Beer Review – Three Philosophers by Ommegang

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So hold on just one minute, now you’re posting about beer!?!? I thought you were the wine snob food guy…

Yup, I sure am, but my love of craft beer actually predates my love of wine. While fermented grape juice has since become my liquid soul mate, I’ll always have a special place in my heart for the brewed stuff. In fact, after hanging out with my good buddy Sean and his lovely family yesterday, I realized just how much I missed beer! Because of this I knew that my next article had to be my first ever posting of “A beer you should know…”. One of the beers that popped into my head was the first beer that made my palate do cartwheels… Ommegang’s Three Philosophers, which I had for the first time about 14 years ago. Unfortunately I didn’t have a bottle in the fridge, and I couldn’t get out of the house due to some water heater troubles… But apparently the beer gods were looking down on me and smiling because who comes knocking on my door, my brother-in-law Shaun, and what does he have in his hands??? Oh just a belated birthday present for me that just so happened to be a 750ml of Three Philosophers! I can’t make this stuff up, it must be the luck of the 1/4 Irish on St. Patrick’s weekend… lol.

Not only is Three Philosophers one of my all time favorite beers, but Ommegang is one of my absolute favorite breweries. Their beers are amazing, and they’re in Cooperstown! I mean, how cool is that?!?

They established their brewery in Cooperstown, NY in 1997 for two reasons, neither of which was baseball related. First and foremost, Cooperstown was once THE place for hop production in the United States. Secondly, Cooperstown has very high quality water aquifers. What are two of the most important ingredients in beer? That’s right, hops and water. So when a 136 acre hop farm went up for sale, they hopped on it (pun most definitely intended), and boy am I glad they did.

Three Philosophers is a Belgian-style Quadrupel. While most Belgian beers are blonde in color, specifically Dubbels and Tripels, Quadrupels are traditionally darker, malty, and pretty high in alcohol (between 9-13% ABV). Truthfully, many times they’re a bit overblown in my opinion. They tend to drink very hot and take on a bourbon characteristic in the mouth. This is where Three Phil’s is different, and why I love it so… They blend 2% cherry lambic into their Quad, which doesn’t sound like a lot but it really helps add lift, complexity and cuts through that hot richness.

So let’s get to what you can expect from the beer. First of all, DO NOT pour this into a pint or pilsner, or even *gasp* drink it from the bottle! This is meant to be drank from a goblet or a snifter. In the glass you’ll find a medium-to-full bodied beer with dark caramel color and a thick tan head. On the nose you’ll find notes of maraschino cherry, milk chocolate, yeast bloom and molasses. The palate follows suit, but does also have a touch of that “bourbon burn”, from mid palate into the long lingering finish, that you would expect from a beer at 9.7%. However, as stated before, that hint of cherry and acidity from the lambic really helps balance the heat from the alcohol.

So let’s talk food… You need big flavors to stand up to this bad boy. Think dishes like grilled ribeye, beef stew, 70/30 burgers, pulled pork with molasses, and country ribs. However, you can also pair this with cheese accompanied by dried fruits and jams, or even milk chocolate and cherry based desserts. So in my eyes it’s pretty versatile.

Just one word of caution, at 9.7% alcohol this beer can kick your ass in a hurry. PLEASE consume responsibly. If you are having more than one glass and you’re out and about it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have someone else drive.

So that’s my first ever beer review, I hope you liked it. New content will be coming very soon. In the meantime crack open a craft brew, sit back, and relax. Life is short, enjoy it!

Wine Review – Johan Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir

Johan Pinot Noir

I have a confession to make… I love Pinot Noir. There, I said it.

Don’t get me wrong, I am extremely attracted to Zinfandel, especially when she is older and more experienced, you know, the cougar variety. I may lay in bed some nights thinking of the fair golden beauty of Chardonnay. I’ll always think fondly of Gamay as if she was my childhood “girl next door” crush. And Cabernet will always be the one that got away… the one I naively thought was my first love, only to find that as I grew older we grew apart.

Ah, but Pinot Noir. Deep down inside, in the very core of who I am, I just know that Pinot Noir will forever hold my heart. Why, you ask? I’ll tell you why… because she is frisky, and temperamental, and very picky. She’s not an easy one to woo, oh no. She knows what she wants and when she wants it, and if you don’t give her what she wants you’ll get almost nothing in return.

Pinot Noir is the true woman of the wine world. No woman that’s worthwhile is ever easy to get, and Pinot is definitely NOT easy. Many court this fickle little fruit, but few succeed in winning her over.

So I must congratulate Dag Johan Sundby, because he courted her, he got her, and she is giving him her all!

Wait, you don’t know who Dag is?!? Well let me just go ahead and remedy that.

Dag Johan Sundby is a native of Norway who had a deep seeded love for Pinot Noir, much like myself (except for the Norway part). His dream was to create world class wine from this elusive little lover of his. One problem with this scenario, Dag’s first hope was to have vineyards in Burgundy, but the cost of land was simply too prohibitive. This is lucky for those of us in the United States, because his back up plan was Willamette Valley in Oregon. So in 2004 Dag packed his bags, moved to the good ‘ole US of A, and purchased 175 acres of land in the middle of the valley. He didn’t buy just any plot of land, but a plot of land that lies immediately adjacent to the magical Van Duzer Corridor, which acts as a chimney running through the heart of the valley carrying cooler maritime winds to those along it. This makes a huge difference for the vineyards that are blessed with it, as during the peak of the summer this can mean a 3-5 degree difference in midday and evening temps. Think that doesn’t sound like a lot? Trust me, it’s huge. Lower temps mean lower alcohol, lower fruit concentration and higher acidity… all of the things that are important for world class Pinot Noirs.

Ok, ok Derek, let’s get to the meat of it… what’s it taste like for crying out loud!?

Well, in short… Awesome! No seriously, all of the wines from Johan are beautiful, and the entry level Estate Pinot Noir is no different. The wine is medium bodied in the glass. On the palate the first thing that makes itself apparent is the high tone acidity that just brings your mouth to life. You’ll find distinct notes of ripe cherry, raspberry and hints of dried cranberry accompanied by subtle pantry spice, black pepper and earth tones. The wine is aged in French barrel, approximately 1/3rd new, and this makes itself known closer to the finish, along with very soft tannins which help complete this liquid symphony. Mr. Sundby only produces roughly 900 cases per vintage, so this gem isn’t the easiest to find. You can always order online directly through the winery (www.johanvineyards.com), and there is a degree of presence in major markets.

Oh, and a parting note… If you can get your hands on any of the 2010 Estate Pinot Noir, buy as much as you can! Johan didn’t bottle any of their single vineyard wines that vintage, it ALL went into the Estate. You’re talking about some crazy good juice for the price!!!

Retail: $29-35

As far as scores go, Johan is flying under the radar, just the way we like it! But I too am under the radar so it’s ok if I do it… haha. My score for Johan’s Estate Pinot Noir… well I need to split that up. 2010 vintage, 93 points. 2011 vintage (about to be released), 91+.

So that’s my article, that’s my opinion, that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. New content coming soon, in the meantime open a bottle of kickass, small production Pinot Noir and relax. Life is short, enjoy it!

Homemade Crumb Cake

Crumb Cake

In my post “Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal Bread” I had mentioned my mother’s pumpkin nut bread, saying how it was one of my favorite childhood foods that she baked. Well, now I’m posting about my favorite store bought childhood food… Entenmann’s Crumb Cake. Oh my Lord, I could literally eat a whole cake in one sitting, that is how much I was obsessed with those. So anyway, I have a recipe that is just as good, if not better, than my childhood love. Check it out, let me know if you give it a try!

Ingredients (cake):
1/2c Unsalted Butter, melted
1c Granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs
3/4c Whole Milk
2c All Purpose Flour
2tsp Baking Powder
1tsp Vanilla Extract

Ingredients (topping):
1/2c Unsalted Butter, cold and cubed
1c Granulated Sugar
2c Bisquick
2tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/3c Powdered Sugar

Heat oven to 350F

Grease a 9″x13″ baking pan with butter or shortening.

In a large mixing bowl cream your granulated sugar and melted butter until fluffy. Add your eggs, vanilla extract and milk, continue to mix. Add your baking powder and flour, continue mixing until fully blended. Pour your batter into the greased pan, tap down to release air and level the batter.

In a different bowl mix your bisquick, ground cinnamon and granulated sugar for the topping. Add your cubed cold butter and using your hands completely work it into the mixture. You should be left with a crumble texture. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the batter.

Bake for 30 minutes. Using a toothpick, check the center of the cake, if it comes out clean then the cake is done. If not then continue to cook, re-checking the center every 3 minutes. Once done remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature. Once cooled sprinkle the cake with the powdered sugar. Do not do this while the cake is still warm, otherwise you will end up with a sugar paste!

So that’s it, enjoy! You’ll thank me later, even if your scale doesn’t… haha.

Bacon & Cheddar Soft Pretzels

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One of my kids’ favorite things for me to make is pretzels. I’ve made them a handful of times now, and while they’re not always the prettiest you’ve ever seen, they’re always pretty darn delicious. I wanted to try something a little different today, and decided to add crispy bacon, cheddar cheese and a touch of sriracha to the mix and see how it came out… Well, the results were exactly what I was hoping for, awesome! The combination of the bacon and sriracha gave the dough a great smokiness, but there isn’t enough sriracha to make it spicy. You can play with it if that’s what you want.

If you make them, let me know how they came out for you!

Servings: 12 large pretzels

Ingredients:
1/2lb Bacon, diced
2tbsp Olive Oil, separated into two 1tbsp portions
4 1/2tsp Active Dry Yeast (2 envelopes)
1tsp Granulated Sugar (for yeast)
1 3/4c Warm Water (approximately 110F)
4 1/2c All Purpose Flour
1/2c Granulated Sugar (for dough)
1 1/2tsp Salt
1 1/2c Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2tbsp Bacon Fat
1tbsp Sriracha
1/2c Baking Soda
4tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
1/4c Coarse Sea Salt for topping the pretzels

Ok so first things first, we have to crisp up the bacon. Heat 1tbsp of olive oil in a medium pot or sautee pan at medium-high and add your chopped bacon. Cook until crispy, use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and set aside. Pour the rendered bacon fat into a cup or bowl and also set aside.

In a small bowl or measuring cup combine your yeast, 1tsp of sugar and warm water. Let stand until the water becomes creamy and you get a nice bloom on the top.

In a large mixing bowl combine your flour, 1/2c sugar and salt. Add your warm water with yeast and begin mixing. Once the flour starts to form a dough add your crispy bacon, shredded cheese, sriracha and bacon fat. Mix until a dough forms. The dough should be firm, but if it’s too dry add one or two teaspoons of water.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 7 to 8 minutes. The dough will be rough to work with at first and it’s going to take a bit of muscle, but it will loosen up as you continue kneading. Lightly oil a large bowl with 1tbsp of olive oil, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat entirely with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel and set in a warm, draft free, place until the dough doubles in size, approximately 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. I typically set my oven to 350F and place the bowl with my dough on the stovetop to promote rising, the stove gets warm but not hot. This may work for some people, for others it may not, it depends on your oven/stove.

Heat your oven to 450F.

In a medium sauce pot bring water to a simmer and add 1/2c of baking soda, allow to dissolve.

Turn out your risen dough onto a lightly floured surface. You don’t have to knead it again, just lightly punch it down with your fingers to remove some of the air. Cut your dough into 12 equal parts. Roll each part into a rope and shape into a pretzel, pressing down where the pieces intersect. One at a time gently place your pretzels into the simmering water/baking soda and allow to cook for 30 seconds. Brush your pretzels with the melted butter and sprinkle lightly with the coarse sea salt.

Bake the pretzels in the oven for 8-10 minutes, the tops should be lightly browned when done.

Enjoy!