Hanky Pankys And Samosas

What do these two things have in common? Not much except that I learned how to make both of them this week (the first's a cocktail, the second's an Indian appetizer).

Nawlins' Museum of the American Cocktail sponsored Tuesday night's "Great Cocktails of the Great Hotel Bars" at the Tabard. Philip Greene (of the MOTAC), Derek Brown (of the Columbia Room), and Chantal Tseng (of the Tabard) discussed the Savoy in London (Hanky Panky), the Biltmore in Phoenix (Tequila Sunrise), the Roosevelt in Nawlins (Ramos Gin Fizz), the Algonquin in NYC (Algonquin), the Seelbach in Louisville (Seelbach), and the Moana in Honolulu (Royal Hawaiian).

My favorite drink of all time is the Sazerac, followed closely by a dry martini. I never had a third fave until now: the Hanky Panky cocktail. Check it out.

I'm signed up for the next MOTAC event at the Columbia Room. It'll be hosted by the legendary Dale DeGroff. I'm psyched.

Last night the hubby and I took Indian cooking at CulinAerie. We'd never been there before. It was different than L'Academie in that each couple had their own station to cook at and all their own mise en place and supplies. I didn't like it as much because 1) we didn't cook as much; the instructor and his assistants prepared a lot for us ahead of time or on the spot while we watched, 2) we cooked over a tiny portable gas burner, not at an actual stove, and 3) the class size was big (close to 30). I'd go back though. It was still fun, the instructor was good, and we got some easy but flavorful recipes out of it.

The menu included Mumbai dal (lentil soup) with basmati rice, crab samosas, butter chicken with naan (flat bread), and carrot halwah (pudding) with chai. Our favorite part of the night (besides eating everything and the seemingly endless supply of wine) was making the naan. Usually naan is cooked in a 900-degree tandoor (oven), but we made it in a pan. Surprisingly authentic looking and tasting. And we had some dough leftover so we brought it home to freeze and make later.

If anybody wants any of the recipes just let me know. I'm being lazy right now and not typing them in. In fact, it's 6 p.m. on a Saturday and I'm sitting here on the couch in my pink housecoat and granny slippers drinking tea and talking to my cat. Yikes. At least I'm listening to cool music (Twin Shadow).

The layer cake might happen this week. We'll see.