Not just pub grub anymore (not that there's anything wrong with that), beer & food pairings have come a long way! Here we aim to show the versatility of beer with food, as well as sharing recipes for cooking with beer.

Is there a 12 step program for Sushi addicts?

OK, so a little back story for everyone:

When I was a kid, I hated fish, but I loved fishing.

I hated asian food of all types, but learned to love eating fish and chips at "The Good Earth" - much to the delight of the owners - since I was the only kid they knew that ate my decidedly non-chinese dinner with chopsticks on their insistance. "If you're not going to eat our food, you should at least eat with chopsticks." It was a challenge I delighted in mastering early on. Eventually, I grew up and came to love asian foods in general.

Fast forward a few years and it was on a late night postering run for the Pyramid with John Palypchuck that I was introduced to the delights of Sushi at Edo on Ellice.

"So, what's in this one, John."

"Eel, fish eggs, and something else tasty, just eat, it's good for you."

OK...

And so it began, but it's difficult for me to get the time to enjoy Sushi simply because Nicole's not a fan, and so the ritual of "going for sushi" is non-existant.

Until now! Keep in mind that never have I professed to be an expert in the Sushi arts - but I know what I like, and I'm enjoying the hell out of working my way through the menu at Sushi Place (Portage & Hampton) a couple of rolls at a time.

The location for me is the kicker, because it's just up the road from the brewery. The further I get into the menu, the more good stuff I find. Jane (pictured here) makes a Kimchee Roll that is unbelieveably yummy, with plenty of garlicky goodness. Why is it so good? She makes the Kimchee herself - from scratch, no prepackaged cabbage for this lady! You gotta respect craft, and IMHO this is well crafted.

So what has this got to do with beer. Well, nothing really, but who cares? I bet it would go well with a nice Weizen Heimer (coming up in April 2010) but really, I'm just happy I can have something clean, healthy, and not brown (deep fried) as an option for a quick meal.

So Cheers to Jane and Co. at Sushi Place for keeping St. James interesting, and from what I can see, running a very successful part of the neighbourhood.

Labels: Savoury, Spicy, Sushi

Pico De Gallo

At our open house on December 9Th, 2006 we had some food pairings set out with our beers. One of the most requested recipes from that day is the simple fresh salsa we made called:

"Pico De Gallo"
1 x 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 medium onion diced (sweeter varieties work well for this)
1-2 crushed garlic cloves
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
3-4 limes, juiced and the zest from 2 of them
salt & pepper
Tabasco to taste (how hot do ya like it?)
1/4 tsp fresh ground toasted coriander seed
1/4 cup of good extra virgin olive oil

Basically, mix it all up then chill the salsa for a couple of hours before you use it. Nicole and I like this paired with Que Pasa Tortilla chips and half pints of Little Scrapper IPA. The flavours are usually stronger the next day, and it can be used on a great Huevos Rancheros for breakfast, too.

As a quick note, you're going to see that as I give out recipes, I have a tendency to leave out some measurements because they depend on your personal taste. I tend to like less salt and more spice to compensate - but that's just me.

In that spirit, here's some optional additions for your own twist on Pico De Gallo (add one or all - it's your choice):
1/2 cup fire roasted corn
1 cup smoked tomatoes (peel the skins off after cooking)
smoked Jalapenos (Chipotle Peppers)
a small can of green chilies
sun ripened black olives
black beans
grilled red & green peppers (remove the blackened skins)

Use your imagination - I've even had this on home-made chicken tamales and Chili's Relleno. Suddenly, I'm hungry...

Brewmaster Dave :)

Labels: Little Scrapper IPA, Mexican, Spicy

	Home What’s Brewing Brewing Process On Tap Keg Order Recipes Merchandise Brewer’s Blog Links Contact Info Not just pub grub anymore (not that there's anything wrong with that), beer & food pairings have come a long way! Here we aim to show the versatility of beer with food, as well as sharing recipes for cooking with beer. Is there a 12 step program for Sushi addicts? OK, so a little back story for everyone: When I was a kid, I hated fish, but I loved fishing. I hated asian food of all types, but learned to love eating fish and chips at "The Good Earth" - much to the delight of the owners - since I was the only kid they knew that ate my decidedly non-chinese dinner with chopsticks on their insistance. "If you're not going to eat our food, you should at least eat with chopsticks." It was a challenge I delighted in mastering early on. Eventually, I grew up and came to love asian foods in general. Fast forward a few years and it was on a late night postering run for the Pyramid with John Palypchuck that I was introduced to the delights of Sushi at Edo on Ellice. "So, what's in this one, John." "Eel, fish eggs, and something else tasty, just eat, it's good for you." OK... And so it began, but it's difficult for me to get the time to enjoy Sushi simply because Nicole's not a fan, and so the ritual of "going for sushi" is non-existant. Until now! Keep in mind that never have I professed to be an expert in the Sushi arts - but I know what I like, and I'm enjoying the hell out of working my way through the menu at Sushi Place (Portage & Hampton) a couple of rolls at a time. The location for me is the kicker, because it's just up the road from the brewery. The further I get into the menu, the more good stuff I find. Jane (pictured here) makes a Kimchee Roll that is unbelieveably yummy, with plenty of garlicky goodness. Why is it so good? She makes the Kimchee herself - from scratch, no prepackaged cabbage for this lady! You gotta respect craft, and IMHO this is well crafted. So what has this got to do with beer. Well, nothing really, but who cares? I bet it would go well with a nice Weizen Heimer (coming up in April 2010) but really, I'm just happy I can have something clean, healthy, and not brown (deep fried) as an option for a quick meal. So Cheers to Jane and Co. at Sushi Place for keeping St. James interesting, and from what I can see, running a very successful part of the neighbourhood. Labels: Savoury, Spicy, Sushi posted by Brewmaster Dave @ 11:50 AM Pico De Gallo At our open house on December 9Th, 2006 we had some food pairings set out with our beers. One of the most requested recipes from that day is the simple fresh salsa we made called: "Pico De Gallo" 1 x 28 oz. can diced tomatoes 1 medium onion diced (sweeter varieties work well for this) 1-2 crushed garlic cloves 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro 3-4 limes, juiced and the zest from 2 of them salt & pepper Tabasco to taste (how hot do ya like it?) 1/4 tsp fresh ground toasted coriander seed 1/4 cup of good extra virgin olive oil Basically, mix it all up then chill the salsa for a couple of hours before you use it. Nicole and I like this paired with Que Pasa Tortilla chips and half pints of Little Scrapper IPA. The flavours are usually stronger the next day, and it can be used on a great Huevos Rancheros for breakfast, too. As a quick note, you're going to see that as I give out recipes, I have a tendency to leave out some measurements because they depend on your personal taste. I tend to like less salt and more spice to compensate - but that's just me. In that spirit, here's some optional additions for your own twist on Pico De Gallo (add one or all - it's your choice): 1/2 cup fire roasted corn 1 cup smoked tomatoes (peel the skins off after cooking) smoked Jalapenos (Chipotle Peppers) a small can of green chilies sun ripened black olives black beans grilled red & green peppers (remove the blackened skins) Use your imagination - I've even had this on home-made chicken tamales and Chili's Relleno. Suddenly, I'm hungry... Brewmaster Dave :) Labels: Little Scrapper IPA, Mexican, Spicy posted by Brewmaster Dave @ 2:00 PM
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