Chinese Dumplings: Chinese New Year is here and what better way to welcome the Year Of The Sheep than with a Dim Sum Beer Pairing. A hearty portion of hot steamed Shumai dumplings served with a dipping sauce followed by a sweet Beer And Dessert course of homemade, cast iron baked, Green Tea Sponge Cake drizzled with Honey Butter cream; served with Asahi Beer’s Asahi Super Dry, a very well attenuated (due to Asahi’s yeast strain No. 318) rice lager.
Orange Chicken: Chinese New Year is only a day away and there’s nothing quite like a Beer Pairing to get you in the mood for the Spring Festival celebrations! Homemade whole wheat battered fried chicken pieces slathered in a delicious homemade orange sauce made with homegrown oranges for that bright, citrus zing that can only be provided with “fresh off the tree” fruit. Paired with Crooked Stave’s and Evil Twin Brewing’s Ryan And The Gosling, a 100% brettanomyces (CMY-1, CMY-5, and CMY-7 strains) fermented pale ale brewed with citrus peels, zest, and juice. The beers slightly tart brett funk serves as a foil to the sweetness of the honeyed orange sauce on the chicken, while the citrus peel, juice, zest, and citrus-y hop flavors meshed well with the orange chicken providing for a truly exceptional Beer And Food Pairing.
Creole Style Gumbo: Its Mardi Gras, so that means it’s time for some extra large portions of homemade Lousiana Seafood Gumbo in order to celebrate Fat Tuesday right! What could possibly be more fitting to serve with this Louisiana dish than a tall mug of Abita Beer’s Mardi Gras Bock (brewed about 30 miles north of New Orleans). Since this bock leans more toward the golden lager/ maibock / hells bock side of the malt spectrum, it faired far better with the hotter Cajun spices than a more malt-forward bock would have, and it brought an authentic southern flare to the meal.
Snow Tracks and Bird Nests: Spotted some raccoon and fox tracks in the snow; looks like they were using natural log “bridges” to traverse the area’s creeks and streams. Also, spotted a few of last year’s bird’s nests, with the snow falling now it’s hard to believe that in a few short months the birds will be back building new ones.
Sweet And Sour Pork Lo Mein: With today being Presidents Day and Chinese New Year just around the corner, a relevant Beer Pairing seems appropriate. Homemade Whole Grain Lo Mein noodles, marinated pork strips, #organic carrots, sugar snap peas, sesame seeds, and celery all smothered in a homemade Pineapple Sweet And Sour Sauce made from diced, caramelized, home juiced pineapple; all washed down with Yards Brewing’s Thomas Jeffersons Tavern Ale, a great tribute beer for Presidents Day 2015; with the clean taste, carbonation, and body to stand up to the lo mein’s oily nature.
Dark Chocolate Mousse Filled Popovers: This Beer And Dessert pairing is the ideal ending for a sweet Valentines Day 2015. Rich, gooey, homemade Dark Chocolate Mousse flavored with Iron Hill Brewery’s Russian Imperial Stout injected into crisp, freshly baked, popovers; served with the delectable Bo And Luke from ATG Brewery and Brouwerij De Molen. This beer was brewed with cherry wood smoked malt, barley, rye, and corn, then barrel-aged; resulting in a stout so smooth and silky, the only thing comparable was the chocolate mousse it was paired with.
Seared Duck Breast with Farro Risotto: It’s Valentines Day, and what better way to show your affection for that special person than with a decadent, home cooked, Valentines Day Beer Pairing! Allagash Brewing’s Sour Red Ale Allagash Nancy provided the inspiration for this meal; brewed with a blend of Montmorrency and Balaton cherries, this Wild Ale was the perfect complement to the dish. Homemade honey-cherry sauce covered the tender Marinated Duck breast encircled by a cherry flavored farro risotto making for a tasty shared meal.
Coffee infused Creme Brulee with Cholocate Gingersnaps: with only a few hours to go until Valentines Day 2015 it’s time for a Beer And Dessert pairing to get in the festive mood; and what traditional flavor combination could possibly fit this holiday better than a complementary chocolate and coffee combo to celebrate the dark, roast-y quality of both flavors? The organic cocoa and the roasted chocolate malt in Samuel Smith’s Organic Chocolate Stout provided the perfect accompaniment for this Valentines Day Dessert.