Fall = Food

The official start of fall is only a few weeks away, and as the air turns crisp, the delicate fruits and vegetables of the summer will give way to an autumnal bounty of apples, pumpkins, root vegetables and more. Hearty greens such as Brussels sprouts, nuts that reach their ripe age this time of year and cheeses that have been aging over the summer take center stage. Many of the fresh produce available in the fall months also reaps health benefits -- fruits and vegetables with dark, rich colors, such as kale and pomegranate, are often packed with essential vitamins and nutrients. Beer gets darker, soups get heartier, hot chocolate gets boozier and nights get colder. Fall is by far the greatest time of the year. Oh, and did I mention football......

Paesanos.........

Recently, a wave of small restaurants offering creative, innovative and sexy sandwiches have emerged on the dining scene. Paesanos comes to us from Peter McAndrews, chef and owner of the fabulous BYOB Modo Mio. I was in hipsterville a few weeks ago helping my dear friend Jill Purdy clear her backyard up so she could have her annual gin party. After cutting down bamboo for 2 hours, I decided to get some lunch. I walked a few short blocks and arrived at Paesano's. My first order of business was to try the Suckling Pig sandwich. Suckling pig is paesano's dressed up version of the classic roast pork. This is the sandwich that has been generating all the buzz. I scanned the menu and decided I wanted the Gustaio instead. The description read as...Lamb Sausage, Sour Cherry Mostarda, Gorgonzola, Arugula and Fennel. Not really a sandwich. It was rolled up in a torilla shell and crisped up on the grill. Very similiar to what the turks call a Durum Kebab. Absolutely fucking amazing. Spicy lamb sausage, peppery arugula, sharp gorgonzola, crunchy fennel, all toned down by the cherry mostarda. Grabbed two Hanks black cherry sodas and my day was complete. Paesano's offers a multitude of options and I promise to blog about each and every one. One a lighter note, they offer two tasty looking vegetarian options.

Food Porn

Big Earn McCracken

Today's beer post will shine some light on our less fortunate beers. The 2 or 3 followers that I have know that I am a complete beer snob. I hate miller light, I hate bud light, I can't stand the stupid commercials and all the bullshit that sometimes can ruin a football game for me. Although, on certain occasions, I will dumb down my palette and drink crap. Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce you to PBR. PBR comes to us from your local bowling alley, biker bar, and beer pong table. For some reason, PBR is nostalgia in a can. When I go bowling, I will drink nothing else. They could be giving away Dom Perignon and bottles of Chateau Margeux and I will still choose the white and blue can. PBR was Clint Eastwood's beer of choice in Gran Torino. His character was an ex war veteran who didn't take shit from anybody. They wouldn't have him drinking miller or bud, that would make him look like a pussy. PBR evokes toughness.

Fall in a Bottle

Lately, I have been trying to get my hands on a few beers that I have heard great things about in the beer community. The Bruery in Placentia, California brews what they call Autumn Maple. From the name, I am sure you can conjure up what this beer is all about, but it's soo much more. Patrick Rue, the owner and brewmaster of The Bruery, wanted to do a pumpkin beer, but didn't want to follow the norm. This seems to be the motto at The Bruery. They typically take classic styles and modernize them. I love innovation! Instead of using pumpkin, he took another classic fall treat, sweet potato pie and through that shit right into the brew kettle. Yams, Molasses, Maple Syrup, Vanilla and fall spices! The beer pours a deep brownish amber color with a very unique, almost caramel colored head. Tilt the glass and sniff. One of the most floral drinks I have ever smelled in my life. The first smell I picked up was the molasses and spice. Yams don't have much of a smell to begin with, but this beer really has a faint sweet potato pie smell. It's far and away the best fall beer I have ever had. At 10% alcohol, I was expecting much more kick, but that is the difference between a great brewer and a place like Iron Hill. The alcohol is present, but great brewers find a way to mask it. Think Grey Goose vs. Popov Vodka. I picked this up at Landis Market in Wayne, PA. It's a shithole, but they have great beer. Tune in next time beer cronies

MECCA AND THE OC

Located on the Corner just South of Standard Tap lies The Foodery. It's a beer geeks mecca, heaven, call it whatever the hell you want, the place is the cats pajama's. With a selection inching towards 1,000 different varieties, you really can't go wrong with a visit to this place. I have recently been intrigued by a brewery out west called....The Bruery. They are out of Placentia, California and were started by two brothers who dropped out of law school because they couldn't ignore a passion for beer. Patrick Rue, the owner, said he only brews what he likes to drink. In this case, it's Belgium style brew. I recently watched a youtube video of Mr. Rue going over a few of his ale's and giving a behind the scenes look at the inner workings of his brew house. The Bruery likes to take classic Belgium style beer and add there own personal touch. The Foodery is one of the few places on the east coast lucky enough to carry this west coast offering. I decided that my first foray into The Bruery would be by the way of the there Orchard White. Orchard White isn't your classic WitBier. It's brewed with oats that give it a smooth mouthfeel and lavender that really adds a nice touch to the nose.It poured a hazy straw color with minimal lacing. They stick to some tradition by adding orange peel and coriander, but incorporate a wild Belgian yeast strain that gives the beer a slight champagne taste that is quite pleasing. At 5.7% BV, it's definitely a session beer if you have the wallet. A 25 oz. bottle was $13. First impression's last a lifetime and The Bruery left me wanting more.

Autumn

I am sure most of you have noticed a dip in temperature the last couple days and waking up early in the morning with 55 degree temps makes you think of fall. I wandered into the beer joint last night and was in the mood for a fall beer. A bright orange six pack of Dogfish Head Punkin Ale was my beer of choice. Dogfish Head is a local brewery out of Delaware famous for it's "minute" IPA's. Sam Calagione, head brewer and owner of Dogfish Head wanted to create a unique Pumpkin Ale that was different from the rest. The bottle label states that it's "A full bodied brown ale brewed with real pumpkin, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. It pours a brownish red with minimal lacing. Scents of all of the above are very prevalent, but meld nicely on the palette. I get a slight gingerbread smell too, very mulling spice. I want to throw a wick in this beer and burn it like a candle. I bet yankee candle is all over that shit already. It goes down smooth with a small touch of alcohol, just enough to keep you honest. This is going in the books as one of my favorite fall beers and or Pumpkin Ales. Nice job Sam