> Some prepared bouillons are better than others: Better Than Bouillon
> paste and Minor's soup base come to mind. And Knorr Select no added
> MSG is one of the better powders.

I agree on those assessments, but I prefer 
making trimmings and bones stock, almost
always of mixed sources - a recent one at
Lilli's had chicken, regular beef, barbecued
beef, and (a few) lamb bones. It ended up
tasting generic richness with a bit of smoke
so couldn't be used in everything. Bonnie's
next will have chicken and beef only and thus
can be used in pretty much all savories except
if Harriet is around (she's still in a veggie
phase, and Bonnie is praying, as much as an
agnostic can, that it's only a phase).

>       Title: Blood and Sand
...
>   Scotch is a notoriously difficult spirit to mix with, and simply
>   reading the list of ingredients gives me a toothache when I imagine
>   the sweetness.
...
>   When mixing a Blood and Sand, use a blended scotch (Famous Grouse
>   works well for me), fresh-squeezed orange juice, and a decent cherry
>   brandy, such as Cherry Heering.
>   From: Paul Clarke, Cocktailchronicle

Guess what. Use vodka instead ... or Canadian 
Club ..., and you'll have no such problem.

Ecstasy martini
cat: booze
servings: 1

2 oz Three Olives Grape Vodka
1/4 oz blue Curacao
1/4 oz grenadine
splash tonic

Stir with ice, serve in martini glass.

Source: "Three Olives grape flavored vodka made with
imported vodka from England"