Half Pints Recipe Section

This blog has moved

2010-03-29T03:21:00.001-05:00

This blog is now located at http://halfpintsrecipes.blogspot.com/.
You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click here.

For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to
http://halfpintsrecipes.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default.

Is there a 12 step program for Sushi addicts?

2010-03-03T11:50:00.004-06:00

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.

Karen's Short Ribs

2010-03-03T11:40:00.003-06:00

Karen Omichinski sent me this one a couple weeks back, which reminded me that I have a wicked stew recipe at home that Nicole had me whip up a week or so before that. More on that one later - here's Karen's reccomended method and credit where credit is due - it's from a Better Homes and Gardens book. She used the Stir Stick Stout for this one and tells me it's quite good.

Beer-Braised Beef Short Ribs

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 11 to 12 hours (low) or 5.5 to 6 hours (high)

5 pounds beef short ribs

1 14 ounce can beef broth

1 12 ounce can dark beer

1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges

¼ cup molasses

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp dried thyme, crushed

1 tsp bottled hot pepper sauce

½ tsp salt

Mashed potatoes or hot buttered noodles (optional)

Fresh thyme leaves (optional)

1. Place ribs in a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker.

2. Add broth, beer, onion, molasses, vinegar, thyme, hot pepper sauce, and salt.

3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 11 to 12 hours or on high-heat setting for 5.5 to 6 hours.

4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer ribs to platter; cover to keep warm.

5. Skim fat from cooking liquid. Serve liquid on the side for dipping. If desired, serve ribs with mashed potatoes and garnish with thyme leaves. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Nutrition facts per serving: 481 kcal., 19 grams fat (8 grams sat. fat), 132 mg chol., 821 mg sodium, 22 grams carbs, 46 grams protein. (If served with buttered noodles or mashed potatoes). Skip the salt also, as beef broth is a source of sodium.

From: Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications, “Ultimate Slow Cooker”, 2010.

Eat! Bistro

2009-09-21T10:59:00.008-05:00

After setting up our booth at the Flatlander's Beer Festival, Zach and I headed out to dinner over at Eat! Bistro located in the same building as Aqua Books. After a short time getting aquainted with the menu, we decided to take the suggestions contained and have a little bit of a couple of dishes to share (how metrosexual of us). This was my first experiance at this restaurant and I'd have to say now I will be back.

It was very much like a tapas type menu with little bits of too many interesting things to fit into one meal.

It sounds like Chef Candace Hughes is a bit of a smartass after my own heart. "And if you want a big hunk of meat, the Keg is down the street. " Ha! Way to draw your line in the sand, Candace.

I ordered some Lemon Chicken soup and the special Margerita Flatbread of the day. Both nice and fresh tasting. The soup was a rich broth with a softened tang from the lemon. I think it had a day or two to meld as it had a good consistant twang throughout.

The flatbread had bright veggie flavours from the onion and tomato, with just the right garlic blast.

Zach was insistant on Onion Rings (look at the size of it!). There's something to be said for a restaurant that doesn't make greasy Onion Rings. I guess it is possible, though all evidence I've gathered insofar made me believe the contrary. We tried them out with a curried mayo that blended well with the crispy tempura batter.

Below, you'll see the Mexican Wontons with Tex Mex Rice and Smoky Chipotle Sauce, which were quite good though I may have preferred a slightly spicier Chipotle sauce with them. Seriously, I'm not a restaurant reviewer. From what I understand, it doesn't take much more than a desire to eat and a computer these days (if you write for the FP, an odd affinity for Dim Sum seems required, too), so take it with whatever grain of salt you wish.

A couple of Sweet Chai Spiced Ice Teas and we were set.

Overall, a good time was had by all. Special thanks to our server Kayla. I hope I spelled it right, she did repeat it twice, but I'm deaf sometimes. I should just call her Vanna as she was kind enough to show you that this place has impeccable taste in a certain brewery's beer. Not only is that one available at the moment, but they had our others, too. Cheers to them!

We headed back to the fest with a sampling of 3 cookies too. Ginger Snap, Rolo, and Smarties. Can you believe it, Chris wasn't even there and he snaked the Rolo from us. Oh well, I'll just have to go back and get my own.

BBQ - Slow and low, baby!

2009-05-28T13:47:00.007-05:00

Anyone who knows me understands my ridiculous obsession over Southern BBQ. Slow and low, baby... it's the only way to go. Now, I have not spent a ton of time in the south, but I know what I like and I sure as hell think I can tell good Q from bad. Memphis, Texas, whatever - it's all good. Patience rewards the chef de Q.

When I was in Regina for the ALES Club Annual Homebrew Competition, Gary, Sue, Craig and I made our way over to Smokin' Oakies for a meal between a couple of our judging sessions. I had the brisket sandwich and slaw which was super yummy, as well as a real iced tea. Lovely.

Closer to home, I've got an off-set firebox BBQ that does a nice job, even if it is a bit finicky. I've seen Bev from the Bushwakker do his up with an insulated blanket of sorts.

I usually just tend the fire all day and I'm content with spending the day outside.

Here's a simple recipe for a roast that can duplicated at home with minimal equipment.

Give'er the Ol' Rub Down:

Take your roast and rub it down with a spice blend of your own concoction. Make it up as you go as your tastes may differ from mine

3/4 cup paprika

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup chili powder

add in a tablespoon each of Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, Cayenne (if you want it spicy - I usually leave it out).

Sprinkle the roast down with the dry rub mix and then wrap it up and keep it in the fridge overnight. Pull it out about 3 hours before you start the cooking process. A cold roast with dry out over the fire, while a room temperature one will stay juicy cause you're not trying to heat up the chilly middle.

Now, there's all kinds of info available on this interweb thingy on how to do this at home. Basic gist of it is to cook slow & low while adding in some flavour from a hardwood of some sort. Hickory is nice, as is oak and maple is my fave. Mesquite seems to make the meat bitter if you're cooking for a long time so try to just finish with it if you love that flavour.

You'll find wood chips everywhere from Canuk tire to S.I.R./Cabela's. If you're not too sure, start with Apple or Oak and make your determination from there.

Keep the temperature in the low 200 f. range and you'll need about 6 hours for a medium sized roast. If you have a rotisserie that helps, too. Basic science is that tough cuts become fork tender over the long cooking period and the fats gelatinize and keep the meat moist. You can take a butt roast and make it taste better (IMHO) than a Filet Mignon.

Here you see the roast after the smoking process. You can cheat a bit (gasp!) and toss it in the oven for the last bit while you get your accompaniments ready to go with.

Just dump over 3/4 of a bottle of beer in the pan and run the oven on 200f. while you make your slaw, potato salad or what have you.

I've got a nice Pineapple Upsidedown Cake in the background there.

When the roast comes out, make sure you let it rest for the juices to re-distribute throughout and for it to cook off the final 5 degrees or so. This one is done a little too much for my liking, but the boss likes hers cooked through just cause.

Notice the nice pink hue to the outer edges of the roast and how they make the meat look uncooked. This is a good thing. Your meat thermometer will tell you when the process is done.

That, or when you run out of beer or charcoal. Whichever comes first.

2009-05-06T10:47:00.005-05:00

I've been doing all these beer dinners lately (Beer Bros., The Winter Club, etc.) and I've finally become cognisant of the fact that maybe some of you foodies out there would like to see what the chef's are up to!

So with the crackberry in hand, I've snapped off a few photos and a video of the entertainment for the night at last nights dinner at the Winter Club.

Most of you will recognize the name Darren Raeside, Sommelier, CSW. He's one of the fine fellows at Banville & Jones who gets your wine mojo running. Last night, he put on a Scotch Night at the club with a fantastic 3 course meal, Scotch pairings, Wine pairings, and I helped out a little with some beer pairings of my own.

Scotch tasting Dinner #5 - May 5th
Winnipeg Winter Club

Pre dinner events:
Beer, scotch and Wine samples Pre dinner and Post dinner

Passed hot and cold Canapés’
-Cold Smoked salmon Cream Cheese Pizza
-Haggis Sausage Flambé Station w/ carrot rutabaga onion and Whiskey
-Passed Oysters w/ warm bacon Chive Ale Broth
-warm Basil garlic anchovies Marinated Shrimp
Smoked House made Ribs w/ dipping Sauce

Starter course:
Smoked Lamb loin w/ Red wine Glaze, Parmesan cheese, lemon
Caper garlic lemon Tuna loin Garnished with tomato Beer Clam Risotto

Entrée Course:
Braised Red wine Beef Short ribs
Served with Beets & leek Confit
Finished w/ scotch whiskey Mustard Cream Sauce
Roasted Garlic 3 potato Mash

Dessert Course:
Stuffed royal Gala Apple w/ Blue cheese graham Nougat compote
Baked w/ Butter and Beer
Finished W/ Whiskey Caramel Sauce
And Macerated Fruit and Chocolate

All in all a fantastic night of beer, wine, scotch, and food. Chef Craig Geunther has outdone himself again as the food was outstanding. Thanks to Darren for introducing me to another great scotch, too!

Thanks to all for the fun evening - see ya next year!

Let them eat cake!

2008-12-31T10:57:00.004-06:00

Alastair likes his Little Scrapper. Alastair likes cake. Behold!

Is craft beer the new wine?

2008-06-04T11:36:00.004-05:00

Hey all,

It's been a while since my last update here in the recipe section. We've been busy at the brewery with the new bottles. So much so, some stuff tends to go by the wayside - like my kitchen renovation at home! I've got the cupboards in, but no doors. I figure if I stare at the box of couscous long enough, eventually I put up the doors, or do the full out Moroccan meal.

We have still been participating in beer & food dinners put on by many of the top chef's in Winnipeg. Not to brag but - for example:

The Winnipeg Winter Club's Annual Bru Ha Ha Dinner: Chef Craig Geunther really does these types of dinners right. A mix of upscale, yet relaxed atmosphere with an attention to details really puts the room at ease. Our contribution to the meal was the Stir Stick Stout which was paired with a Stout Chocolate Cake and an assortment of fresh fruit and chocolate.

Later in the month, we participated in a dinner at the Dandelion Eatery. For those of you unfamiliar with it, Chef Ben Kramer runs the kitchen here in the restaurant attached to the Organza Organic Food Market. Emphasis is placed on local food first here so the ingredients are farm fresh. In this particular instance, we paired all the courses with our beers, and in some cases even used the beer as ingredients. I think the shining example for me was the Weizen Heimer banana smoothies we were served as an amuse bouche. Someone at the Dandelion has a sense of humour, as well as the palette to pull it all off.

So, on June 24Th, we'll be doing a dinner at Fude on Osbourne with Chef Helena Fontaine. Here's the menu:

June Beer Dinner

Appy: Olive and goat feta Stuffed Lamb chop wrapped in bacon on mint couscous
~
Salad: Fresh Tarragon butter leaf salad with house pickled beets and Oak Island Goat Cheddar
~
Soup: stout (O' Hara Celtic or Marston’s Oyster) and cheese soup
~
Main: Malt Vinegar Chip Crusted Pike with chive cream on roasted garlic herb Mashed potatoes. Served with our feature vegetables tossed in Lemon butter.
~
Dessert: House made Stir Stick Stout Ice cream sandwiches!

So, given that Fude is a decidedly wine-centric establishment, what does that mean for our craft beer in general?

I think it has a lot to do with the people of Winnipeg coming forth and demanding better beers.

The MLCC is obviously trying to bolster it's numbers on the premium and super premium beer selection side (I don't think it would be too off base to say we've been helping them quite a bit in that department). But even without counting our stellar beers in the last few months, they've avoided the usual trappings of 3rd world lagers (do we really need another corn based pilsner?) by bringing in interesting, and in some cases, world class beers.

I went to see Marnie Old speak at McNally Robinson's new Polo Park store recently on this issue. Her new book with Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Brewery (Delaware) speaks to the similarities between wine and beer, and really does leave the choice up to the reader. So, as biased as I may sound being the local sounding board for beer with food, Marnie had a lot of good things to say, too. Thankfully, when it comes to craft beer the pretensions are usually left at home, and the real winners are the people who find the issue suddenly crystal clear.

There is a world of flavour beyond the outdated image of frat boys and chug-a-lug beer bashes.

And so, to answer the question (what does this mean for craft beer in general?):
There are more light bulbs going off for the average beer drinker every day. That doesn't make craft beer the new wine, it simply co-exists on a level playing field more so than at any other time in history.

The real question should be:
If we've seen these same revolutions in bread, coffee, wine, and now beer, what's next?

Inspiration

2008-01-22T15:04:00.000-06:00

Last week, I was the invited guest of the Great White North Brewerianist Club for a food and beer pairing meal at the Grant Park Liquor Mart. I've actually known the fellow who gives the presentation (Steve Moran) for some time. His passion for all things food and his steadfast dedication to DIY principals are what really draw people in.

If you've got a few hours to spare for some tasty brews and tastier food, I'd suggest the evening highly. On this particular evening, we had some Lobster Bisque, Sushi, Roast Bison and a lovely Chocolate Cherry Cake as dessert. All the while, we were plied with various beers (2 per course) as pairings for the food in front of us. I must have been on a complementary kick that night as I found the pairings I enjoyed the most tended to complement the meals well.

It seems that the food and beer pairings are starting to get their due in chef's circles. Gone are the days of house red or white with house steak or fish (thankfully). It only seems natural that beer would show its versatility in the pairing department as well. Gone are the days of lite beer and pizza or bowls of stale popcorn/pretzels and draft.

Since I'm not the first to champion the cause of beer with a meal, I thought it may be prudent to give you all some links to the beer chef's book shelf. Some of these have been staples in my house, while some are newer additions to the fold.

The Brewmaster's Table - indispensable when it comes to the overview of the whole subject, Garret Oliver's book has quickly become the must have in my shelf.
Stephen Beaumont's Brewpub Cookbook - Stephen's book was one of the first I read regarding the subject and continues to prove its worth. Lots of recipes with info.
The Best of American Beer & Food - I've not actually read this one but...
Grilling with Beer - Her other book has been a great read and has left me chomping at the bit for firing up the smoker again. Lucy also has a website (beercook.com) that gives some other stories and such regarding the topic for all to enjoy.

If you get a chance, check these out for your enjoyment. Have fun!

Brewmaster Dave :)

A Recipe From The Armoire... Soup.

2007-10-11T11:47:00.000-05:00

I just got an e-mail from Chef Craig Guenther over at the Winnipeg Winter Club that has me salivating. He planning a dinner for the membership based on a German theme, and one of the courses was a potato soup. Mmm...
Which got me thinking - it's soup season. With the drizzly, wet coast weather we've been having lately, I thought it's be a good idea to share a simple cold weather recipe with everyone.

Potato & Bacon Soup

1 pound alder smoked bacon, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 bottle Oktoberfest Lager
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
In a Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until done. Remove bacon from pan, and set aside. Drain off all but 1/4 cup of the bacon grease.

In the bacon grease remaining in the pan, saute the celery and onion until onion begins to turn clear. Add the garlic, and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cubed potatoes, and toss to coat. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Return the bacon to the pan, and add enough chicken stock to just cover the potatoes. Cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender.

In a separate pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream, beer, and tarragon. Bring the cream mixture to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir the cream mixture into the potato mixture. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Optional ingredients:
Red & green bell pepper diced
ham bone (remove before serving!)
Cheddar Cheese
Chives or green onions to garnish
Sour cream
Read chard or Swiss chard (add just as you're adding the cream mix)

Mr. Hall Strikes Again...

2007-09-20T14:16:00.000-05:00

Dave,

You said you wished people would send more recipes. Here’s one.

David Hall

Beef in Beer

2 t canola oil
1 onion, chopped
6 slices bacon

3 T flour
1 kg beef stew meat
2 T canola oil

½ btl Half Pints Amber Ale (350 mL)
1 T Dijon mustard
2 t sugar
1 T fresh thyme or 1 t dried thyme

100 g fresh chanterelle mushrooms, sliced
[or any other mushroom]

8 thick French bread slices, toasted
3 T Dijon mustard

Heat the first amount of oil in a frying pan. Add onion & bacon.
Cook until onion is softened. Transfer to slow cooker. Discard drippings.

Dredge the beef in flour. Heat the second amount of oil in the same pan.
Brown the beef in 2 batches.

Combine the next 4 ingredients. Slowly add this to the beef, stirring
and scraping any brown bits from the pan, until boiling.
Add beef to onion mixture. Stir well.

Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or high for 4-4½ hours.
Add mushrooms about 1 hour before serving.
Add more ale if necessary.

Place 1 bread slice on each of 8 plates.
Spread about ½ t mustard on each slice.
Spoon ½ C beef mixture on top of each slice.

Serves 8, or 4 hungry.

Serve with Half Pints Amber Ale or Stir Stick Stout.

Ian's Stuffed Squash Blossoms

2007-08-07T12:51:00.000-05:00

Customer participation is key for us at Half Pints, and I'll say a big thank you to Mr. Hall for passing this fine recipe along for you all.

Hi Dave,

I was looking at your web site, saw the recipes/your love of food, and thought I’d share something I made last night with a bottle of your Phil’s Pils that I thought was good enough to pass on. A lot of Manitobans grow zucchini, and at this time of year their plants will have a lot of edible blossoms on them. By now, the male blossoms have served their biological purpose and can be used for a delicious appetizer.

The pilsner was excellent in this, though I’m sure your IPA or weizen heimer would do nicely too.

Ian Hall

Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Ingredients:

18 squash blossoms (zucchini or other)*
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup Half Pints Phil’s Pils pilsner
2 tsp. curry powder
Salt
Black pepper
About 2 cups canola oil

Method:

1. Wash and gently pat blossoms dry.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk flour and curry powder into Half Pints Phil’s Pils pilsner. Batter should be consistency of thin pancake batter. Allow to stand for about 10 minutes.
3. In another mixing bowl, combine cilantro and feta cheese and season with black pepper.
4. Stuff blossoms with about 1 tsp. of cheese mixture.
5. In a deep-sided saucepan, heat oil on stovetop to about 375 degrees (about “medium”). Oil should not smoke.
6. Working in batches of 3-4, dip stuffed blossoms in batter, and fry in oil for 1-2 minutes, turning once.
7. With a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.
8. Season with salt, and serve with a cold glass of Half Pints Phil’s Pils.

Serve 4-6 as an appetizer

*A note on selecting blossoms: it is recommended to only use male blossoms, since these do not produce any squash. Male blossoms are easy to identify: they do not have a bump on the stem below the flower. Choosing medium-aged blossoms – old enough that they have reached maximum size but not so old the petal ends are starting to shrivel – works best, since they are more tender and more flexible and thus will tolerate stuffing better.

Shopping for flavour

2007-07-23T14:04:00.000-05:00

It kind of stands to reason that the type of people who won't accept the drivel foisted upon them by mega-breweries (and unfortunately, some of the small ones) are usually the type of people who'd get a kick out of hitting up a grocery store other than your standard big box feed lot.

Nicole and I are two such people. We hit up Dino's (460 Notre Dame) the other day and came home with a nice selection of tamales, short grain rice, naan bread, manitoba made corn flour tortillas and such. It's inspirational to sniff your way through the aisles and stand there trying to figure out what your next great experiment will be.

The beauty in Dino's lies in the fact that you'll be standing in one aisle eyeing up the industrial sized can of White Hominy Corn and you'll smell something two aisles away that piques your interest. I usually find myself wondering, "what do they cook with that?" or "wouldn't it be neat to try making those myself?"

Here's a couple of recipes you can play with for the pre-beer hours...

Grits & Eggs
1 can white hominy corn (drained and rinsed)

Pop the corn into a pot and cover with about an inch of water. Boil for 5 minutes, then take a hand blender and roughly blend up the mixture. It should look something like a chunky cream of wheat when you're done. Stir in two tablespoons of butter and grind in some fresh pepper.

Optional additions:
1/4 cup of cheese (Cheddar works well, but so does Jarlesberg or your favorite)
1 crushed garlic clove
chopped chives
finely diced hot peppers

How do you like your eggs? I prefer mine poached soft, or over easy - to each their own. I usually serve the eggs on top of the grits in a bowl. Sometimes I like a slice of thick buttered toast from Tallgrass or a heavily caraway'd rye toast with this, too.

Papa Farley's (Originally Uncle Ed's) Beer Cakes

This one's simple:
Your favorite "add water" pancake mix (minus the water)
Your favorite beer (Half Pints, of course)

Use the beer to make the pancakes. You won't be dissapointed. My grandpa guarantees it - so does Uncle Ed. I'd have to say that the Stir Stick Stout would make an excellent choice for this one, but it's up to you.

Serve it with warm manitoba maple syrup (you're worth it) and butter.

Open House Day

2007-06-08T22:14:00.000-05:00

Well, it's the night before our open house, and I thought it might be wise to get the recipes we'll be tasting down on the site here so everyone can try them at home.

We'll be sampling Phil's Pils with a Blue Cheese and Little Scrapper IPA Dip.

We'll also be sampling Weizen Heimer and grilling up some bratwurst basted with Weizen Heimer. They'll be finished off by dipping with a simple Dijon Mustard and Bulldog Amber Ale sauce.

Blue Cheese and Little Scrapper IPA Dip

55 g. butter
40 g. flour
175 ml. Little Scrapper IPA
160 ml. half & half cream
80 g. chopped fresh chives
30 g. Dijon mustard (one with lots of seeds)
115 g. cream cheese
180 g. bleu cheese
115 g. white cheddar
Crackers, bread sticks, whatever for dipping

In a large saute pan, simmer the butter, then add the flour and stir.
Add the Little Scrapper IPA and the half & half, stirring and simmering for a few minutes - enjoy the remainder of the bottle while finishing up!
Add the chopped chives, Dijon mustard and cream cheese - stir & simmer.
Add chunks of bleu cheese and cheddar a bit at a time. Make sure each addition melts before you add more.
Get your dipping material set, pour yourself and your guests a Phil's Pils, and enjoy the fruits of your labour.

The above recipe is from the book Extreme Brewing by Sam Calagione - owner of the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery.

Grilled Brats with Dijon and Bulldog Amber Ale Mustard

6 Bratwurst Sausages

1 Bottle Weizen Heimer

1/2 cup grainy Dijon mustard

1/4 cup Bulldog Amber Ale (drink the rest of the open bottle)

Get your grill smoking hot and cook the bratwurst through
during the grilling, keep any flames at bay by dousing the bratwurst with Weizen Heimer
between drinking your open bottle of Heimer, and grilling brats,
take your favourite grainy Dijon mustard and mix in the Bulldog Amber Ale to make a simple sauce

When the brats are cooked through, just serve them up with a simple potato salad and a bottle or two of Weizen Heimer. Enjoy!

Thanks in advance to everyone who's coming out to the open house - we'll have a great time.

Pico De Gallo

2007-06-07T14:00:00.001-05:00

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 :)

My Resume:

2007-06-07T11:20:00.001-05:00

Given that this is my first post in our recipe section, I guess I should give a bit of a resume as to why I may or may not be qualified to write about food & beer.

My first real career was cooking. I've been everything from grunt dishwasher, chicken/pizza delivery boy, Italian Chef, the egg man, floor scrubber/bottle picker-upper/Cookie @ the Pyramid. These all involved food to some degree or other, and most of my experiences come from having a passion for good food.

However, my wife refers to me (lovingly) as the kitchen Nazi. I like to take over, give "helpful" instructions, and generally be a pain in the neck to anyone who doesn't do it my way. Can you say control issues?

When I saw a chance to get out of the kitchen and into a home brewing related job, I jumped at the chance. Truth be told, I was so stressed out, I laid my keys on the table of the restaurant I worked for and walked out. At the time, I had no other job lined up - I'd worked in restaurants for seven years straight - but I knew I liked brewing beer as a hobby.

This is about where the story leads you to this link. Read on as to how Half Pints evolved from that life changing day on.

Lately, I've cultivated a passion for baking bread at home, Mexican food, smoked ribs, Indian food & spices, and a peculiar crush on heavily buttered kettle cooked popcorn.

Now that the brewery is up and running, I think it's a cool idea to share some of my favourite beer & food recipes for everyone to enjoy.

Hopefully you'll find this section useful, and if you have a suggested recipe, I'd gladly take submissions at info@halfpintsbrewing.com - you'll be given full credit for helping make the beer world just a little bit better.

Thanks for reading!
Brewmaster Dave