Beer in a Scotch glass – Samuel Smith’s India Ale

Well, here’s something new: the Beer in a Scotch glass series. Here’s how it works:

– I pour beer into a Scotch glass, then I drink the H out of it.

If you’re going to drink yuppie beer, you may as well drink it from a Scotch glass.

My pledge is:

– I will not post any crappy beers here. Or anywhere. These ‘Beer in a Scotch glass‘ beers have either been recommended by friends, and I’ve vetted them, OR I’ve discovered them myself, and I’m passing along solid recommendations to you. If you disagree with me, please go drink a Scotch glass full of your favorite beer. Then have four more. Then go to sleep.

The first beer in this series is dedicated to the best friend I’ve ever had who’s from England: Tony. Tony and I recently spent a Saturday drinking UK beers, watching English Premier League soccer, and feeding his one-year-old mushy carbs. Samuel Smith’s India Ale was one I’d been eyeing for a while, but I hadn’t made the leap. It’s much different from an American IPA, and I recommend it as a session brew on a weekend afternoon. It’s less bitter, less boozy, and less American. Drink up.

Samuel Smith’s India Ale will make you feel like a proper British American

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Pizza is a Vegetable – the shirt!

For the benefit of those dedicated readers and passersby who’ve expressed interest in acquiring a Pizza is a Vegetable shirt, here ya go. Please join us in poking a bit of fun at Congress.

Buy one here at the society6 site.

I’ll admit that when it comes to style, I am crazy effin’ serious.

Does this mean it’s also gluten free? Thank you, Congress!

Restaurant Kevin Taylor in Hotel Teatro

Just a few foodie highlights from Restaurant Kevin Taylor at the Hotel Teatro in Denver… many thanks to the Boulder Food Media Meetup group for pulling it all together!

Talk about a treat – six mini-courses paired with six gourmet cocktails at one of Denver’s finest restaurants in a luxurious, historic hotel. I swear I have no idea how to live this large, so I just play along and hope for the best…

Foie Gras Mousse donning turnip marmalade paired with Van Gogh Apple Vodka, Disaronno, and Lucien Albright Rose – is there a yuppie in the house?

Scottish Salmon Rillettes – sweet potato cake and buckwheat granola with earl grey compote paired with Stranahan’s Whiskey, grapefruit juice, and muddled cucumber – probably my favorite course of the night that wasn’t dessert

Braised Bison Short Rib – cumin, olive beet relish, and prune puree paired with rye whiskey, Campari, Bitters, and root beer – no one may ever know how many of these I ate.

“Snickers” – peanut butter powder, burnt caramel, and nougat paired with a chocolate martini, Godiva Liqueur, Frangelico, and Baileys, which amounts to zero calories, if you’re unwise in the ways of counting calories. They also dipped the glass rim in melted chocolate and then coated it with some kind of sugary perfection prior to serving.

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I am… One Guy.

The Unchained Eatery featured in NYMAG.COM

Yes. I am One Guy!

Many thanks to the folks at NYMAG.com for their mention of the Unchained Eatery in their recent writeup: Denver Five-Point Weekend Escape Plan. The online food blogging battle they’re referring to is here.

Sincerely,

One Guy

Fruition Restaurant

Briefly, but more commentary to come… Fruition is my favorite restaurant in Colorado. It scores a 99 out of 100 on each of the following points:

– food quality
– food presentation
– staff attentiveness, knowledge, and enthusiasm
– value for a high-end meal
– date-night atmosphere
– attention to every detail contributing to a wonderful dining experience

Fruition in Denver is one of very few restaurants exhibiting the wherewithal to serve duck – with a side of duck

Fruition: where ordering the duck is always a great idea.

Fruition’s Lemon Meringue Pie with Graham Cracker Crust & Fresh Blueberry Compote – the upper 90% is gluten free! Also, the meringue kinda looks like the pointy DIA “tents”.

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Best gluten-free pizza in Denver/Boulder? Stay tuned…

We’re going to try it all. My extremely significant other even had “Pizza is a vegetable” t-shirts made (which *she* designed, btw… feel free to pick up one of your own here – 20-ish bucks).

We will find Colorado’s best gluten-free pizza crust. Oh yes. Here are the top several so far, as vetted by my wheat-free partner in crime:

#6. Backcountry Pizza & Tap House (Boulder)

#5. Lucky Pie Pizza & Tap House (Louisville)

#4. The Sink (Boulder)

#3. BRU handbuilt ales & eats (Boulder)

#1. (tie) Tony P’s Bar & Pizzeria (Denver – Highlands; gluten-free pie pictured below)

#1. (tie) Pizzeria Locale (Boulder)

About to dive in to gluten-rich (left) and gluten-free (right) pizza bliss at Tony P’s at 32nd & Zuni in Denver

Photo courtesy of Beth Photography.

Denver A List Food Blog Battle

Peeps- I owe some anonymous soul a thank-you for nominating me for this contest. I hadn’t heard of it until a friend told me she voted for me a few weeks ago – that was back in Round One. Now, somehow, the Unchained Eatery is in the finals.

If you’re interested in voting, please do! The link is here. Our final opponent is The Sizzling Cupcake, a fellow Denver foodie blogger. Thanks for voting, and good luck, Cupcake!

The Sizzling Cupcake vs. The Unchained Eatery in the Denver A List Food Blog Battle

Deep Fat Fry those Suckers, Mom!

In honor of Fat Tuesday… Deep Fried Oreos®.

My Red-Blooded American 8-year-old nephew instructed my sister… “Deep Fat Fry those Suckers, Mom!”

Artery-bustin’ recipe:

Ingredients

2 quarts vegetable oil (suitable for frying)
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vegetable oil (not for frying)
1 cup pancake mix
1 package of sandwich cookies

Cooking steps

1. Heat oil in deep fryer to 375° F (aka 190° C).

2. Hand-mix egg, milk, and two teaspoons of vegetable oil in one bowl until smooth.

3. Stir in pancake mix until dry lumps are gone.

4. Dip cookies into batter one at a time, and carefully place into hot fryer oil. Extremely carefully!

5. Fry 4 cookies at a time to maintain adequate cooking room in the deep fryer.

6. Cook until cookies have turned golden brown, which should take about two minutes.

7. Drain on a pan or cookie sheet lined with paper towels.

8. Serve and enjoy! My nephew reported that they taste a lot like chocolate-chip pancakes.

“Young man, you’re not having pancakes for breakfast… you’re having *fried* cake with *syrup* for breakfast!”
(Jim Gaffigan)

Black Shirt Brewing Co

The Red Door opens to Black Shirt Brewing in Denver.

I was lucky enough to score a spot at the Black Shirt Brewing tour/tasting via the BrewDEN Meetup group in January 2013. Black Shirt is unique in that they brew only incarnations of red ale. At first that may seem odd, particularly if red ales aren’t your thing, but taking a closer look, they craft:

• red saison
• red ale
• pale red
• imperial red rye IPA
• and… I heard discussion of a red porter on the horizon. Pretty cool. You’ll need to check their taproom “now playing” board to see what else is on offer at the moment, but those listed above are what I know of.

I found myself practically pounding the IPA (out of BSB’s custom-designed glassware) because it was so tasty and drinkable. At some point, I had to remind myself (again) to be careful with high-ABV IPAs. Yikes.

The beer was excellent. I was pleasantly surprised because red ales aren’t typically the first style I reach for, but I’m now a believer. Never doubt a craft brewer. Well, maybe not “never” but certainly “seldom”. These guys know their stuff.

Black Shirt Brewing is less than two miles from Coors Field. Just sayin’. Stop in to say hi to brewers Chad, Brandon, and Carissa, and visit them here.

Black Shirt Brewing worked with a vendor to create angled, custom glassware so patrons could fully experience the unique taste and aroma of their beers. It *does* make a difference!

Where the beer happens at Black Shirt Brewing

How I won the lottery: Dinner for six with a prodigy chef

“Cake” as interpreted by prodigy Chef Aaron Kirschner; delectable, chewy chocolate nougat crowned with cinnamon ice cream to the rest of us

In sixth grade, I won a cake.

We had a Cake Walk, which is similar to musical chairs, only when the music stops, if the number you’re standing on matches the number on one of the cakes being given away, you win a cake. Which… I suppose makes it not so similar to musical chairs. Maybe the opposite of musical chairs. Anyway, I was a winner!

Since then, I haven’t won much in terms of food, dining, cheffery, or any other culinary-related prizes – until earlier this year. A friend of mine, Kathleen, called to say she’d won a silent auction item. The auction item turned out to be a four-course meal with eight of her closest foodie pals, prepared by a 15-year-old prodigy chef. I hadn’t heard of Aaron Kirschner until then, and I was unaware of the impression his culinary expertise would leave on our palates in Boulder on a rainy evening in July. We were simply stunned by his talent.

Our evening went something like this: six of us arrived at Kathleen’s house around 6 p.m. Dinner was slated for eight people, but just six of us were able to attend. Chef Aaron and his sous chef, Oliver, proceeded to establish dominion over the kitchen and usher us into the dining room, where wine and water were waiting. The young chefs served as kitchen staff and waitstaff, announcing ingredients prior to each course, and accommodating the unique requests of individuals in the group by providing dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegetarian dishes where appropriate.

You can read about Aaron’s junior chef competition on The Daily Camera, his work at the Black Cat on the Boulder Weekly, his Junior Iron Chef match on the Daily Camera, his experience at Chicago’s Moto restaurant on the Huffington Post, and on Aaron Kirschner’s personal blog, but the elevator pitch is: Aaron is an exceptional chef, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that he’s a top-tier chef in the making. His understanding of food as art appears to be matched only by chefs who have already been at it for years. A visual sampling of Aaron’s culinary artwork is below, and it tastes as exquisite as it looks.

One challenge I’ve encountered in food blogging has been to adequately describe how good a dish, a meal, or an entire dining experience is. This is another one of those times. My best suggestion, if you want to experience Aaron’s culinary prowess for yourself, is to head to Black Cat in Boulder, where he currently works in the back of the house. Alternatively, give this a try: a six-course tasting menu prepared by Chef Aaron and his youthful team in a pop-up restaurant format in Boulder. Prepare to be impressed!

First course from Boulder Prodigy Chef Aaron Kirschner: Hearts of palm confit with squash puree, lychee kimchi, chewy lychee, pickled garlic scapes, green garlic aioli, and nasturtium flowers

Second course from Boulder Prodigy Chef Aaron Kirschner: Pan-roasted black bass with glazed fava beans, sweet & sour onions, buttered mussels, braised artichokes, pickled grapes, purple basil, thai basil, fennel fronds, and pansies (photograph courtesy of Aaron Kirschner)

Third course from Boulder Prodigy Chef Aaron Kirschner: Duck breast and arugula pudding with poached apricots, craklin, apricot puree, candied pecans, and baby arugula

Dessert course from Boulder Prodigy Chef Aaron Kirschner: Chocolate nougat with burnt cinnamon ice cream, pumpkin seed cake, candied pumpkin seeds, coffee gel, coffee crumble, cinnamon lace tuiles, chocolate mint

 

Note to self: Jettison corporate job. Open Brewery. Smile.

Add Niwot to Colorado’s expanding Napa Valley of Beer contingent… Bootstrap Brewing, Niwot’s Neighborhood Brewery, is up, running, and awesome.

In October, I shattered the Phenomenal Luck Piñata by landing an invite to the Taste of Niwot – a paired beer and food tasting at Bootstrap Brewing’s tap room. The food was great, the beer was excellent, and founders Leslie and Steve Kaczeus are awesome. Their actual titles are Chief of Stuff and Yeast Whisperer, respectively. Leslie and Steve founded Bootstrap following the discovery that their corporate careers weren’t producing quite enough craft beer, so kudos to them for taking the plunge and chasing the dream.

So… as evidenced here, here, and here – I love beer.

Are you a beer snob? You should be.

I didn’t always love beer, but a few fruitless years on match.com set me straight.

I was introduced to Bootstrap several weeks prior to the Taste of Niwot at the Fall Beer Rave hosted by Boulder Beer Company. Of the 40-ish tap-room-only beers on offer at the Rave, I scored just two brews with a lofty rating of 9/10, and one of those was the Merlot-Aged Boomer Brown Ale from Bootstrap. I can’t adequately do this beer anything approaching justice whilst limiting myself to the confines of prose, so I’ll stop at: It was heavenly fantastic. And as far as I know, it appears to be a seasonal brew, so… maybe start looking for it next summer? I’ll report back on availability following my next visit to Bootstrap, which will be soon.

But back to me getting lucky: As you’ll see below, the Merlot-aged ale was one of the seven Bootstrap beers chefs from local Niwot eateries paired with small plates for tasting that night. They weren’t full courses or beer pours, by the way… if so, they would’ve had to roll us out. Anyway… I feel lucky to have experienced the Merlot-Aged Boomer Brown Ale twice this year, and I’ll be lobbying the folks at Bootstrap’s tap room to see this one again next year, because they have a winner on their hands. More accurately: they have several winners on their hands. The Insane Rush IPA is as good as, or better than, any Colorado craft IPA. Around town, I’ve ordered Bootstrap’s Insane Rush IPA at Backcountry and the Kitchen Next Door. And thanks to this Brewers Association article, I’m going to pair it with some yuppie mac ‘n’ cheese as soon as possible. And to round out the trifecta, Bootstrap’s Mo-Mentus Fresh Hopped Imperial Amber restored my faith in the double amber ale. It’s a sipper, and its best friend is whatever you’re eating for dessert.

I’m looking forward to seeing more Bootstrap beers on tap around town, and I’m virtually high-fiving Leslie and Steve right now. Thanks for sharing your talents via carbonated awesomeness. Cheers!

Bootstrap Brewing’s 1956 Golden Ale paired with French Vietnamese chicken wings from Trepedda’s Italian Ristorante… plus ample glasses of water as we prepared ourselves for the beer tsunami to come.

Bootstrap Brewing’s Oktoberfestbier paired with roasted pumpkin spaetzle from Niwot Market

Bootstrap Brewing’s Merlot-Aged Boomer Brown Ale paired with port-poached pear on toasted ciabatta with prosciutto and blackberry-balsamic reduction from Niwot Tavern… I really hope they brew this beer again.

Bootstrap Brewing’s Insane Rush IPA paired with a Kobe beef slider, horseradish Havarti cheese, arugula, and amoroso tomato from the Garden Gate Cafe

Bootstrap Brewing’s Backfire Chili Beer paired with chicken and shredded beef flautas from Ajuua!

Welcome to the (beer) jungle… We’ve got fun and games. And tons of beer.

Bootstrap Brewing’s Mo-Mentus Fresh Hopped Imperial Amber paired with a coconut macaroon

Hops… where it all starts.

More hops and not much beer left…

Words to live by at Bootstrap Brewing

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Congress Park, Capitol Hill, or Lodo… Who tosses Denver’s best pizza?

The answer is: I don’t actually know. I just offer semi-well-informed suggestions, people. I will say these pizza joints are solid, and it really depends on what you’re in the mood for.

Denver Deep Dish at the Bar Car (Congress Park)

I’m one-quarter Italian, so it follows that I should know roughly ¼ of what I’m talking about when it comes to pizza. It turns out I know slightly more than that since I’ve practiced eating pizza most of my life. Here’s what you need to know about Denver Deep Dish:

• DDD has the market cornered on Denver’s best pizza sauce – it’s the perfect blend of sweet and savory, and there’s a kick of heat at the end to keep your taste buds wanting more.
• DDD uses cornmeal in its crust, which I never imagined I’d endorse as one of the best culinary ideas ever, but I’m doing it now.
• D3 is *in* a bar – and what better place to indulge in the city’s best deep dish but in a place where you can fuel another awesome habit: rampant booze consumption.

For my money, DDD is the best pizza bet on Colorado Boulevard (8th & Colorado). As the name suggests, it’s a Chicago-style crust, so bring your appetite.

Walter’s Pizzeria (Capitol Hill/Uptown)

Walter’s screams comfort food. It’s smallish, quaint, and has a distinct “neighborhood” feel to it (19th & Pearl). If you live in Uptown or Lodo, you likely already know about this local gem. The pizza is hearty and thick, the seating area is cozy, and it’s the perfect spot to bring 4-5 friends along to munch pizza and watch the Broncos, Rockies or Avalanche. Even though it’s been extremely hard to watch the Avs lately. 😦

Marco’s Coal-Fired Pizza (Lodo)

On the other end of the spectrum, and on the north side of town, is Marco’s (21st & Larimer). Everything about Marco’s is Italian – the imported meats and cheeses, the thin crust, the wine, (some of) the beer, and particularly the San Marzano tomato sauce. If you’ve never tried it, it’s time to treat yourself.

Marco’s is the perfect destination before a Rockies game (walking distance), and it’s also great for date night. They have an eclectic selection of beers, and someone at Marco’s took a heap of time assembling the wine list, because it perfectly complements thin-crust pizza. And did I mention… they have a one-thousand-degree, handcrafted, hickory-fired oven? No cold pizza here…

As always, if I’ve left off your favorite pizza eatery from this list, write a note below and I’ll get it added after indulging in your recommendation a time or two. Ciao!

Boulder Creek Winery

My adorable niece

Amidst a sea of negative news stories, I wanted to share a positive one.

In November-2009, my niece was born. This was one of the top-10 happiest days of my life. By contrast, the night before my niece was born was one of the most forgettable nights of my life, as some ass-face smashed my car window and stole my briefcase.

For the record, I don’t give much of a crap about my briefcase. It’s old, it contained a few gift cards, a pair of socks, my electric razor, my cell phone, and *no* computer. I hope the thief was supremely disappointed about the fact that he’d gone to all the trouble to commit a felony for a briefcase that contained little more than a few grooming items, footwear, and some Starbucks paraphernalia.

One sentimental item the briefcase *did* contain, however, was a $50 gift certificate for Boulder Creek Winery, which was missing when I recovered the glass-ridden briefcase. My sister bought the gift certificate for me as a “thank you” for standing up in her wedding, so losing that really pissed me off.

I reported the theft to the police, changed my bank account number, called the credit reporting agencies, etc… The final step I took was to call Boulder Creek Winery to tell them what happened. The conversation went something like this:

Me: (after I told them the sordid story)
BCW: We’ll just cancel the gift certificate and issue you a new one.
Me: Wow! Thank you!
BCW: You’re welcome. Also, if the thief tries to cash the gift certificate in our tasting room, we’ll take his driver’s license and hold it until the cops get here. I’m from the east coast, and we don’t put up with crap like this.
Me: This is as good as it gets. I’m speechless. Thank you.

The next day, I visited the Winery, tasted ten different wines, and bought ~$100 worth of wine and port ($50 of which with my replaced gift certificate).

Boulder Creek Winery’s gold-medal winning Zinfandel Port (as you can see, I already enjoyed most of this bottle)

Huge thanks to the folks at Boulder Creek. Excellent wine, nice people, and a great opportunity to buy quality products locally. Two serious thumbs up!

Boulder Creek Winery is the perfect spot for wine tasting on a weekend afternoon… don’t forget to try the port!

Boulder Creek Winery folks

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The definitive list of Western IPAs that’s likely to change in five minutes

Colorado, setting sun, front porch, and yuppie IPAs. What more could you want?

My ulterior motive is to flesh out this list of IPAs. I know there are dozens more to add, but my research can only take me so far.  So please, by all means, add your favorite US West IPAs, and let us know where to find them. Here are my favorites:

For peeps who like it citrus-y:

Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA (CA)
(on draft occasionally at Lucky Pie, and easy to find at most reputable Metro Denver beer/wine stores)

Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA (CA)
(frequently on draft at Riffs, and easy to find at most reputable Metro Denver beer/wine stores)

Stone IPA (CA)
(Stone is everywhere in Colorado. Throw a rock – or a stone – and you’ll hit it.)

Odell IPA (CO)
(If you can’t find Odell in Metro Denver, it means you haven’t left your house, and I’m sure if you venture ten steps away from your couch, you’ll probably find one in your fridge.)

Green Flash West Coast IPA (CA)
(on draft occasionally at Lucky Pie, and easy to find at most reputable Metro Denver beer/wine stores)

Ska Brewing Company Modus Hoperandi (CO)
(OK, I’m officially a believer now, thanks to my friend Jeff. And this one’s on offer just about anywhere in the Denver area, so feel free to session it.)

(note: if you want to kick it up a notch, look for the Stone Ruination Double IPA. It’s not crazy-boozy [7.7%], but it will give you an avalanche of orange, grapefruit, and lemon.)

For those who prefer their IPAs a bit more caramel-y:

Deschutes Inversion IPA (OR)
(oddly, I haven’t seen this on draft in Colorado all that often, but it seems to be in every beer/wine store in Metro Denver – and it’s usually on sale, so that’s good enough for me.)

(note: if you like the Inversion IPA, and you feel like going big, I recommend the Dogfish Head 90 Minute Double IPA, which is totally NOT a “western” IPA, given that it’s produced in Delaware, but for some reason, it’s widely available in Colorado. You can intermittently find it on draft at Backcountry and Cheeky Monk, and in bottles at liquor stores all over Colorado.)

For the “Goldilocks” crowd who like it balanced:

Russian River Blind Pig IPA (CA)
(Frequently available on draft at Backcountry, but a bit more rare in bottle form out west)

Great Divide Titan IPA (CO)
(see Odell’s availability above)

(note: we already know you love your IPA “just right”, so you may as well go straight for the top. Russian River’s Pliny the Elder Double IPA is a sipper that you should have two of, and then go to bed and have awesome dreams. This is one of the best beers you’ll ever have – but it’s worth mentioning that its sibling, Russian River Blind Pig, is also one of the best. It’s just that the Elder will get you tanked more quickly, if that happens to be on your list of priorities.)

Date Night in Boulder… It’s Business Time.

Me + my much finer half @ Flagstaff House. They created a customized menu for G’s b-day *and* gave us a loaf of fresh pumpkin bread to take home. Yum. Needless to say: we love this place.

Business socks – check.
Sitter – check.
A night on the town with your sweetie – check.

You’re now ready to inhale half your weight in yuppie-riffic food at a local Boulder eatery. And you’re going… where? Here are some ideas…

More romance-y:

– L’Atelier ($$$$) – French… fancy, awesome wine, excellent meat/cheese plate
– Frasca ($$$$) – Italian… pricey, but arguably the best restaurant in the state
– Black Cat ($$$$) – French inspired… slightly less expensive than Frasca, but at par, quality-wise. I haven’t actually eaten here yet, but my lovely girlfriend and I will make an evening of it this summer…
– Flagstaff House ($$$$) – super romance-y, awesome views, stellar staff, top-notch fine dining, and top-notch prices (as in: expensive – but it’s time to spring for Date Night, so the sky’s the limit! Go big or go home.)
– Dushanbe Tea House – very unique ambiance, eclectic blend of eastern European /Middle eastern /Indian /Asian cuisine

More hip:

– Brasserie Ten Ten – French… reasonable prices, consistently excellent happy hour /dinner /brunch /dessert /wine /service
– Pizzeria Locale ($$$) – Best pizza this ¼-Italian dude has ever had… fantastic charcuterie (fancy meat) plate, killer wine list (Frasca-owned)
– Riffs (music-themed tapas destination next to the Boulder bookstore)
– Aji Latin American – all-day food/drink happy hour every Sunday (3-9 p.m.) – seriously, the two of you can fill up on empanadas, taquitos, ceviche, gaspacho, and mojitos for under $15/each. Plus, the bartender’s name is Norm, and he looks like a slightly younger George Hamilton. Two more great reasons to go!
– The Med – Mediterranean tapas… hard to beat The Med for absolutely any reason to celebrate in Boulder

Thanks to Teresa for inspiring this list, and I hope she takes full advantage of indulging in several of the above locales after Kid Number Two makes his appearance. Bon appetite!

And… for those of you Flight of the Concords fans… here’s the video so you don’t have to Google it. You know the song’s stuck in your head now… 🙂