Hah! Like Silenus, I moved recently (actually, three times in quick succession), and a number of ‘common’ liquors that I had and rarely drink I just gave away to friends or threw away, in an effort to lighten the load.
But, even so, I keep a light liquor cabinet. I’ve got:
Beefeater Gin
Bar Hill Gin
Bar Hill Tomcat
Bar Hill Vodka (Bar Hill is a local distillery with high accolades; if you can get their gin I highly recommend it; the Tomcat is a barel-aged gin, which is also great, much more like a whiskey than a gin. Their vodka is good, I guess, but as I’m not a big vodka drinker, I think it’s way over priced).
Campari)
Knob Creek
Glenfiddich
Unless the cork or cap is loose enough to allow evaporation, spirits don’t deteriorate. (Unlike some wines, they don’t get better, either.)
Lessee, I have
[ul]
[li]Bulleit (get it?)[/li][li]Sailor Jerry’s[/li][li]Kahlúa[/li][li]A Kirkland knock-off of Bailey’s[/li][/ul]I’m such a light-weight.
Gin (don’t recall the brand, but the bottle’s been unopened for over 20 years).
Midori
Chambord
Cointreau (we went through a liqueur phase about 15 years ago).
Even weed. I have a friend in Alaska who uses it to extract the THC and create an *alcohol *he calls “green dragon”. Calling it a liqueur might be a stretch, though. It’s still got that Everclear kick!
I have to admit that I’ve probably used the Everclear more often as a household solvent than as a libation.
Actually, the only beverages I have in my house are water and milk (although that’s not for drinking). I’m fascinated that it’s normal to keep 8, 10, 12 bottles of alcohol handy.
I’m disappointed to not see more tequila. Personally, I don’t keep a lot, but:
Fireball (in the freezer, for shots around a fire)
Cherry Doctor McGillicuddy’s (cherry bombs)
Captain Morgan
Captain Morgan Private Stock
Black Velvet (laugh, but for a $12/1.75l whiskey, it’s not too bad!)
Crown Royal
Smirnoff
Jose Cuervo Gold (haven’t been able to get rid of this since I realized how bad it is)
Patron Silver
Cabo Wabo Anejo
Don Julio 70
Intrepido Extra Anejo
Don Julio 1942
Also about 10 bottles of wine and a lot of beer in the fridge and kegerator.
This is all just off the top of my head. I have several books I rely on. Jamie Boudreau’s new book of recipes from Canon as well as the older, out of print book he wrote, and the PDT book get the most use though.
I’m not much of a hard liquor drinker, or a mixed drink maker, so the liquor cabinet is pretty sparse and used often just for cooking. Still, I’d like it if people jumped in with some suggestions.
Sambuca – I know what to do with that, it goes in coffee. Also, I will have it, straight, *con la mosca, * of course. I bought it to do Angels on Horseback, with prosciutto, on the grill.
Marsalla – for chicken, or veal or just plain mushrooms. The liquor store guy told me to try shrimp, I’m shocked I haven’t yet.
Fleischmanns Vodka – for vodka sauce. For some people, Fleischmanns is pretty good vodka, but I bought because it seemed like it wasn’t. The very worst vodka, makes the very best vodka sauce. I can’t find the truly bad vodka I want – that would be Aristocrat vodka.
Millefiori – I have no idea what to cook with this. I’ll toss it in a cake I’m baking, and it adds a nice scent, but I don’t have a standout recipe – any help.
I always keep a bottle of cheap-ass gin in my freezer, and a bottle of cheap-ass vodka in the cabinet. I’d keep them both in the freezer, but she-who-must-be-obeyed likes to store food in the freezer, too. Anyway, that’s generally enough booze to keep on hand.
I couldn’t stand it. I went out and bought some tequila and some margarita mix. I’m now somewhat intoxicated.
Is it terrible to say this feels good? I’m mixing a little more, and have a book. I’m going to prop myself up in bed and read and drink a little more. It helps me feel not so bad about my dog… I don’t have to go to work tomorrow, I can sleep as late as I feel like. Nathan forgive me.