According to Allagash Brewing’s newsletter, beginning tomorrow in San Diego, owner/brewer Rob Tod will be on a beer odyssey of his own as he winds his way from the left coast to the right, ending up in Atlantic City, no doubt with a ring on his finger and no memory of how he got there.
Beef & Beer
There’s a delicious sounding recipe for “Carbonnade of Beef” in today’s Belfast Telegraph. Irish cookery expert [their description] Paula McIntyre makes her dish sound tantalizingly good. I defy you to read it and not start salivating.
Wine Enthusiast Enthuses Over Dogfish Head
Well, not exactly. Author Gregg Glaser is squarely in our camp, being the Editor of Yankee Brew News and the News Editor of All About Beer. But it was still terrific seeing his article in a wine magazine, which covers primarily wine, of course, but also spirits. A quick search of their archives and it’s clear Wine Enthusiast does ocassionally write about beer, at least a few times year anyway. The article, Extreme Beer Dinners: Big beer, big food and lots of both, is part of the “Best of 2006” issue and is an overview of some of the unusual beers Sam Calgione makes at Delaware’s Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales. It also mentions his new book, Extreme Brewing, and the many beer dinners Sam has done across the country, including the one he did in San Francisco last November.
This was the label featured in Glaser’s article but I’m running it here again because I love Tara McPherson‘s artwork.
Kiss & Urthel: The Beer Dinner
Monday evening the beer chef, Bruce Paton, hosted a “Dinner with the Brewmaster” with Urthel’s Hildegard and Bas van Ostaden. It was a small, more intimate dinner than usual, and, as usual, I had a very good time.
We began the evening with Hop-It, the first Imperial IPA brewed in Belgium. The tap handle featured one of Bas’ gnomes, which appear on all the Urthel labels.
Hildegard van Ostaden, Urthel’s brewster, one of only two female brewers working in Belgium, and Brian Hunt of Moonlight Brewing.
Hildegard spoke to the audience before each course and described the beer we were about to enjoy.
Then her husband and business partner, Bas, entertained the crowd with stories of the Urthels, the bald little gnomes on the beer labels that he created.
Our beautifully presented dessert, a tartare of figs and Buddha’s hand with chocolate sabayon, vanilla mascarpone and cocoa nib cookie.
Jen Garris and Brian Hunt.
Bas van Ostaden, Bruce Paton and Hildegard van Ostaden after the dinner.
Hitachino a Hit
A food writer, Kim O’Donnel, with the Washington Post, surprised herself by discovering that beer and food do indeed work quite well together. In the article, she describes having a “palate-changing, food-beer pairing experience” at a Japanese restaurant in New York City when her waiter suggested trying a Hitachino Nest Beer with the meal. In O’Donnel’s Post blog, “A Mighty Appetite,” she then goes on to detail other experiences with the Japanese craft beer and even includes a link to an interview with Kiuchi Brewery owner Toshiyuki Kiuchi at StarChefs.com. Also, at the end, fellow Celebrator writer Gregg Wiggins chimes in with a useful couple of links to additional information about beer and food from beer writer Greg Kitsock and Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster and author Garret Oliver.
Newcastle Soup
Thanks to my friend Pete Slosberg, who sent this item in. Today’s San Jose Mercury News has it’s food section devoted to soup and includes a yummy looking recipe using Newcastle Brown Ale. The recipe, called Newcastle Brown Ale cheddar soup, is reprinted below. I know what I’m making for dinner tonight.
Newcastle Brown Ale cheddar soup
Serves 4
2 cups cauliflower or broccoli florets
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 (12-ounce) bottle Newcastle Brown Ale
1 (14.5-ounce) can chicken broth
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups aged cheddar cheese, shredded
Croutons, to tasteIn small saucepan over medium heat, cook cauliflower in water to cover until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in onion, garlic and Worcestershire sauce; cook until onion is translucent. Pour in Newcastle Brown Ale and bring to a boil. Pour in chicken broth, then return to boil.
After contents boil, reduce heat and stir in cauliflower. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water; stir until dissolved. Set aside. Stir half-and-half and cheddar into the soup until the cheese melts. Stir in cornstarch mixture. Continue to cook and stir until soup thickens. Serve immediately with croutons.
Eat Well with Urthel
Beer Chef Bruce Paton’s first beer dinner next year will feature brewster Hildegard van Ostaden and the Urthel beers of Brouwerij de Leyerth from Belgium. It will be a three-course dinner and well worth the $80 price of admission. It will be held at the Cathedral Hill Hotel on Monday, January 8, 2007, beginning with a reception at 6:30 p.m. Call 415.674.3406 for reservations. Make your reservations soon, because the dinner should fill up fast and you don’t want to miss this one. I know I say that every time, but it’s true every time. I’ve met Ms. van Ostaden before and she’s a delightful speaker, not to mention her beers are uniformly fantastic. This will be the first big Bay Area beer event of the new year.
The Menu:
Reception: 6:30 PM
Beer Chef’s Hors D’Oeuvre
Urthel Hop ItDinner: 7:30 PM
First Course
Salad of Assorted Fresh Shellfish with Warm Fennel Vichyssoise
Beer: Urthel Hibernus Quentum Tripel
Second Course:
Confit of Lamb with Truffled Potato Gratin, Wilted Bloomsdale Spinach and Black Trumpet Mushrooms
Beer: Urthel Vlaemse Bock
Third Course:
Tartare of Figs and Buddha’s Hand with Chocolate Sabayon, Vanilla Mascarpone and Cocoa Nib Cookie
Beer: Urthel Samaranth Quadrium Ale
Some of the beers that will be served at the Urthel Beer Dinner.
1.8
Dinner with the Brewmaster: Urthel
Cathedral Hill Hotel, 1101 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, California
415.674.3406 [ website ]
Grilling with Beer Author at Pizza Port Saturday
My good friend, Lucy Saunders, author of the new fantabulous book, Grilling with Beer, will be signing her new book this Saturday, December 16, from 2-4 p.m., at Pizza Port in Carlsbad, California. If you’re in the area, stop by and say hello, buy a book or two or three — they make terrific Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Winter Solstice presents — and have some great beers at Pizza Port.
12.16
Grilling with Beer Book Signing
Pizza Port Brewing, 571 Carlsbad Village Drive, Carlsbad, California
760.720.7007 [ website ]
Eckhardt on Cheese
Today’s Statesman-Journal from Salem, Oregon has an article interviewing Fred Eckhardt and Rogue brewery owner Jack Joyce about the joys of pairing cheese with beer.
CAMRA’s Christmas Pairing Suggestions
The Campaign for Real Ale, Britain’s advocacy group for cask-conditioned real ales, has made several suggestions for food and beer pairings to use with Christmas dinner. Here are their more general suggestions, too, for pairing beer and food.