his archives, found his recipe for tortilla soup. That sealed the deal. There was going to be tortilla soup in my weekend plans!

(Roasting Veggies is fun!)

I informed Herself that I would be cooking dinner Saturday night, and was going to finally treat her for once! (Okay, in case you're thinking that sounds a little sexist, Herself makes dinner often because she's an accomplished cook and a trained chef. While I've gladly served as her sous-chef on many occasions, I've been, well, a little intimidated to cook for her! I didn't want to let her down. Silly Gorilla.)

(Frying the tortillas. They were the white corn kind.)

Well, I can honestly say it turned out... well, okay. No fault of the recipe, it was all me. I forgot to strain the puree, which gave it the wrong mouth feel, I think. I decided to add chicken breast as well, but I didn't really have enough, so it tasted like eating an afterthought. You know...kind of bland and empty and never as satisfying as the real thing. I think I could have used a little less salt, too. It's so difficult to get a good taste while it's still simmering, and very easy to over-salt.

Now that being said -- I had a blast making it! Herself cleared out and left me to my own devices, and despite a few mishaps, I timed everything right. I juggled all the steps perfectly and plated it all at once. It's just soup. Big whoop, I know.

But a big step for me!

(Soups on! I also made some guacamole & opened a bottle of Pinot Grigio. You can see we'd already started on the guac!)

We ate on it for a few days, and added some more leftovers each day. A little rice, a little more chicken. Some extra cayenne. All that post-cooking alchemy gave me a few ideas, and a week or so later, I decided to try again.

Coming Soon -- Part Two: More Soup! (or: Enter the Mhutney)