Lagers, Spirits and Wines, oh my! [Cooking]

2007 Jun 18
Okay, so I am a little young to be posting something with this title, but I was just wondering what your favorite types of drinks are. Anything you love to sip when you go out to a nice restaurant, or even if you want to relax at home on a hot summer day. Also, for those of you who cook, your favorite brands of alcohol to cook with.


2007 Jun 18
I'll post something unexpected first ... lemonaid!

I mixed up a keg of this for the kids and have been drinking quite a bit of it myself. They especially love that it's carbonated, which I guess isn't easy for your average joe to do.

2.5 cups lemon juice
1 cup lime juice
5 cups sugar
19 litres water

It makes a very quaffable, refreshing drink that's neither too acidic nor too sweet. Just perfect down the middle!

2007 Jun 18
I'll drink most anything, but my favourite after-work tipples are currently gin and tonic or pastis. That or a nice, cold glass of water.

I couldn't possibly give favourite wines.

2007 Jun 18
OK, we all know my real answer was "beer". In the summer I want something quaffable. So it has to be lower-alc - 3% to 4% ABV. Doesn't really matter what colour it is but should be lower-hopped and lower-to-medium malty.

As for cooking with beer, a few tips.

You can pretty much replace water in any recipe for beer. What type of beer you use depends on your recipe. Whether you use a light coloured or dark coloured beer depends on the circumstance - just remember that colour is not a flavour.

The major flavour factors for cooking with beer that I've found are malt and hops. Your average major megabrews are really low in both of these categories. Extremely low. So they are fairly "unoffensive" and could be pretty much used anywhere.

Malty beers have a good degree of sweetness that you have to factor into your recipe, so don't use them where you don't want sweetness.

Hoppy beers are another thing altogether. In general "really hoppy" does not go well cooked in any food in my experience. It's a very unique and for food foreign taste that so far I have not found anything food-wise that it goes well with when cooked right in there (there's lots of stuff hoppy beer goes with when you are drinking it as an accompaniment). I'd guess perhaps really spicey food since that's the sort of character it has - is spicey. I've never tried it with India food but I guess it might do well there. OK, I did make a good chicken gravy once using very hoppy light-coloured beer instead of water.

Obviously, more experimentation is in order!

2007 Jun 18
When I go to a restaurant, nothing puts a smile on my face faster than a glass of Cinzano Rosso on ice with a wedge of lemon. Most restaurants have it (ALL Italian restaurants do).

Cinzano is sweet vermouth and usually defaults to red (Rosso) if you don't specify. There's a white Cinzano, which I don't like much at all. It has a delicious bitterness to it (like Brio Chinotto, if you've ever had that) and is the best aperitif I know of.

A good martini, mojito, or gin and tonic will also make me happy fast (real citrus juice please -- not from a bottle). Good red wines do too, but I don't know if I like a wine until I've tasted it so I rarely order it in restaurants because the incredible price mark-up makes that a risky proposition.

2007 Jun 18
I have lots of different things I like.

First, the non-alcoholic: San Pellegrino water, orangina, berry smoothies (the contents of which change depending on my mood, heh).

I love Margaritas (real lime only!) or Sangria on a patio with munchies on a patio.

Gin and Tonics or Mojitos (again, real lime!) are great for lounging around the house with my husband or friends.

I love trying different types of beer. In the summer, it's mostly lighter stuff, lagers and that sort. The beer menu at Pub Italia is a lot of fun to experiment with! I'm even tempted to try a few things that have tasting notes such as 'this is not very good, but some like it!' just to say I've tried it. Heh!

I love a nice crisp glass of white wine (pinot gris, sauv blanc, and as we get into the later summer, gewurz) or a nice Beaujolais. I also love the lightly sparkling wines that are becoming popular again, such as Fazi Battaglia (Verdicchio) and Gazela (Vinho Verde).

Umm... I swear I don't drink that much, I just like to try a variety of stuff. :p

2007 Jun 18
Candice, can you recommend a restaurant or bar in Ottawa that makes margaritas with real lime juice? The few times I ordered one, I ended up with the "green lifesaver" flavoured ones that make me want to hurl. :(

Or maybe you make them yourself at home?

Here's the recipe I use (non-slushy and very potent version):

* 2 oz Gold Tequila
* 1 oz Triple Sec or Cointreau
* Juice of half a lime
* Salt for rimming

1. Shake all ingredients sharply with cracked ice.
2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass rimmed with salt.


2007 Jun 18
OK, as for at a restaurant what I look for in beer ...

Just about anything from the multitude of breweries at www.ontariocraftbrewers.com/ because i have yet to try any of them that are 'average' or less. Or good Quebec or other Canadian micros. But you don't have to leave Ontario to get some exceptionally good beer. The more Ontario micros they have, the better.

I'm generally not turned on by even a large selection if it's basically all from InBev (www.inbev.com/). e.g. the Royal Oak has a pretty huge selection by most standards, but the majority of it is InBev stuff. Keith's, Stella, Beck's, Leffe, BelleVue, Bass (sniff) and so on. You get those all everywhere now so it's not like it's worth going out of your way for. It ironically goes against the original mission statement of the Oak (to provide good beer that's difficult to get elsewhere)

2007 Jun 18
Margaritas: I usually make them myself if I want to be picky about the lime and have them non-slushy. I use a very similar recipe to yours, FF, although I often sub in a splash of Grand Marnier for the Triple Sec/Cointreau, just because that's what I always have in the house.

Milagro Grill does a decent marg, as does the Blue Cactus, but you have to specify fresh lime, and they'll be slushy.

Also, I recently realized that Milagro has a 'Margtini' menu, with the first option being a 'Classic': Tequila, triple sec and lime juice with a salted rim. Sounds like it could be a hit! I'll try it sometime and let you all know how it is.

2007 Jun 18
Ahahahahaha you said "rimming" FF!





I'm sorry, it's late. Bed time.

2007 Jun 18
All it takes is a few drinks and...

;)

2007 Jun 18
LOL.. you know, as I was cutting-and-pasting the recipe into my post I snickered at the same thing. I'll have to change that! No margarita for you! ;-)

Candice, I just noticed that the Helsinki website (www.helsinki.ca) says their margaritas are made with real lime. I've never been there but it looks like a funky place. It also looks like the sort of place that won't let me in unless I wear fur and pretend I'm gay! :)

2007 Jun 19
Another one I forgot is my all-time favorite refreshing drink - Schorle. It's something I picked up while hiking through the Alps, and is just fruit juice mixed with sparkling water. Most common are Apple and Orange Schorle, but you can have anything. And I find them just fine mixed with tap water instead of sparkling. You can mix any ratio you want - typically it's about 50/50 but I prefer about 1/3 juice.

One thing about juice by itself is that the electrolytes don't make their way into your body very well because it is so syrupy. Drinking Schorle takes care of this problem so it's actually better for you than just juice.

I drink 1-2 litres of Schorle just about every day.

2007 Jun 19
I'm also a Pastis fan (got hooked in Greece) and can't turn down almost any martini. I'm one of those odd fellows who like it with gin AND vodka. Otherwise no summer is complete without an ice cold Sangria (preferably made with red wine). I can also be found from time to time partaking of a fine tequila. My Scotch is saved for the colder weather....

2007 Jun 19
Oooooooh! I LOVE sangria! Does anyone have a fabulous recipe that is better than the normal sangria?

2007 Jun 19
Don't have one at hand HOT, but I can say that I really like the sangria (although haven't been there very recently) at Savana Café in Centretown if you need to satisfy any cravings.

2007 Jun 19
I'm definitely a martini drinker. But none of those girltinis for me - I like a vodka martini with olives.

2007 Jun 19
I AM IN UR KITCHENZ
RIMMING UR GLASSWARE...I, er, sorry...

Lemonade = yum. Fizzy lemonade = more yum.

Lemonade + gin + summer = oh yes.

But I'm quite obviously pregnant and so loathe to order booze often when out, even though it's almost the only time I treat myself. (Just the odd Guinness at home. Side note: Almonte General has Guinness for the nursing mothers.) Nobody gives you a funny look for ordering a wee glass of wine in Canada, but even I'm going to skip the gin.

There's a good article, should anybody else be in the same boat, here:

"Wine and Pregnancy – Lies That Women Are Told"
dovercanyon.typepad.com

To that end, I am also looking for a top-notch sangria recipe. Preferably one that can be made in extremely small quantities. :-/

Also nice: Campari and OJ, and Ribena, esp if it's made with soda water.

2007 Jun 19
Wow, 17 posts in 1 day. I see that evceryone here shares at least one common interest ;) Too bad I am far too young to drink. All this talk about lemonade qith gin and mojitos and margaritas is making me thirsty. I guess I'll just have a nice tall glass of ice-cold milk :) Yay for me!

2007 Jun 19
TJ, you're only too young to drink in Canada. In civilized countries you're way overdue :-)

2007 Jun 19
I agree with zymurgist's snide comment. :-)

The only country less civilized than ours is the USA, where legal drinking age is 21. I'm quite baffled at how legal age limits are consistently *backwards* in North America:

Drinking: old enough to consume alcoholic beverages (a relatively passive endeavour)
Voting: old enough to have a tiny say in how the country/province/city is run (active and important, but without great impact)
Driving: old enough to maneuver several tonnes of steel and glass at high speeds around other people (huge responsibility, potentially great impact [no pun intended])

Now, wouldn't you think that the age limits would be based on how responsible or mature the person should be to partake in an activity? Nope, it's the complete opposite! Of course I understand the history of it all... 16 year-olds had to be able to drive to help out on the farm, etc. And the late age for alcohol is a remnant of Prohibition. But that doesn't change the fact that it's crazy!

Sorry for sidetracking the topic, this is a pet peeve! :)

2007 Jun 20
Very true to you both, zymurgist and FreshFoodie. I used to drink in Italy: a glass of red wine with dinner, a beer with my lunch, and another beer here and there. Over there, they see it as a very natural thing to do. It's a very social thing, everyone does it. Here, well, here it's not like that at all. People take alcohol, it's benefits (and drawbacks) for granted. And, oddly, some people refuse to drink it,a nd shun those who do.

It's a shame really, because as an aspiring chef, alcohol is a huge part of cooking, and it's really annoying to not have the chance to start learning about great wines and beers at a young age. I would love to have the possibility to attend a food and wine show, to really taste how one cheese goes with one wine, but, alas, I'll have to wait. I guess I'll do my drinking at home ;) That's a joke, by the way.

2007 Jun 20
Should there be any age limit on alcohol consumption then? I think 18 is reasonable. Not that it ever stopped me. :)



2007 Jun 20
Honestly, I think 12 or 13 is more than old enough to have a small glass of wine with dinner or a bit of beer. We aren't talking getting drunk and partying like crazy here, just civilized, social drinking with family and friends, not to the point of getting drunk.


2007 Jun 20
In response to Food is hot, I'm a HUGE sangria fan as well, I think one of the better places in town for it is Agave Grill on Richmond (great Margs there too).

I make mine like this:

1/2 cup sugar
2 oz or so brandy
2 oz or so Grand Marnier/Cointreau/Triple Sec (whatever's on hand)
1 lemon, sliced
1 orange, sliced
1 lime, sliced
2 bottles red wine (cheap is good)
2-3 cups fruit juice (whatever's in the fridge)

Put it all in a big pitcher, and let steep for a day or so, stirring occasionally.
It's a bit strong, and creeps up on you, but that's how I like it, and it seems to go over really well. I just made a big batch for tonight to go with some pulled pork enchiladas, yum!

2007 Jun 20
w.r.t. TJ's comment about drinking at home, a friend told me that it's perfectly legal in Ontario for a child of any age to drink at home under the supervision of a parent. I have no idea if it's true.

As for a reasonable drinking age ... why should there by one at all? In Sweden it is common for kids as young as 2 or 3 to get a glass of low-alc beer or wine with a meal. We're talking 2% ABV here so it's not like they get buzzed or anything.

I think when done responsibly and supervised by a parent, it teaches a child responsible consumption. It demystifies it and frankly they just don't get so interested when it's not forbidden. It's the forbidden fruit that is so tempting. It's when kids have zero exposure and then finally hit drinking age and have no idea about responsible consumption, when they get into binge drinking.

2007 Jun 20
I agree with you about teaching responsible drinking at home but I still think there needs to be a legal limit to restrict consumption of alcohol outside the home, don't you?



2007 Jun 20
Looks good for drinking at home as long as your parents supply it to you TJ :-)

www.e-laws.gov.on.ca

That is if my reading of this legalese is correct ...

EDIT : search for "Supply by parent"

2007 Jun 21
I do not think any law is required. There are lots of laws about child abuse (which letting your child get drunk would be considered), and laws about public drunkenness, and laws about driving under the influence. All of these laws 'should' have the effect of restricting inappropriate use of alcohol, and I don't think one more law specifying age is really needed (wrt to simple consumption).

2007 Jun 21
So no problem with a gang of 13 year old kids hitting up the beer store on a Friday after school? I'm thinking of examples like this when I talk about the necessity of a legal age limit.

Although this debate is getting a little too pedantic even for me. :)



2007 Jun 21
I will try to not allow this to evolve into a more pedantic state. It seems that there is often a difference made between the legal age of consumption, and the legal age of purchase. A quick Wikipedia search will tell you that most countries in the world set the legal purchase age somewhere around 18 years of age, but that legal consumption ages vary greatly. I believe I was referring to the legal age of consumption (even though that is not precisely what I said). As for a gang of 13 year olds, I think the question to ask is who is responsible for those 13 year olds; the government, or their parents. Kids these days seem to have disposable income, and lots of unsupervised time on their hands. When I was young, I might have had one, or the other, but rarely had both at the same time. Of course I don't want anarchy, or damage to be inflicted on our youth, but I wonder what the defacto effect would be of just not having an legal age of consumption or purchase? Women won the right to go topless in public in Ontario not too long ago (10 years?), and we certainly did not have an exodus of young (or old for that matter) women running outside to use those newfound rights. To tell the truth, I'm waiting for some really good new FOODIE topics to push these threads down the list ;-)

2007 Jun 21
Maybe I can steer this back to the topic..

My favourite new drink:

crushed mint
ice cubes
one small juice box of lychee juice
one squeezed lemon wedge
1 1/2 ounces vodka
a little soda


other summer standbys:

margaritas (Milestones and Blue Cactus both offer one with fresh juice I think)
lager and lime
sangria
Magners cider
Corona

2007 Jun 21
Mousseline, your new favourite reminds me of the Lotus Martini recipe I reverse-engineered from one I really enjoyed at the Luxe Bistro:

* 1 oz Lychee liqueur
* 3/4 oz Absolut vodka
* 1/4 oz Blue Curacao
* 1 drop Red food colouring
* Mint leaf

1. Shake the three boozes with ice and strain into martini glass.
2. Add the food colouring and stir slightly.
3. Garnish with mint leaf, torn into tiny bits

2007 Jun 22
FF, that looks absolutely beautiful. The kind of thing you'd make for posh people before you served them a single fig for dinner.

(And the nice lens helps, too? *Is* that a nice lens? ;) )

2007 Jun 22
Personally, I really like straight club soda. Sure, it's the most basic thing ever, after water that is, but I find it really refreshing, and it gives me the satisfaction of a soft drink without the empty calories from the sugar or the ill effects of acsesulfate potassium or aspartame.

However, I do once in a while treat myself to an ice cold Coca Cola on the rocks :) Sometimes with a bit of rum (with my parents around me), but usually just straight up. Yum.

And also, I love to make smoothies as much as I can during the hot summer months. So far, my favorite is strawberry-lime. It's really just blending some fresh (or frozen) strawberries with some milk, limejuice, sugar (in my case, honey) and just a bit of protein powder (it gives the drink some body and a better all around texture). Or, if there is no protein powder, straberry yogurt is perfect :)

2007 Jun 22
Momomoto, thanks. It is a nice lens -- the famous Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II. My cheapest lens and it produces fantastic images. Anybody with a Canon SLR and a budget should get one! :)

2007 Jun 24
Ah, curses! And here I am with a Nikon like a chump. (Though a fast lens is on my hit list, since it *will* make food photography look all the nicer.)


2007 Jun 26
We bought a bottle of Bombay Sapphire Gin at the Duty Free on our way home from our Japan/Thailand trip two years ago and had not yet opened it so I came up with this really easy refreshing drink and the bottle is now half empty (and it is a 1L bottle!)

Juice of 2 lemons
Juice of 2 limes
2 teaspoons of sugar
Water

Using one of those hand juicers (I got mine at the dollar store - it looks like this one but it's in plastic - www.kitchenfantasy.com), mix the juice, sugar and water in a jug to make lemonade. I like mine really sour but you can increase or reduce the proportions of the ingredients to suit your taste.

In a glass mix one shot of gin, half the glass of lemonade and half the glass of soda water and add a slice of lemon or lime and ice.

It's really refreshing and tasty!!

BTW - I LOVE the looks of this blue bottle and it's cool how it has all the ingredients etched on the sides of the bottle.
www.bombaysapphire.com/