WT has a 100 proof that is popular. Never liked WT, though. George Dickel is my fav.

Gentleman Jack, when it arrived, filled me with commercialized doubt. I love it, though. Not meant to be mixed, save for a big honkin' ice cube. Otherwise, neat.

Canadians seem to be better mixing whiskeys. I can't remember when I've mixed a bourbon with anything.

Rye are good mixing whiskeys, too.

George Dickel (Tullahoma, TN) isn't as expensive as Jack; but is higher quality IMHO.

Maker's is too sweet for me. Turkey doesn't seem as sweet to my buds.

To each her own.

Those sweet pricey knives are great; but really hard to sharpen. I like either the Japanese carbons or cheap Kiwis from Thailand. Super easy to sharpen (I sharpen my four once every two weeks and they'll split a hair.) I think you'll need to learn the bare basics of sharpening and you'll be good to go. I have two older Wusthofs, and when they are sharp, they are great and hold that edge for much longer. To get them that sharp takes time many folks would not want to give. If you don't have a local purveyor that will sharpen them, they can be a pain.

I have Kiwis and prefer their ease of Sharpening. My Japanese carbon clever is priceless, though; and, like the Kiwis is easy to sharpen to the easy paper slicing edge you describe.

Good stuff. This is why I save my bacon fat. I've used lard and others. All comes out the same, to me. Bacon and CI are best buds.

A good friend of mine invested in Le Creuset and was a bit disappointed. I collect some of the old names and have found some nice Griswold at a local auction. Griswoldophiles should also look for the names: Victor, ERIE, and Iron Mountain, which were produced by Griswold. These pans are great cookery; but are not bullet-proof. They are surprisingly fragile; not with heat, but with breakage. You drop one on a firepit rock and it can and will crack.

Keep the Calphalon and build a small collection of vintage cast iron, IMHO. Enjoy the chow!

Nothing wrong with Lodge; but there are some nice deals on older goodies, if you keep your eyes open and stay persistent.

I guess there's salsa, that you dip tortillas into, and salsa, as in Spanish for sauce.

Dip
I can respect the creativity and pop of many of the salsas that highlight fruit and such

but fresh tomato, cilantro lime and chopped garlic make the best salsa, IMHO, for dipping homemade tortilla chips. The simplicity tends to win me over. NOt because of ease of prep; but in overall flavor. Just me.

Sauce( for eggs, enchiladas, chilaquiles, etc.) Determine your favorite pepper. You know your heat limits. Those little bags of semi-flavorless peppers work perfectly for this, if you need the mild love. I take a bag of those peppers, throw in some radishes cut up(daikon are the best, but regular old red radishes (5-7)work just fine, as does eggplant, roasted and skinned), 2-3 medium sized onions and cover with water. Let it all reduce , and add some more water and reduce until the radish pieces are soft. Now add some salt and blend that whole mess. If you use more mild peppers, the flavor will remind you of ajvar, if you've had that.

My pal is from New Mexico, and brought some of the best tasting roasted Hatches. This is my favorite pepper for anything; but works great in this "salsa." If you want a little pop, just add an habanero or jalapeno. If you like a lotta pop use mainly jalapenos.

I also like to throw in two or three dried guajillos or anchos for flavor and color.