Saturday, November 14, 2009

Pizza and Beer



I commented on Molly's blog on Orangette yesterday. Even that seems weird...should I be calling her Molly? I don't really know her...I feel like a stalker or something. I feel somehow special that I was invited to interview for a job that didn't and may never exist at Delancey. Like I was somehow invited into Brandon and Molly's special world, at least for half an hour. I still hold out hope that the job materializes, but I somehow know that if it was going to happen it would have happened by now. I don't know why I want to know them more. Is it because I feel I know her by reading her blog? Is it because he went to the same college I had attended, albeit years after I had graduated? Is it because I am in need of some sort of connection at the moment? I think the latter is probably the closest to the truth. Like some devout, only praying to the altar of the pizza gods. Seeing connections in everything and connecting that to something unexplainable.


Speaking of pizza, I tossed together a tasty pie this evening right before our trek out to Redmond for the Feral Cat Project "Pours for Purrs" benefit beer tasting and silent auction at Malt & Vine. Nothing too esoteric... Mushroom and Garlic (uber trendy Costco varietals). But I do like where my crust is going. I am actually applying what I am learning in school with improving results. I have always been a fan of high gluten flour (mine is humorously called "Power flour" which I buy in 50# bags from Cash and Carry much to my girlfriend's chagrin), and I am definitely a proponent of the autolyse, but I have new found respect for improved rounding and added benching. I don't proof, but I don't think you need to for pizza, at least that is what it says in my textbook. The results are nice but oh, how I dream of a wood fired oven...


So you thought I would mention the beer tasting and let it go at that did you? Well here you go:




  • Snoqualmie Wildcat IPA - My first of the night turned out to be my favorite. Nicely hoppy but not overpoweringly so. Some nice fruity hints. Very fresh.


  • Trade Route Ginger Pale Ale - Not bad. The ginger bite was a bit startling but mellowed as you went. Kind of a funky aftertaste but not altogether unpleasant.


  • Avery White Rascal Belgian White - I was not very into this one (Sarah outright hated it), but it was probably a good representative of a Belgian White if you like that kind of thing. I thought it tasted a bit like a not so clear Pils..at least had Pils undertones anyway.


  • Midnight Sun Panty Peeler Tripel - Pretty good Tripel. Fairly balanced, which made me wonder about the "Panty Peeler" label.


  • Flying Dog Horndog Barleywine - This kind of kicked you in the face at first blush, but calmed down nicely and turned out fairly drinkable for a Barleywine. Not too sweet, which was nice.


                  • Moorhouse Black Cat Porter - My least favorite of the night. The description reads "Roasty, with a touch of dark fruity character". The roasty was more smokey to me and the fruity character was somewhat less than a touch. I could be biased tho, as porters have never been my thing. We baught a bottle though, as Sarah was in love with the label.


                  • Young's Double Chocolate Stout - I should probably mention at this point that we had very little of each of these beers..maybe 2 or 3 mouthfuls, not nearly enough to get me anywhere near soused. Anyway, the chocolate stout was indeed that, chocolaty, almost like drinking a chocolate milk. The only one of the evening that came in a can.


                  • Boulevard Nutcracker Winter Ale - Very pleasant winter ale, with a nice malty finish. Supposedly brewed with coriander and orange peel, but that is news to me. It could be my palate was a bit overwhelmed at this point in the evening however (if I even have a palate for this type of thing at all..).


                  We braught home some beers from our adventure as well....but more on that later...

                  4 comments:

                  1. This one hit some hot issues for me! The description of the various beers made me think of our experiences in Boothbay Maine over the past few years. We've gone for a few days at a time to the Boothbay Resort (http://www.boothbayresort.com/). One great attraction is that they have a beer, wine, and cheese place that has a great selection of unusual beers, wines, and -- well, cheeses (http://www.boothbayresort.com/specialty-shop.php). It's great to return after a day of sightseeing, and simply walk to the main house to pick up some outstanding beer, wine, and/or cheese.
                    Last time we were there, we partook of, and brought back some interesting samples:

                    A Belgian style ale. I don't remember exactly what it was, but it was something like: http://www.northcoastbrewing.com/beer-brotherThelonious.htm . I also enjoyed a German Smoke Beer, as apparently brewed in Bamberg, Germany (http://www.united-nations-of-beer.com/aecht-schlenkerla-smoke-beer.html). Then, I brought back something quite interesting, which we subsequently found referred to on umbrellas over tables in Quebec City: http://www.unibroue.com/products/fin.cfm .
                    I encourage you to try these, as finances and opportunity permit!

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                  2. Sarah and I actually went to Northcoast Brewery on our trip down the California coast. Its in Fort Bragg. Wonderful food and beer, although I didn't have the Brother Thelonius. I have a shirt with the label artwork for the Old Rasputin imperial stout (http://www.northcoastbrewing.com/beer-rasputin.htm). I think I had their Acme IPA which was very good. I will have to try the smoked beer. Sounds interesting. I may have had uibroue, but I can't recall. So many beers, so little time. Maybe someday we can have a brewery tour together. I think I would like that tremendously. Cheers!

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                  3. Geoff -- That's an outstanding idea! I'd love to go on a brewery tour with you -- would you call that a brewery crawl?

                    Germany would be ideal, but I suspect not likely to happen any time soon. But there are probably a lot of microbreweries in the Washington/Oregon area, and points south...

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                  4. Maybe points north, too. Vancouver, Victoria, and other places in B.C. hold great promise...

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