Food and Drink

I'm leaving tonight for a one month trip in Europe with a friend, we'll be making these cities: - Paris - Strasbourg - Munich - Prague - Berlin - Dresden - Amsterdam - Brussels - Bruges Any tips for good obscure places to eat or drink on the cheap? Or just nice places to visit that are not in tourist books? Thanks!

This is just a long shot idea that would take some serious work(sheep herding), planning, and cash, but I figure I would present it any way. We should make a Head-Case wine. I'm sure the serious wine-o's here know about www.crushpadwine.com but for those that don't, check out the website. We could have a mini meet around the production of the wine and possibly another around the bottling. It also helps that we have a somewhat large group of members in that area. Of course it would take a serious cash outlay for those involved for a wine of unknown quality but I still think it might be worth looking into. Discuss.

I would like to get a new pepper mill for Christmas, a good one, since all three of mine all suck. Any suggestions? Things I want: Lasts forever Can change grind from coarse to fine Holds a lot of pepper Easy to refill (the peppercorns always fall all over the floor when I fill mine since the opening is too small) Not "made in China" (you know what I mean) I don't like the ones with little handles on top (would prefer a standard turn the top type) Will not stop working with large peppercorns

I'm looking to replace my PTFE (i.e. Teflon) non-stick fry/sautee pan and my abused (by houseguests) fry/sautee pans with an inexpensive set on non-sticks. My requirements are: Non-PFTE non-stick OK to put in oven and broiler (up to 450 degrees or so) Less that $100 for 2. I'm willing to go over $100 if you can convince me. Here are some examples of what I'm looking at: All-Clad B3 2 Piece Fry set Calphalon Contemporary Non-Stick 10" and 12" Omelette Pans Calphalon Unison Non-Stick 10" and 12" Omelette Pans I've found all of these at Bed, Bath and Beyond. I like shopping there as I have a -20% coupon. I'm not tied to BBB. I'm leaning to t…

Not a gin connoisseur by any means, but I have recently been drinking it some with dinners. Usually with tonic and lime. Just went out to a nice place last night, and ordered Bombay Sapphire. Waitress, a gin lover herself (and dang cute!), recommended one I had only heard of but never learned about or tried: Hendricks of Scotland Distilled with flowers and cucumbers! I took her recommendation, though, and glad I did! Was a very smooth yet flavorful gin, with none of the pseudo-paint-thinner scent I've smelled before, even a bit on some of the best gins. Highly recommended....will likely get a bottle for myself, first hard alcohol I've bought since Absenth…

What barware do you use? I'm looking for a good set.

It appears that those chaps at BrewDog Beer - Award winning brewery have upped the ante in the Beer arms race. As a response to http://www.benz-weltweit.de/derbraeuvomberch/index_eng.html 40% tipple they now have produced the 41% Sink The Bismark! Scots unleash world's strongest beer ? The Register Sink the Bismarck! You know what to do Duggeh!

So a couple of you have purchased whiskey rocks, which got me to thinking about better things to use with more thermal mass. I came up with the idea of 1 gram pure .9999 silver bars. Or gold plated pure copper balls. What you think?

Dont you...

This forum sure helped me zone in on some key beers which I may not have had exposure to. I'd like to explore wine in the same fashion, and could use some pointers. I tend to like Red more than White, but will gladly explore anything suggested. I'd prefer my exploratory bottles be on the cheaper side, so suggestions under $25 would be appreciated. I'm looking for a great bang for buck

this post will be quite slurrred, just a warning: May the record forever show, that I have beat a marine and a dude with full on Turret's, at a drinking game. It started with a night of rock band, drinking whenever breakes in the music dictated. Then it moved to an episode of top gear, requiring that whenever a blatant britishism came up or a total insult from one cast member to another were to occur, that we had to drink.... I have beat a Marine. Yes, I rule. He is asleep and I am completley fucked. This post has required some kind of record backspace usage to not end up looking like an edwood post. You all should be proud. Seriously. At least one backspace per actua…

I'm not sure how many people here have tried this ice cream by dreyers but it's really fucking good. It's vanilla ice cream with caramel swirls, chocolate covered peanuts and tiny little tiney peanut butter cups. Other brands carry it too under different names. It usually has and animal followed the word "tracks". It'll probably blow your ass to high heaven.

I posted about purchasing a new carbon steel pan recently. I thought that member's choice of cookware might be a interesting thread. For my self I have and use a set of non-stick cookware that I like. However most people missuse non-stick cookware. It's not made for high temp cooking, and will offgas at higher temperatures. That's not good for your health or for the pans non-stick characteristics. I also have a stainless set of Cookware that I love. That cookware, as many others require a certain method of cooking. Pre-heating is a must, but it's quite easy to learn and quite good once you do. Mine is a 5 ply clad set with a copper core as well as aluminum core…

So I just ate a yogurt that technically didn't have a complete seal around the lid. When I lifted the tab, there was some dried yogurt on the rim, and it didnt have its usual spit at me ordeal. I thought twice about eating it, then decided to do it anyway

Q: Is there any non-dessert food that isn't made better by onion? A: No. Q: Is it ever possible to add too much onion? A: No! specifically I'm a red/purple onion fan, but I thought we'd leave the thread open to the entire onion universe.

So I need to enlist the help of some of the LA folks in making a couple of recommendations for good, reasonably priced restaurants in the LA area. My sister lives out there and every year for Xmas I try to get her a gift certificate to a place she might not otherwise know about or feel like she can afford. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Just a friendly reminder - https://plus.google.com/events/chi786mll4pi8b25nfre1scakcs

mostly for my own usage/amusement, I'm posting this a) on the off chance that any of you are near enough to The Fickle Peach in N.E. Indiana to attend any of these five days... because i'm going to be there the evening of the 8th reporting my findings w/a friend or two & a drinking group...taking cruddy, lowlight pics etc.... c) just to get the word out about these two bars (see below for The Heorot) in case you ever find yourself passing through... some details of note: the Bell's Jazz Series has never been poured outside of the brewery & select festivals... this is happening the weekend of homecoming & there's also some football goin…

A huge thanks again to Al and Claire for making such a great afternoon possible. What a double-whammy of cooking skills to boot! And thanks to everyone for coming and making it a night to remember. Claire's lovely blueberry pie cools near an open window Strip after strip of uncured applewood smoked bacon adorns the tenderloin Even more bacon hits the pan...destined for desert Grahame tucks the chocolatey bacon goodness into the deep freeze... ...and proceeds to reap the benefits of being the chocolatier Mikey's high-proof stash isn't taking prisoners Conversation heats up as the bacon cooks (…

My Anova has shipped. I need a food sealer. Any recommendations? I want to keep the price on the low end, if possible. If I need to spend more, I will. I saw a Food Saver V2244 for $70 on Amazon Prime. Any thoughts? Thanks.

My buddy turns 50 on Saturday and he really likes Irish whiskey. He usually drinks Jameson and doesn't spend exorbitant amounts per bottle. I'd like to get him something really special that's going to make an impression and that he's going to remember. I know Jameson makes some higher end bottles like 12/18 Limited Reserve and Rarest Reserve, but honestly, I just don't know. Do any of the Irish whiskey aficionados here have any experience or suggestions for me in the $200-$300 range, even if it's not Jameson.

Looking to get a single portable induction cooktop since I am tired of cooking on the crappy electric stove in my apartment. I have several cast iron pans that I use so there should be no problem switch. Anyone have any suggestions? Do a quick look, there seems to be the HC version (at $1,800) but maybe I don't need quite that much precision. It is very tempting though! https://www.brevilleusa.com/collections/commercial/products/the-control-freak?variant=34041893841 There is also one for $60 that they recommend here: http://thesweethome.com/reviews/best-portable-induction-cooktop/

I was at my mother's some time ago, and remembered that my stepfather (long since passed away) had some old liquor bottles in an armoir in her basement. I found several botttles of scotch and one cognac there. Was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on them. Worth bringing to a H-C meet? Literally, the only one I had ever heard of was Pinch....and the Ambassador is labelled the "lightest scotch in the world." The others are VAGUELY familiar, but most likely because I had seen them previously in the armoir. Please take a look, and any thoughts/opinions appreciated. Going to do some innernet searches as well...... Thanks! Todd.

Anyone have have one of these made at your local Mc D's?

Let this be my way of encouraging some of you to attend next July...I'll try to post pics/vids Sunday if I've recovered:o... Every brewery in Indiana has committed to being there this go 'round...the beer list* is as follows... *Please note that this list is incomplete(!) & that Founders (Grand Rapids, Michigan) is typically there but does not always announce what they're bringing... Begin: Abita: Purple Haze (bottle), Turbodog (bottle) Alcatraz: Bock, Replicale, Alt. Anchor: Steam (bottle), Summer Beer (bottle) Atwater: Dirty Blonde Wheat (bottle), Pale Ale (bottle) Avery: 16