Marcia Simmons's Profile
Website: http://www.diy-cocktails.com
Location: Petaluma, CA
About:
I'm the co-author of DIY Cocktails, and I write the DIY vs. Buy column
Favorite foods:
Pizza, sushi, foie gras, steak, tomatoes, duck confit, summer rolls, lobster, lamb, everything at Thanksgiving dinner ... OK basically anything that is not a soy product. Also champagne cocktails!
Last bite on earth:
LOBSTER
Most Recent Comments
- From Drinks:
DIY vs. Buy: How to Infuse Spirits
I've never tried the cream canister method, but it's definitely on my to-do list! If anyone has tried it, let me know what you think.
I love the flavors you're all doing! Other favorites of mine:
Fennel and rhubarb vodka
Tomato gin (use in a martini made with Lillet Blanc!)
Blood orange and jalapeno tequilaAs annoying as it can be, really good straining/filtering is my friend. The thing that makes good infusions go bad after a while is tiny bits of vegetation/goo that start to degrade and change flavor.
Marcia Simmons at 1:08PM on 05/04/12
- From Sweets:
Scoop the Book: Bi-Rite Creamery's Cara Cara Orange Cardamom Ice Cream
Deciding whether to make this or head over to Bi-Rite right now!!
Marcia Simmons at 10:05PM on 05/03/12
- From Drinks:
The Serious Eats Guide to Mezcal
@ccardina I had this drink at Mayahuel in NY, and it was fantastic. Good balance of mezcal smokiness with a little sweet, spicy, and tart:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Watermelon-Sugar-366755Marcia Simmons at 10:01PM on 05/03/12
- From Serious Eats:
Serious Entertaining: How to Throw the Best Kentucky Derby Party
Life without bourbon balls is not as good!
Derby Pie is indeed awesome. As someone who has made it and posted about it online, I can tell you that there's a fella who claims he owns the copyright to the name and goes around sending scary letters to people who put recipes up with names even remotely close to it.
Marcia Simmons at 9:56PM on 05/03/12
- From Drinks:
DIY vs. Buy: How to Make Sugar Cubes
I love that we have a little sugar cube club! The Cube Sneakers? (Something about Gleaming the Cube?) I especially liked sneaking the cubes made with sugar-in-the-raw. They seemed even more special. Though I no longer sneak cubes, I must confess that to that I still (not on purpose!) drink with my pinky up because I also thought that was the height of fanciness as a kid.
Marcia Simmons at 11:36AM on 04/13/12
- From Recipes:
DIY Amaretto
In other words, even if you drank 8 ounces of amaretto (which is more than anyone would drink in a day) you would not be drinking enough apricot kernel to affect your health at all. (Of course drinking that much alcohol would most definitely make you ill)
Marcia Simmons at 3:35PM on 04/07/12
- From Drinks:
DIY vs. Buy: Should I Make My Own Amaretto?
In other words, even if you drank 8 ounces of amaretto (which is more than anyone would drink in a day) you would not be drinking enough apricot kernel to affect your health at all. (Of course drinking that much alcohol would most definitely make you ill)
Marcia Simmons at 3:34PM on 04/07/12
- From Recipes:
DIY Amaretto
This recipe is not a health hazard. Apricot kernels are toxic in amounts much much larger than you would ever consume in the context of following this recipe and drinking amaretto normally. If you are truly uncomfortable with it, then do not make it. Further information is below.
Apricot kernels do contain amygdalin, which in turn releases hydrogen cyanide (HCN). An adult can easily process 5 mg of HCN a day with no ill health effects. If I generously overestimate the amount of HCN in this recipe as written -- the ENTIRE recipe contains 8 mg of HCN. So if you drank a whole bottle of this amaretto, you would be exposing yourself to a larger amount of HCN than you should ... in addition to giving yourself alcohol poisoning.
In other words, even if you drank 8 ounces of amaretto (which is more than anyone would drink in a day) you would not be drinking enough apricot kernel to affect your health at all. (Of course drinking that much alcohol would most definitely make you ill)
For further reference, you can read what this chemist who writes about liquor topics said and see his calculations: http://www.artofdrink.com/archive/research/cyanide-in-apricot-cherries-pits/
Marcia Simmons at 3:26PM on 04/07/12
- From Drinks:
DIY vs. Buy: Should I Make My Own Amaretto?
This recipe is not a health hazard. Apricot kernels are toxic in amounts much much larger than you would ever consume in the context of following this recipe and drinking amaretto normally. If you are truly uncomfortable with it, then do not make it. Further information is below.
Apricot kernels do contain amygdalin, which in turn releases hydrogen cyanide (HCN). An adult can easily process 5 mg of HCN a day with no ill health effects. If I generously overestimate the amount of HCN in this recipe as written -- the ENTIRE recipe contains 8 mg of HCN. So if you drank a whole bottle of this amaretto, you would be exposing yourself to a larger amount of HCN than you should ... in addition to giving yourself alcohol poisoning.
For further reference, you can read what this chemist who writes about liquor topics said and see his calculations: http://www.artofdrink.com/archive/research/cyanide-in-apricot-cherries-pits/
Marcia Simmons at 3:26PM on 04/07/12
- From Drinks:
Do You Wish Your Vodka Had More Flavor?
Ciroc is actually good, too. I tried it along with Karlsson's Gold at a panel about vodkas 'with character.' Diddy association aside, it's really good in simple vodka drinks.
Marcia Simmons at 9:42PM on 04/06/12
Recent Posts
-
From Drinks
DIY vs. Buy: How to Make Rhubarb Bitters
Posted by Marcia Simmons, May 11, 2012 at 7:45 AM
-
From Recipes
DIY Rhubarb Bitters
Posted by Marcia Simmons, May 11, 2012 at 7:30 AM
-
From Drinks
DIY vs. Buy: How to Infuse Spirits
Posted by Marcia Simmons, May 4, 2012 at 7:45 AM
-
From Drinks
DIY vs. Buy: How to Make Celery Bitters
Posted by Marcia Simmons, April 27, 2012 at 7:45 AM
-
From Recipes
DIY Celery Bitters
Posted by Marcia Simmons, April 27, 2012 at 7:30 AM
-
From Drinks
DIY vs. Buy: How to Make Your Own Grenadine
Posted by Marcia Simmons, April 20, 2012 at 7:45 AM
-
From Recipes
DIY Grenadine
Posted by Marcia Simmons, April 20, 2012 at 7:30 AM
-
From Drinks
DIY vs. Buy: How to Make Sugar Cubes
Posted by Marcia Simmons, April 13, 2012 at 7:45 AM
-
From Recipes
DIY Sugar Cubes
Posted by Marcia Simmons, April 13, 2012 at 7:30 AM
-
From Drinks
DIY vs. Buy: Should I Make My Own Amaretto?
Posted by Marcia Simmons, April 6, 2012 at 8:15 AM
Recent Favorites
-
From Drinks
First Look: Cocktails at Goose & Gander, St. Helena, CA
Posted by Lauren Sloss, May 10, 2012 at 12:30 PM
-
From Drinks
DIY vs. Buy: How to Make Rhubarb Bitters
Posted by Marcia Simmons, May 11, 2012 at 7:45 AM
-
From Recipes
Champagne Jelly
Posted by Lucy Baker, February 12, 2012 at 2:45 PM
-
From Drinks
DIY vs. Buy: Should I Make My Own Creme de Menthe?
Posted by Marcia Simmons, December 23, 2011 at 11:00 AM
-
From Drinks
DIY vs. Buy: Should You Make Your Own Orgeat?
Posted by Marcia Simmons, November 11, 2011 at 7:45 AM
