FOH: A Week In Pictures.

[BrightonCorgi]

4 hours ago, 99call said:

Jesus Christ...even Cohiba pillows look fake. At least with this you get something to lay your head on and cry. 

Looks like top notch camouflage fabric was used.

[westg]

Late night food poetry. Stumbled upon a little cozy tapas bar on the way home.

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[GVan]

On 12/12/2023 at 9:10 PM, El Presidente said:

Looks cold! Do you cook them up? 

Not yet.  Our policy is you eat what you hunt.  The geese were clearly migrating down from up north - they had an amazing amount of down on them.  The Geese are still in the freezer awaiting the next meal.  He still had duck breasts from his hunt the day prior to my arrival and my son made those instead of the geese.  

[GVan]

On 12/13/2023 at 8:37 PM, Greenhorn2 said:

A guy one told me that they can't be good to eat. If they was, there wouldn't be so many of them just flying around.

As @Corylax18 said - you just have to know how to prepare them.  The geese with the most fat we just filet the breasts out of them and save for the below cooking treatment.  If we shoot a young goose, we keep it whole and freeze for when we intend to make sausage or jerky after the season when the freezer is full.   My son belongs to a very big hunting club with 20+ fields and river blinds to hunt that spans from the Wisconsin Border to Southern Illinois.  He typically shoots about 25 to 50 geese and ducks a year.  Me, more like a handful every few years.  So there is always game for dinner at his house if you want.  His pre-teen children say wild ducks are one of their favorite meals.  

If it's cold outside (freezing or near freezing) all game is hung as is for a day or two - this softens the meat and makes them much easier to pluck.  After plucking and cleaning, we soak the meat in a salt brine solution for 3 to 6 hours.  Depending on the birds, we may repeat this several times until we get clear water from the soak.  The problem with geese is they fly a long way and tend to build tough muscle tissues.  Also they are very low in fat so you need to add fat and flavor to the meat.  

Cooking goose breasts is like a reverse sear London Broil.  We tend to smoke them first - low and slow - for about 2 to 3 hours using pecan wood to about 120 deg, F. internal temp.  Then we sear the outside in red hot cast iron using duck or bacon fat mixed with sage, rosemary, black pepper and salt just until crispy.  Let the meat rest just like a fine steak and like a London Broil, the trick is to slice the meat cross grain and in thin strips.  My son tends to make an orange, cherry or cranberry sauce using the pan drippings to spoon over the meat when served.  Serve with cheesy, garlic potatoes, Brussel sprouts with onion and bacon or creamed spinach.  Serve with a robust Cabernet or whatever you like with steak and it's a very good meal that pays homage to nature and the old ways that we used to get our food.

It's a process - not for everyone which I understand - but it is a great way to spend a whole day from pre-dawn to dusk with your family.

[Connoisseur Kim]

Last Sunday, I decided to drink Glenallachie 15 Year Old which I bought during a trip in Vietnam to celebrate Christmas Eve. Unlike Glenfarclas 15 Year Old, it began with delight fruity and honey aromas at first. Then, it pronounced with dark chocolate and nut; mocha and cinnamon; spicy and ginger flavours. After that, it ended with citrus and vanilla; clove and caramel notes. I was surprised how smooth it was, yet complex and harmonious without being monotonous or overpowering, since it was my first Pedro Ximénez sherry experience (it is a combination of Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez casks AFAIK). It's a wonderful sherry dram indeed and I can see why Glenallachie became one of the popular single malt Scotches in the world including my country.

By the way, based on its flavour profile, I strongly believe that this sherry dram can be paired with fruity or sweet CCs such as RASS, PLPC, and SLR Regios.

[GoodStix]

2 hours ago, Connoisseur Kim said:

I can see why Glenallachie became one of the popular single malt Scotches in the world

Agreed.  It’s fantastic what Billy Walker has done with that distillery (and how GlenDronach has come off its heights since his departure).  If you haven’t yet tried GlenAllachie’s 10 yr old Cask Strength, it’s well worth a go.  Batch 9 is commonly around, and it’s very good, but Batch 8 is slightly superior and is still around.

[99call]

3 hours ago, Connoisseur Kim said:

Glenallachie 15

That is and excellent drop, and performs like a whisky double it's price. 

[Connoisseur Kim]

9 hours ago, GoodStix said:

Agreed.  It’s fantastic what Billy Walker has done with that distillery (and how GlenDronach has come off its heights since his departure).  If you haven’t yet tried GlenAllachie’s 10 yr old Cask Strength, it’s well worth a go.  Batch 9 is commonly around, and it’s very good, but Batch 8 is slightly superior and is still around.

Thanks @GoodStix! I feel glad that I had an opportunity to taste this wondeful sherry dram. I hope that I can try GlenAllachie 10 Yr CS in the future.

9 hours ago, 99call said:

That is and excellent drop, and performs like a whisky double it's price. 

Much agreed! I found it's not only an excellent dram but well balanced sherry single malt. I wish I have multiple bottles of Glenallachie 15 Year Old in my stash.

[westg]

The last 5 am swim for '23.

[SigmundChurchill]

We typically spend Christmas week in Vail, CO, but we decided we needed a change of pace this year.  Had an amazing week in Park City, Utah.

[Chibearsv]

6 hours ago, SigmundChurchill said:

We typically spend Christmas week in Vail, CO, but we decided we needed a change of pace this year.  Had an amazing week in Park City, Utah.

Looking good Elliot!  Your annual ski trip photos bring back great memories for me. My folks took us out of school for a week every year to Colorado to ski.  Led to me going to CU where I eventually withdrew to ski more. I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything. 

[SigmundChurchill]

22 minutes ago, Chibearsv said:

Looking good Elliot!  Your annual ski trip photos bring back great memories for me. My folks took us out of school for a week every year to Colorado to ski.  Led to me going to CU where I eventually withdrew to ski more. I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything. 

My son is considering CU too.  I think he's having a hard time deciding between the mountains or the beach.  Kinda wish he would care more about the school than the location.  🤷‍♂️😂

[ctsigler317]

Happy New Year!!!!!

[GotYaGoat]

On 1/1/2024 at 3:47 AM, SigmundChurchill said:

We typically spend Christmas week in Vail, CO, but we decided we needed a change of pace this year.  Had an amazing week in Park City, Utah.

Keep the hat…I’ll take the red thunder’s! 😁

[El Presidente]

[El Presidente]

Really great day.

Found a shady spot under the palm trees.

The beach was relatively quiet for this time of year

Mrs Ayala went to find some local cuisine

Dragged out an old Hamlet Robusto with a not to shabby Mojito

Long walk in the afternoon

I have talked her into jet skis but this may be one step too far

[Viva Vegas]

 

[Bartolomeo]

New Year’s party here in Boca and day on beach.

[El Presidente]

Surin Beach yesterday.

Sand, cigars, Torrentes, simple fare, ........we are far more comfortable in this sphere 😉

[El Presidente]

Caught up with great mate Adam yesterday who lives 25 minutes north of Patong ....by his  boat ..... 50 minutes by car 🤣

He pulled right up to Patong beach.....we jumped in and off we went for a swim at Banana beach and then a superb dinner at his house. He is indeed  a BBQ master 

[westg]

45 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

Caught up with great mate Adam yesterday who lives 25 minutes north of Patong ....by his  boat ..... 50 minutes by car 🤣

He pulled right up to Patong beach.....we jumped in and off we went for a swim at Banana beach and then a superb dinner at his house. He is indeed  a BBQ master 

Great pics 

[El Presidente]

Down to Kata beach yesterday. Beautiful again but Surin still my favourite. Back there a little later today.

FOH member Webbo (Ashley) touched base and arranged some tickets for Simon Cabaret!

What a great night!

i managed to have a Mojito and a small cigar pre show. I love the cherry and butterfly on the Mojito 😁

Thanks Ash!

[El Presidente]

Brunch

 

[westg]

All set for Melbourne and Tasmania. The Langham hotel in Melbourne is gorgeous.

[El Presidente]