On 2/17/05 11:38 AM, in article , "Conan the
Librarian" wrote:

wrote:
And if you like "absinthe"-esque drinks, try a Herbsaint frappe, rather
than a drip. I'll have an occasional drip with tourist-type visitors,
simply because we have the equipment and the visitors think it is neat,
but I prefer a frappe, with Peychaud bitters, a little simple syrup,
Herbsaint, and poured over fine ice pieces (crushed will work in a
pinch, but IMO, shaved ice melts too fast).

I've read about the frappe, but really don't care for any of the
herb-flavored stuff. In fact, probably the worst-tasting booze I've
ever had was the Hungarian "national drink" Unicum (yes, that's what
it's called), which is supposedly made of a blend of 40+ herbs and
spices. It smells like hospital disinfectant and tastes like ... well,
what you'd expect hospital disinfectant laced with lawn clippings to
taste like. It also leaves an aftertaste that takes about a day to get
rid of.

Have you had Becherovka (http://www.becher.cz/en/index2.php)? I actually
like the stuff, though I was more enthusiastic about it while sitting on a
sidewalk café in Prague than I am with the bottle that I brought home.

My favorite herb apertif is Campari. A tumbler with Campari and soda on the
rocks is one heck of a drink to ease you through a summer afternoon!

Hard drinkin' librarians R us,
Bill

On 2/17/05 11:38 AM, in article , "Conan the
Librarian" wrote:

wrote:
And if you like "absinthe"-esque drinks, try a Herbsaint frappe, rather
than a drip. I'll have an occasional drip with tourist-type visitors,
simply because we have the equipment and the visitors think it is neat,
but I prefer a frappe, with Peychaud bitters, a little simple syrup,
Herbsaint, and poured over fine ice pieces (crushed will work in a
pinch, but IMO, shaved ice melts too fast).

I've read about the frappe, but really don't care for any of the
herb-flavored stuff. In fact, probably the worst-tasting booze I've
ever had was the Hungarian "national drink" Unicum (yes, that's what
it's called), which is supposedly made of a blend of 40+ herbs and
spices. It smells like hospital disinfectant and tastes like ... well,
what you'd expect hospital disinfectant laced with lawn clippings to
taste like. It also leaves an aftertaste that takes about a day to get
rid of.

Have you had Becherovka (http://www.becher.cz/en/index2.php)? I actually
like the stuff, though I was more enthusiastic about it while sitting on a
sidewalk café in Prague than I am with the bottle that I brought home.

My favorite herb apertif is Campari. A tumbler with Campari and soda on the
rocks is one heck of a drink to ease you through a summer afternoon!

Hard drinkin' librarians R us,
Bill

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 11:43:24 -0500, William Claspy
wrote:

On 2/17/05 11:38 AM, in article , "Conan the
Librarian" wrote:

wrote:
And if you like "absinthe"-esque drinks, try a Herbsaint frappe, rather
than a drip. I'll have an occasional drip with tourist-type visitors,
simply because we have the equipment and the visitors think it is neat,
but I prefer a frappe, with Peychaud bitters, a little simple syrup,
Herbsaint, and poured over fine ice pieces (crushed will work in a
pinch, but IMO, shaved ice melts too fast).

I've read about the frappe, but really don't care for any of the
herb-flavored stuff. In fact, probably the worst-tasting booze I've
ever had was the Hungarian "national drink" Unicum (yes, that's what
it's called), which is supposedly made of a blend of 40+ herbs and
spices. It smells like hospital disinfectant and tastes like ... well,
what you'd expect hospital disinfectant laced with lawn clippings to
taste like. It also leaves an aftertaste that takes about a day to get
rid of.

Have you had Becherovka (http://www.becher.cz/en/index2.php)? I actually
like the stuff, though I was more enthusiastic about it while sitting on a
sidewalk café in Prague than I am with the bottle that I brought home.

My favorite herb apertif is Campari. A tumbler with Campari and soda on the
rocks is one heck of a drink to ease you through a summer afternoon!

Have you tried a Negroni - Campari, sweet red vermouth, and gin, in
equal parts?

As to Herbsaint, the predominate flavor is anise/licorice, rather than,
IMO, a general "herb-y" bitter taste, such as with Campari - or
Angostura bitters, which is why I like the frappe with the traditional
NO bitters, Peychaud - they aren't as bitter as Angostura - and IMO,
make the best gin and bitters/pink gin, too. I like Campari, as well,
though, but again, IMO, Campari (and Campari-like libations) and
Herbsaint (and other Absinthe/anisette-like libations) are very
different.

TC,
R

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 11:43:24 -0500, William Claspy
wrote:

On 2/17/05 11:38 AM, in article , "Conan the
Librarian" wrote:

wrote:
And if you like "absinthe"-esque drinks, try a Herbsaint frappe, rather
than a drip. I'll have an occasional drip with tourist-type visitors,
simply because we have the equipment and the visitors think it is neat,
but I prefer a frappe, with Peychaud bitters, a little simple syrup,
Herbsaint, and poured over fine ice pieces (crushed will work in a
pinch, but IMO, shaved ice melts too fast).

I've read about the frappe, but really don't care for any of the
herb-flavored stuff. In fact, probably the worst-tasting booze I've
ever had was the Hungarian "national drink" Unicum (yes, that's what
it's called), which is supposedly made of a blend of 40+ herbs and
spices. It smells like hospital disinfectant and tastes like ... well,
what you'd expect hospital disinfectant laced with lawn clippings to
taste like. It also leaves an aftertaste that takes about a day to get
rid of.

Have you had Becherovka (http://www.becher.cz/en/index2.php)? I actually
like the stuff, though I was more enthusiastic about it while sitting on a
sidewalk café in Prague than I am with the bottle that I brought home.

My favorite herb apertif is Campari. A tumbler with Campari and soda on the
rocks is one heck of a drink to ease you through a summer afternoon!

Have you tried a Negroni - Campari, sweet red vermouth, and gin, in
equal parts?

As to Herbsaint, the predominate flavor is anise/licorice, rather than,
IMO, a general "herb-y" bitter taste, such as with Campari - or
Angostura bitters, which is why I like the frappe with the traditional
NO bitters, Peychaud - they aren't as bitter as Angostura - and IMO,
make the best gin and bitters/pink gin, too. I like Campari, as well,
though, but again, IMO, Campari (and Campari-like libations) and
Herbsaint (and other Absinthe/anisette-like libations) are very
different.

TC,
R

William Claspy wrote:

Have you had Becherovka (http://www.becher.cz/en/index2.php)? I actually
like the stuff, though I was more enthusiastic about it while sitting on a
sidewalk café in Prague than I am with the bottle that I brought home.

It's amazing what an effect the ambience has, no? :-) I've never
had the pleasure (?) of trying Becherovka. Heck, I wouldn't have even
tried the Unicum (I feel so silly typing that word) if it hadn't been
for SWMBO bringing me a bottle of it back from a business trip to
Hungary.

Not that I would consider that a great loss. (And I didn't have the
benefit of being in Budapest when I tried it.)

My favorite herb apertif is Campari. A tumbler with Campari and soda on the
rocks is one heck of a drink to ease you through a summer afternoon!

OK, as another hard-drinking librarian, I am ashamed to say that
I've never even tried Campari. What does it taste like?


Chuck Vance (of course in Texas if you say you're hard-drinking,
it's expected to be cheap beer and even cheaper whiskey)

William Claspy wrote:

Have you had Becherovka (http://www.becher.cz/en/index2.php)? I actually
like the stuff, though I was more enthusiastic about it while sitting on a
sidewalk café in Prague than I am with the bottle that I brought home.

It's amazing what an effect the ambience has, no? :-) I've never
had the pleasure (?) of trying Becherovka. Heck, I wouldn't have even
tried the Unicum (I feel so silly typing that word) if it hadn't been
for SWMBO bringing me a bottle of it back from a business trip to
Hungary.

Not that I would consider that a great loss. (And I didn't have the
benefit of being in Budapest when I tried it.)

My favorite herb apertif is Campari. A tumbler with Campari and soda on the
rocks is one heck of a drink to ease you through a summer afternoon!

OK, as another hard-drinking librarian, I am ashamed to say that
I've never even tried Campari. What does it taste like?


Chuck Vance (of course in Texas if you say you're hard-drinking,
it's expected to be cheap beer and even cheaper whiskey)

On 2/17/05 12:02 PM, in article ,
" wrote:

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 11:43:24 -0500, William Claspy
wrote:

On 2/17/05 11:38 AM, in article , "Conan the
Librarian" wrote:

wrote:
And if you like "absinthe"-esque drinks, try a Herbsaint frappe, rather
than a drip. I'll have an occasional drip with tourist-type visitors,
simply because we have the equipment and the visitors think it is neat,
but I prefer a frappe, with Peychaud bitters, a little simple syrup,
Herbsaint, and poured over fine ice pieces (crushed will work in a
pinch, but IMO, shaved ice melts too fast).

I've read about the frappe, but really don't care for any of the
herb-flavored stuff. In fact, probably the worst-tasting booze I've
ever had was the Hungarian "national drink" Unicum (yes, that's what
it's called), which is supposedly made of a blend of 40+ herbs and
spices. It smells like hospital disinfectant and tastes like ... well,
what you'd expect hospital disinfectant laced with lawn clippings to
taste like. It also leaves an aftertaste that takes about a day to get
rid of.

Have you had Becherovka (http://www.becher.cz/en/index2.php)? I actually
like the stuff, though I was more enthusiastic about it while sitting on a
sidewalk café in Prague than I am with the bottle that I brought home.

My favorite herb apertif is Campari. A tumbler with Campari and soda on the
rocks is one heck of a drink to ease you through a summer afternoon!

Have you tried a Negroni - Campari, sweet red vermouth, and gin, in
equal parts?

I have not, but will put it on my "to drink" list (which sits just across
the bar from my "to read" list :-)

Bill

On 2/17/05 12:02 PM, in article ,
" wrote:

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 11:43:24 -0500, William Claspy
wrote:

On 2/17/05 11:38 AM, in article , "Conan the
Librarian" wrote:

wrote:
And if you like "absinthe"-esque drinks, try a Herbsaint frappe, rather
than a drip. I'll have an occasional drip with tourist-type visitors,
simply because we have the equipment and the visitors think it is neat,
but I prefer a frappe, with Peychaud bitters, a little simple syrup,
Herbsaint, and poured over fine ice pieces (crushed will work in a
pinch, but IMO, shaved ice melts too fast).

I've read about the frappe, but really don't care for any of the
herb-flavored stuff. In fact, probably the worst-tasting booze I've
ever had was the Hungarian "national drink" Unicum (yes, that's what
it's called), which is supposedly made of a blend of 40+ herbs and
spices. It smells like hospital disinfectant and tastes like ... well,
what you'd expect hospital disinfectant laced with lawn clippings to
taste like. It also leaves an aftertaste that takes about a day to get
rid of.

Have you had Becherovka (http://www.becher.cz/en/index2.php)? I actually
like the stuff, though I was more enthusiastic about it while sitting on a
sidewalk café in Prague than I am with the bottle that I brought home.

My favorite herb apertif is Campari. A tumbler with Campari and soda on the
rocks is one heck of a drink to ease you through a summer afternoon!

Have you tried a Negroni - Campari, sweet red vermouth, and gin, in
equal parts?

I have not, but will put it on my "to drink" list (which sits just across
the bar from my "to read" list :-)

Bill