| February 9, 2009 |
It was an evening of music, poetry, rapping and fun topped off with great food and beer at the “Wanna Git My Eastern Peanut Butter In Yer Western Chocolate” beer dinner, a.k.a. an East vs. West Slam with Dogfish Head and 21st Amendment. In between five courses, Sam Calagione and Shaun O’Sullivan took turns humorously dissing each others’ coast and the beers from each. I’m kicking myself that none of us recorded any of it on video. It was hilarious. A great evening of merriment.
We started off with appetizers, California Dungeness Crab Cakes with citrus and green garlic aioli and old-fashioned New York mimi-Reuben finger sandwiches with house-smoked brisket and Vermont white cheddar, all paired with Dogfish Head Pangaea and 21st Amendment Diesel Smoked Porter. Then, after some Maryland surf clam and corn chowder with crispy fried clam strips along with Columbia River Sturgeon carpaccio, paired with Dogfish Head Midas Touch and 21st Amendment Double Tripel, we had a terrific salad of Chino Farms purple spinach with dried pears, raspberry vinaigrette and aged Vella Sonoma cheese. The salad was paired with Dogfish Head Chicory Stout and 21st Amendment Imperial Pilsner.
Sam Calagione, dressed as a west coaster and Shaun O’Sullivan trying to look respectfully eastern.
The main entree was Niman Ranch porter-braised short rib with carmelized cipollini oniond and Maine Monkfish cheeks in a Morel mushroom and sweet pea sauce. That was paired with Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron and 21st Amendment Hop Crisis.
On the outer ends are two dbi Distributing reps. whose names I can’t remember, but on the inside, from left to right are Nico Freccia (21st Amendment), Bob Stahl (dbi), me, Sam Calagione (Dogfish Head) and Shaun O’Sullivan (21st Amendment)
For dessert, finally we got peanut butter and chocolate in a dish called “Time to Grow Up,” which was a peanut butter mousse layered with chocolate mousse in a grown up peanut butter cup. It was paired with 21st Amendment Ripple Imperial Chocolate Porter and Dogfish Head Raison d’Extra and 21st Amendment Monk’s Blood.