What are you drinking right now?

Originally Posted by IUtoSLU

Click to expand...

I tried this tonight and found it a competent alternative to the whiskey sour. I used Sazerac 6.
I've been enjoying it. I am also working on a Whiskey Daisy, which is fruitier. I emptied my Saz 6 on this the other night, and went to procure more -- apparently it is not available to me within 70mi at the moment. Got Russel 6 instead -- have you tried it and can you compare to the Sazerac?

Originally Posted by samus

Click to expand...

I think you're quite right to question Imbibe for this one. The historical discussion notes the relation to voting, but doesn't account for November mint whatsoever. Wondrich does say "The Ward 8 was distinctly a warm weather drink, and should be so considered." Maybe Boston city elections were a summertime affair back then? Either way, some explanation is warranted.
Well there are May elections -- the midterms. But I have no idea which was which. So it was Wondrich's article? I was just guessing.

Originally Posted by samus

Click to expand...

I think you're quite right to question Imbibe for this one. The historical discussion notes the relation to voting, but doesn't account for November mint whatsoever. Wondrich does say "The Ward 8 was distinctly a warm weather drink, and should be so considered." Maybe Boston city elections were a summertime affair back then? Either way, some explanation is warranted.
Well, scratch that theory. This website helpfully has a polling report from Massachusetts in 1898. If you turn to page 168 of the linked PDF, the date of the state-wide election is given as Nov. 8, 1898, and the honoree of the drink, Martin Lomasney, was running for state office at the time (the Massachusetts General Court, which, despite the name, is the Legislature).

Originally Posted by Huntsman

Click to expand...

Well there are May elections -- the midterms. But I have no idea which was which. So it was Wondrich's article? I was just guessing.

Well it's Wondrich's book. I'm not aware of any secondary authors, nor, I must confess, am I familiar with standalone articles by either Wondrich or Felton.

Originally Posted by samus

Click to expand...

Well, scratch that theory. This website helpfully has a polling report from Massachusetts in 1898. If you turn to page 168 of the linked PDF, the date of the state-wide election is given as Nov. 8, 1898, and the honoree of the drink, Martin Lomasney, was running for state office at the time (the Massachusetts General Court, which, despite the name, is the Legislature).

Originally Posted by samus

Click to expand...

Well it's Wondrich's book. I'm not aware of any secondary authors, nor, I must confess, am I familiar with standalone articles by either Wondrich or Felton.
Sorry. For whatever reason throughout this conversation I have been thinking of Imbibe, the magazine, not Imbibe!, the book. In fact I completely forgot just then that Wondrich's book had that title. Wondrich writes drinks articles for the magazine of the same name, and also for Esquire and a few others. Felton writes irregularly either for the NYT or the Washington Post (I think it's the Times). So I am perplexed by the mint, too. He's a pretty sharp guy. When I get home I will check Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails, as well as Felton's book. You are either very familiar with politics or very dedicated to find that link. No go on the midterms, then. I don't know, were fresh herbs available then? May be. Mint is pretty hardy as far as herbs go. I still don't want it in my Ward Eight! ~ H

Originally Posted by Huntsman

Click to expand...

Sorry. For whatever reason throughout this conversation I have been thinking of Imbibe, the magazine, not Imbibe!, the book. In fact I completely forgot just then that Wondrich's book had that title. Wondrich writes drinks articles for the magazine of the same name, and also for Esquire and a few others. Felton writes irregularly either for the NYT or the Washington Post (I think it's the Times).

So I am perplexed by the mint, too. He's a pretty sharp guy. When I get home I will check Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails, as well as Felton's book.

You are either very familiar with politics or very dedicated to find that link. No go on the midterms, then. I don't know, were fresh herbs available then? May be. Mint is pretty hardy as far as herbs go. I still don't want it in my Ward Eight!

~ H

Hm, thanks - I'll keep an eye out for the articles. And researching obscure things is part of my job (something to look forward to if you join a law journal!) and something of a hobby of mine as well. I'm annoyed, though, that I can find out the number of registered voters in Ward 8 of Boston in 1898, but I can't find a definitive list of the candidates. The Boston Globe has an historical archive that goes back far enough, but I'm not ponying up for it - my historical interest is outweighed by my frugality in this instance.

Originally Posted by samus

Click to expand...

Hm, thanks - I'll keep an eye out for the articles. And researching obscure things is part of my job (something to look forward to if you join a law journal!) and something of a hobby of mine as well. I'm annoyed, though, that I can find out the number of registered voters in Ward 8 of Boston in 1898, but I can't find a definitive list of the candidates. The Boston Globe has an historical archive that goes back far enough, but I'm not ponying up for it - my historical interest is outweighed by my frugality in this instance.

And now I'm annoyed with myself. It's Wondrich's modern recasting that calls for fresh mint. The historical recipe calls for creme de menthe, substituting fresh mint springs when available. So that was all much ado about nothing, at least as far as the availability debate goes!

Originally Posted by samus

Click to expand...

Hm, thanks - I'll keep an eye out for the articles. And researching obscure things is part of my job (something to look forward to if you join a law journal!) and something of a hobby of mine as well. I'm annoyed, though, that I can find out the number of registered voters in Ward 8 of Boston in 1898, but I can't find a definitive list of the candidates. The Boston Globe has an historical archive that goes back far enough, but I'm not ponying up for it - my historical interest is outweighed by my frugality in this instance.
Oh, sorry. Sometimes I have trouble keeping posters straight across subforums. Enviromental law specialty, right? I think I used 'dicta' a few pages back, so I suppose that was correctly understood by you! I am (ostensibly) writing a memo now, and the vernacular is leaking out into my everyday diction. As a part-time student I hope to write on for a journal in about a year from now....somehow. I have to because I want to teach some day and need to start on legal scholarship. I would also be frugal in this case and divert that expenditure, instead, to the bar fund. ~ H

Pint of Bass.

Originally Posted by samus

Click to expand...

And now I'm annoyed with myself. It's Wondrich's modern recasting that calls for fresh mint. The historical recipe calls for creme de menthe, substituting fresh mint springs when available. So that was all much ado about nothing, at least as far as the availability debate goes!
Well we tried. I have erred. Felten (not Felton, as I wrote), writes for the WSJ....and what's more he wrote an article on the Ward eight. http://online.wsj.com/article_email/...DUwODQ1Wj.html

Pellegrino. I'm such a healthy guy now.

Originally Posted by Huntsman

Click to expand...

Well we tried.

I have erred. Felten (not Felton, as I wrote), writes for the WSJ....and what's more he wrote an article on the Ward eight.

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/...DUwODQ1Wj.html

Interesting, but unfortunately incorrect on history. Lomasney had been a state senator previously, and a state representative, but he ran again for the house in 1898. I used my wiles to gain access to a free database of historical Boston Globe articles. On Oct. 25, 1898, it was reported that Francis J. Horgan withdrew from the Massachusetts house race from Ward 8, to be replaced by none other than Martin Lomasney. Page 4 of the Globe of Nov. 9, 1898 lists the election results - 1,598 votes to Representative-elect Lomasney in Ward 8.

Verifying this result are two other articles I found in the course of my searching - one from Jan. 5, 1899, noting the start of the legislative session. "Among the members who have served before this year, but were not in the house last year . . . . [was] Martin M. Lomasney of ward 8 . . . ." The other from Jan. 10, 1899 listing Lomasney's committee appointment.

Just goes to show - can't trust everything you read in the newspaper.

(also, not to go too far afield (oops), I'm not the environmental law guy - I'm heading for a corporate law career once I'm released on good behavior in May. but no worries)

Originally Posted by Huntsman

Click to expand...

I emptied my Saz 6 on this the other night, and went to procure more -- apparently it is not available to me within 70mi at the moment. Got Russel 6 instead -- have you tried it and can you compare to the Sazerac?

Saz 6 is better for cocktails. The Russell's is sweeter and smoother, almost bourbonish, and that rounded quality is usually not what mixologists look for when featuring rye in a cocktail. I'd take the Russell's as a sipper over the Saz though.

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Click to expand...

Dude that stuff was---wow.
I remember my first reaction. "Holy ****, that's a stiff mojito" "Yeah that's the grappa"

That's why they called it an "Italian Mojito."

Originally Posted by Huntsman

Click to expand...

Poli is The Man when it comes to grappa in my world. Have favorites? Sarpa, Sarpa Reserve, Sassaicaia, and Po'Traminer are my current favorites. (May have messed up some spellings, Italian does not comport well with me, linguistically).

~ H


Yeah, he is the definitive guy when it comes to grappa. I'm not a huge grappa fan, as it's definitely an acquired taste, and so much of it can come off like paint thinner, but the Poli stuff is the best out there. The stuff we had is classified as Poli's wine brandy:

Right now a glass of Guigal 2005 Cote du Rhone Rouge. Overall, I would consider it a nice weeknight drinker ($9.99) but I doubt I would go out of my way to find it again.