Strawberry-Rhubarb Salad with Mint and Hazelnut: sliced rhubarb stalks, torn mint leaves, fresh cut strawberries, and warm oven-toasted hazelnuts; sprinkled with just a pinch of sugar and then drizzled with a splash of Cointreau. Paired with Goose Island Beer’s Gillian (Scully). This Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale was brewed with strawberries, white pepper, and honey, then aged in wine barrels, making it practically Brewed For Food.
Leg Of Rabbit with Mushroom Stuffed Crepes in Rabbit Broth: tender, savory crepes stuffed with a mix of diced porcini, oyster, and wood ear mushrooms, garnished with freshly chopped parsley and whole mushrooms, then topped with a pan fried Rabbit Leg; all swimming in homemade pressure cooked Rabbit Stock. Served with Victory Beer’s Swing Saison.
Apricot and Lavender Dessert Plate: homemade Apricot Tart with a home baked lemon zest pastry dough bottom, topped with fresh apricots arranged in a rosette pattern, the midst of dips of Apricot Sorbet made from home strained apricot juice churned in the ice cream machine, with a lavender #shortbread cookie comprised of home ground oat flour made from John McCanns Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal and homegrown lavender; garnished with a homemade sweet apricot sauce from freshly juiced apricots, sprinkled with dried lavender flowers, and spotted with home dried sugared apricot wedges. Served with Cascade Brewing’s Apricot Ale, a blend of blond ales lacticly re-fermented in oak barrels for eight months and then aged on ripe apricots for three more months. This beer brought the tart sour flavor to balance out the dessert’s sweetness while the rich, stone-fruit flavor of apricot was carried throughout for a great beer with dessert pairing.
Spanakopita inspired Calzone: chopped cooked spinach, crumbled feta cheese and grated parmesan base filling with pecorino romano, diced fresh tomatoes, parmigiano reggiano, and a homemade white sauce all wrapped in homemade pizza dough, brushed with butter and baked to perfection. Served with Victory Beer’s Prima Pils for that crisp, herbal hop snap with enough carbonation to cut through the cheese and cleanse the palate for the next bite.
Cacao Nib Salad with Cocoa Balsamic Vinaigrette: arugula, baby spinach, homegrown romaine lettuce, sliced USDA Organic Valencia Oranges, sea salt, Navitas Naturals’ USDA organic Non-GMO Verified Cacao Nibs; all tossed in a homemade Cocoa Balsamic Vinaigrette made from crushed cacao nibs, local honey, extra-virgin olive oil, cocoa powder, and chopped fresh USDA organic rosemary; then garnished with paper thin slices of homegrown radish. Served with Full Tilt Brewing’s Berger Cookie Chocolate Stout to further accentuate the cocoa nibs in the salad.
Sausage with Peppers and Onions Sandwich: Johnsonville’s mild Italian sausage topped with sautéed onions and an assortment of homegrown sweet peppers in a still warm, fresh out of the oven, home baked honey whole wheat roll, with a sprinkling of homegrown oregano on top. Served with Yuengling Beer’s Yuengling Traditional Lager.
Blackened Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa and Coconut Rice: Butter dipped and herb encrusted fresh Mahi Mahi caught off the cost of North Carolina’s Outer Banks; topped with mango salsa made from homegrown sweet peppers, cubed mango, diced onions, and fresh cilantro; with a side of coconut rice made from jasmine rice cooked in coconut milk with a pinch of sugar, then dusted with toasted coconut shavings. Served with Elysian Brewing’s Dayglow IPA. This American IPA handled the hotter spices in the blackening rub; while the big, juicy El Dorado, Mosaic, and Centennial hops in this brew brought the tropical fruit flavors out to match up with the mango salsa.
Spiced Lamb Sliders with Date Ketchup: honey whole wheat roll from Big Sky Bread sandwiching; baharat (coriander, cumin, cinnamon, and paprika) spiced Lamb Sliders made with home ground lamb meat, chopped onion, ground beef, and fresh chopped parsley, topped in a homemade Date Ketchup made with Medjool Dates and Yuengling Beer’s Yuengling Traditional Lager; garnished with whole dates, homegrown micro greens, and a side of Terra Chips’s Mediterranean flavored chips. Served with ATG Brewery’s Rico Sauvin beer brewed with the fruity Nelson Sauvin hops from New Zealand. The bitterness from this IPA helped to balance the sweetness from the dates while the beer’s grapey, slightly tropical notes elevated the meal to another level.
CoconutCreamPie: milk, eggs, butter, homemade bourbon vanilla bean extract, coconut, and sugar combine to form a rich Coconut Pie, with a side of Talenti Caribbean Coconut gelato made with Philippine coconuts, sprinkled with freshly toasted Coconut Shavings and garnished with fresh mint leaves. Served with CiscBrewers Lady Of The Woods. This beer’s fruity, tart, tropical, Pina Colada-like flavors screamed for a complimentary pairing with this dessert.
