Eat, drink and be merry

There's nothing quite like eating, drinking and being merry, is there? For want of space, and to sustain your interest, we shall stick to two Web sites devoted to the fine arts of eating and drinking.

While one lists out the delights of home-cooked meals, the other details in a professional manner how to go about mixing a great cocktail and maintain the best bar in town. Cheers to that!

www.copykat.com

Welcome to Julia's repository of kitchen wisdom, where you can delve into the ``fantastic recipes'' that her family has been cooking for generations.

The site has a clean layout, perhaps as clean as your kitchen should be, and you can get down to business at the `Family Cookbook' recipe drop-down, which lists everything from

appetisers and cookies to desserts and soups. The site also features a long list of recipes for home-made fish, meats, and poultry dishes.

Besides, you can click on links to other foodie resources on the Net, and the site's own recommendations, straight from the expert's mouth.

www.drinkboy.com

One of the best watering holes on the worldwide Web, this site provides a breathtaking amount of information on standard liquors and beers, how to stock a bar and what the tools of the trade are, but the highlight is the many Adventures in Cocktails.

If your knowledge of cocktails began and ended with Bloody Mary, then you need to go through this site in detail. The recipes for a great many exciting cocktails are available, along with plenty of dope on mixing, stirring, straining and what not to do to a cocktail.

The site is well laid out and is clearly divided into a few categories that encompass all the info you can handle. Besides telling you what to mix and how to pour, it provide links to message forums where you can interact with people, share your interests and ask or field questions.

There are also the Webmaster's articles for you to savour, and links to books on many facets of drink, and a lot of material on spirits, cordials and wines. I particularly liked the way the site rounded off every page with the message: ``Please remember to drink safely and responsibly.'' Point to be taken seriously.

Compiled by C. Ramesh

Please e-mail us at bleditor@thehindu.co.in if you have queries on computer usage or if you find an interesting way of using the computer.