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That pic makes me sad, Shelly, as I sit eating a re-heated bowl of the same pasta I had re-heated last night. Nicely done, Chef Shelly! To advance science and help out Marc, I have been conducting Margarita Mixing Experiments tonight, ably assisted by Claire. Given the recent addition of Mandarin Napoleon into our Liqueur Lexicon, Marc was wondering how it fared in 1-1-1 Margaritas. I decided it was best to do a comparison, so I chose the obvious, Cointreau, plus Clement Creole Shrubb. The first round was made with equal parts of Fortaleza Reposado, fresh lime, and each of the three liqueurs. Claire and I agreed that the Cointreau was the easiest to eliminate. It was the most bland, but probably the most tart if you like that kind of thing. The Creole Shrubb is excellent and flavorful with a bit of sweetness. The Napoleon was very flavorful but I think there was a weird interaction with the tequila. I tasted it as an herbal edge but Claire thought it was more of a rind or oil kind of thing. Either way, it was interesting but not my favorite. Next, I thought that the blanco might be worth trying so I made a couple of small ones with the Shrubb and the Napoleon. The differences were smaller, but the same overtones were there. I think that the blanco meshed better with the Napoleon, but the next Margarita I make will be with the Shrubb regardless of the tequila. That said, the Napoleon has worked very well in the other cocktails I have made and is very tasty on its own.

32gb Touchpad and groceries.

Some electrostatic speakers (Quad ESL63) SR-009 will have to wait...for now

Yeah, I get it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Nikon had just better make darn sure this new system is better received than most of their Coolpix of the last five years or so. Because it is a non-starter for the semi-serious to pro markets, so if it doesn't do well with consumers, eek! Here's a shot from Tuesday evening, high on a granite ridge in Yosemite, after a torrent of angry afternoon weather: