Originally Posted by
gfunkdave
Excellent ideas here!
I've heard of the brandy old fashioned but have yet to make it to a real Wisconsin supper club to try one. We're moving back to Chicago later this summer (I'm partially excited to be near family and friends and partially sad to leave Maine) so I will have the opportunity.
Early welcome back! Not sure what area you're heading to, but if you need any food or drink recs when you get back, I know the city and the north burbs restaurants about as well as anyone (and I'm humble
), and would be happy to offer suggestions. Of course, as things reopen here, it may be a slightly new landscape for both of us.
Originally Posted by
gfunkdave
For margarita mix I think the main option I usually see is Cuervo which I'm sure is all sugar. Margaritas are actually pretty simple to make as well so I'd suggest buying a bottle of fresh lime juice (not Rose's!) and some Cointreau, and giving it a try. A from-scratch margarita is really good - you realize how much sugar there is in the mixes (well, at least the cheap ones most people use I guess).
You reminded me, my wife sometimes uses Cointreau instead of Triple Sec. I prefer her homemade style to even most restaurant margaritas, so couldn't agree with you more about this.
Originally Posted by
gfunkdave
I don't care for tomato juice so I've never really gotten into Bloody Marys but I will say that I was once at a brunch place in New Orleans (I forget which) that had a make your own Bloody Mary bar. I used green tomato juice and it was AMAZING. I would drink those a lot if I had access to green tomato juice.
Would love to try the green. Here's my first rec for Chicago that may change your mind about Bloody Marys. Bub City in River North, for brunch. I assume their "make your own Bloody Mary" bar is closed during COVID, but if/when it reopens, check it out. The drink is not the point...the bar has about 50 toppings with long skewers...sliders, shrimp, grilled cheese sandwiches, etc. IIRC, one drink costs about $16, but if you know what you're doing you can fit about $40 worth of food on top. First time we went, we met friends who picked the place. We got there first, I made a drink and thought it was good. Then our friends showed up and I learned from the masters. They didn't even order from the meu.
Originally Posted by
gfunkdave
I've recently been converted to the "vermouth is good in a martini" club. I have started making them in the 1930s proportion of 1 part vermouth to 2 or 3 parts gin, with a dash of orange bitters. It's really a great drink! I don't know where this "just look in the direction of France and that's all the vermouth you need" machismo came from.
I used to like them with just a splash of Vermouth. Still fine that way, but I've also graduated to about a 1-3 ratio. In general, I have a new appreciation for Vermouth in general after visiting northern Spain in 2019. Unfortunately, that means I've found myself going to the fancy liquor store and spending more on it than just picking up a bottle of Martini & Rossi at the grocery store.