Eat Arkansas

Joel DiPippa did enough partying for 10 men this weekend. Another feast report:

With the new James Bond movie opening, friends came into town and we had to make an evening of it.

Chris took the lead in preparing a British style feast before we went to the movies prime rib roast, smashed potatoes, green beans cooked with bacon, a homemade horseradish sauce, and a yorkshire pudding. Of course, the au jus sauce followed to be drizzled over the steak, yorkshire puddings, and potatoes. It was filling, savory, and terribly bad for all of us.

I will admit that part of what makes a huge meal like this so satisfying is sharing it with about 10 of your closest friends and getting to all laugh and eat together. It really will remind you of the communal aspect of eating and the importance of good company as often as you can.

To accompany this fine meal, we also made some of Bond's signature drink The Vesper. As described in the Casino Royale novel, Just a moment. Three measures of Gordons, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until its ice-cold, then add a large slice of lemon-peel. Got it?

For purists out there, Gordon's Gin has changed its formula slightly since then and the original Kina Lillet was discontinued some time ago. We tracked down a bottle of the Lillet Blanc, a newer version with less quinine instead. The cloudy texture of the drink is from the shaking, if you want a clear drink you have to stir. It is a beautiful and sublime drink. It is crisp, clean, and easily quaffable. Despite being made of nothing but alcoholic components, there was no burn and a refreshing feeling. The lemon oil when liberated from the peel made a playful and enticing addition to the drink. After the movie, we started experimenting with Bombay Sapphire in the Vespers.