Oysterfest 2024

It is that time of year again. The leaves start turning various colors. The cool breeze kicks up now and again. And there are oysters aplenty. That is, if you happen to find yourself in St. Michaels, Maryland and on the grounds of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum for its annual Oysterfest. 

The Oysterfest is perhaps one of my most favorite events. I look forward to it every year. To be sure, I love the opportunity to eat oysters in a variety of ways, whether raw, steamed, fried (or, this year, they even had smoked oysters). It is even better when one can chase those bivalves with a beer from a local brewery, such as RAR or St. Michael's Brewery. I also like perusing the stands of local artisans of every kind, taking a particular interest in the photography of everything about the Chesapeake Bay, from the iconic Bay Bridge, to the workboats that ply the waters, to the crabs, fish and oysters that take residence in the bay.

Everyone obviously comes for the oysters, and there are always the mainstays at the event. There is the Talbot Watermen Association, who have numerous shuckers preparing plates of six or twelve oysters, raw or steamed. The six oysters to the right came from the Talbot Watermen Association. Other oyster vendors included the Choptank Oyster Company, which had a much smaller crew shucking choptank sweets oysters, and Slow Descent Oysters, which introduced smoked oysters to the event. 

There were other food stands as well. In addition to a few food truckers, there was the Tilghman United Methodist Church. Volunteers offered fried oysters, as well as their cookbook, What's Cooking at Tilghman's Island, which I purchased a few years ago and which I occasionally peruse looking for something "local" to cook. And, lest I forget, one of the favorite stands in the opinion of my little big guy - Big Bad Wolf Bacon. They are a regular at Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum events; and, in this case, bacon works very well with oysters. (One piece of advice for the future - they should work with the Talbot Watermen Association to sell a bacon wrapped oyster.) 

However, there is one part of the Oysterfest that always piques my interest, or, I should say, the culinary motivation of Chef Bolek. It is the Oyster Stew competition. Every Oysterfest features the competition, where local restaurants, chefs and cooks compete to see who has the best oyster stew. 

We have been going to Oysterfest since 2018; and, with the exception of last year, every year that we attended the event, we took part in the competition. Not as someone who has offered an oyster stew for judging (although the thought has crossed my mind on a couple of occasions), but as a judge. People have an opportunity to sample each of the oyster stews and then vote for their favorite one. 

Having judged several of these competitions, I am always struck by the different approaches that one can take with something like an oyster stew. This year's competition was no different. There were six oyster stews from six different restaurants or chefs. 

Here were the six contestants:

Bistro St. Michaels: This entry had the creamy broth, with right the right amount of herbs and spices. The execution of the chowder was polished, but it was more like a bisque than a chowder. I thought that the oysters were cut up too much, with some of them to have been almost minced. In my mind, a good oyster stew has oysters that should be a decent size. 

Ruse at Wildset: This entry presented more of what one would expect of a chowder. There were clams, but there were also potatoes, peppers and other ingredients in the mix. And, there were a lot of ingredients. Perhaps too many, as the oysters seemed to get a little lost in the overall presentation. But, it did have a very good smoky note from the bacon.

Theo's Steakhouse: This entry followed in the footsteps of Ruse at Wildset, presenting a more traditional chowder. Theo's Steakhouse also got the proportions a little better, with more oyster and less peppers, potatoes, and onions. I also liked the broth a little more with this entry than the Ruse at Wildset, as I felt that there was more of an herbal presence.

Gourmet by the Bay: This entry took on a slightly darker color, and I could not quite figure out the reason. It did not have the smoky elements of the Ruse at Wildset, although I did get some of that bacon flavor in this one. The rest of the flavor profile was a little different and it took some effort to try to figure it out. This entry did its part to set itself apart from the rest.

Oaks Waterfront Inn: This entry had the most oysters in it; and, the most whole oysters. That immediately elevated it above the ones that I had tried up to that point. While I could get the sense of other ingredients, they definitely took the back seat to the oyster. This stew also had the right balance of herbs and pepper, making it one of the more rounded entries.

Hambleton House Catering: The final entry really tried to set itself apart. Like the very first one, this chowder took on a more bisque like texture and approach. The difference between this entry and the first one was that the oysters were blended into the chowder (which is more of a bisque approach). This entry also had a different flavor profile, one that suggested curry rather than smoke.

To be sure, I had my favorites. My vote was for the Oaks Waterfront Inn, which I believe created the best overall oyster stew. My beautiful Angel chose Gourmet by the Bay, while my little bean voted for Ruse at Wildset. My little big guy decided not to participate. Our voting was all over the map.

But, we live in a democracy, and the overall vote produced a different winner than the one I chose. The overall winner was Bistro St. Michaels. (I should note that Bistro St. Michaels also won the oyster stew competition the first year that we attended the Oysterfest.) Oaks Waterfront Inn came in second and Gourmet by the Bay came in third. 

With every year that we attend the Oysterfest and every year that we judge, there is an after effect. It is the motivation on my part to make my own oyster stew. Two of those stews -- one motivated by our time at the Oysterfest in 2018 and another inspired by our time there in 2019 -- have made it as posts on my blog. 

I think it may be time to come up with another oyster stew recipe. Only time will tell and only if I can find the time. Until then ...

PEACE. 

The Heritage Turkey

The Bourbon Red.  A descendant from the Buff, a historic breed of turkey from the Mid-Atlantic states.  In the late 1800s, the Buff was brought to Kentucky and Ohio.  J.F. Barbee cross-bred the Buff with Bronze and White Holland breeds of turkeys.  Barbee's goal was to produce a turkey breed that could rival the Mammoth Bronze turkey (a precursor to today's mammoth double breasted white turkeys).  The result was what Barbee dubbed, "the Bourbon Butternut."  Apparently, the butternut was not like a "Butterball" (which, as a name for turkeys, was not recognized until 1940).  The breed got a rebranding as the Bourbon Red.

With a new name, the Bourbon Red rose in prominence. The breed's rise peaked during the 1930s and 1940s. A Bourbon Red can grow to be a large and hardy bird, with mature toms getting as large as 33 pounds while hens grow to be 18 pounds. Its large size helped in its rise, but, the breed eventually was eclipsed by broad-breasted varieties,  which became the darling of the commercial turkey industry and, eventually, of American consumers.  The Bourbon Red stock declined, and, today, it is one of the rarer breeds of turkeys.  There are only about 5,000 breeding Bourbon Reds in the United States right now.  The breed is so endangered that it found itself on the Slow Food's USA Ark of Taste (which is a list of heritage foods in danger of extinction.

But, the rumors of the Bourbon Red's demise may be premature.  This heritage breed of turkey has made a rebound, with organic farms raising these turkeys specifically for the Thanksgiving table. One of those farms is Nick's Organic Farm, which is a certified organic farm of 165 acres located near Buckeystown, Maryland. Nick's Organic Farm raises both Narrangansett and Bourbon Reds.  After doing some research into organic farms in Maryland, I chose Nick's and ordered two good sized Bourbon Red turkeys (one for myself and one for my father-in-law) for the Thanksgiving holiday.

I have spent a lot of time researching the cooking of heritage birds, deciding between roasting or smoking the bird, what kind of stuffing to use, how to prepare the birds, and the sides.  The theme for this Thanksgiving is a nod to Colonial America, with recipes being based on dishes from Mount Vernon, Monticello and Colonial Williamsburg.  Those recipes will be posted in the coming days and weeks, so stay tuned!

ENJOY!

The Oysterfest

Author Hector Bolitho once wrote, "Oysters are the most tender and delicate of all seafoods.  The stay in bed all day and night.  They never work or take exercise, are stupendous drinkers, and wait for their meals to come to them." The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum brought these words to life on August 27, 2018 at its annual OysterFest. 

It was a very rainy and windy day. The gray pallor of the clouds that moved overhead.  However, it did not tamper down the enthusiasm of thousands of people from all around Maryland and beyond who came to the small town of St. Michaels, Maryland to celebrate, and more importantly, eat oysters.   Amongst the thousands were myself, by beautiful Angel, our two little kiddos and my Angel's parents.   

As one entered the OysterFest, he or she could see one of the major events at the festival: the Oyster Stew Competition.  There were six competitors: (1) Sunflowers & Greens of Easton, MD (which won the competition last year); (2) Milestone Catering of Easton, MD; (3) Bistro St. Michaels of St. Michaels, MD; (4) Theo's Steaks, Sides and Spirits of St. Michaels, MD; (5) Crab N Que of St. Michaels, MD; and (6) General Store of Royal Oak, MD. I got to be one of a few hundred who would judge the oyster stews.  The competition was blind (labelled A through F); however, so judges did not know which stew was being made by which competitor. 

Here is the thing about oyster stew, at least from my experience: there are generally two types or styles.  The first style is more like a cream colored soup, with a thinner consistency that gets its off-white color (tinged by the fat used as part of the soup's base) from the use of half and half. The other style is more like a chowder, with a whiter color and thicker consistency with heavy cream. Regardless of the type, an oyster stew should have minced vegetables (celery, shallots), potatoes and, of course, oysters (either whole, which I prefer, or chopped).    

Both types of oyster stew were on display at this competition.  To be sure, all six of the contestants produced some very tasty oyster stew.  When it came to my judging of the stews, I needed something, either in terms of texture or taste, that it the stew apart from its competitors.  Right out of the gate, the Contestant A set itself apart, with a lighter oyster stew that had a very smoky taste.  That flavor is most likely due to the use of smoked bacon as the base of the stew.  As someone who loves a smoky taste (just check out the Savage Boleks BBQ posts on this site), the stew got my attention.  Admittedly, the smoky taste may be off-putting for someone who does not like barbecued or smoked meats, but I liked it.  Contestant D also had a smoky flavor, which was more subdued.  The taming of the smoky taste is most likely because, unlike Contestant A's lighter stew, Contestant D's stew had more of a light chowder consistency.  The use of heavy cream can tamp down the smokiness of the bacon.  In the end, it came down to Contestant A and D in my mind, with Contestant A winning my vote.  (As of the date of this post, I don't know who actually won the contest, but I will update the post when I find out.)

UPDATE: The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum announced the winner of the oyster stew competition: Bistro St. Michaels.  It was Contestant F.  Contestant D -- Sunflowers & Greens -- won second place and Contestant A -- The General Store -- won third place.

The other contest was the oyster slurping contest.  After having eaten one and one-half dozen oysters, I had the chance to fill out the second dozen by trying to be the fastest person to slurp six oysters.  I was part of Round 3, along with my beautiful Angel and a third person named Jack.  To make a long story short, I lost the contest, coming in last. I won't post any excuses.  If I have any other career ahead of me, it will not be as a competitive food eater.  That was made clear after about the twenty or thirty seconds of the competition.  

The biggest event at the Oysterfest was the re-lauching of the Edna E. Lockwood, the last existing nine-log bugeye.  John B. Harrison built the Edna in 1887 -- the seventh of the eighteen bugeyes built by Harrison.  The purpose of the Edna, as it was it all bugeyes, was to dredge oysters in the Chesapeake Bay.  With its shallow draft, the bugeye could reach parts of the Bay that were not as accessible to schooners and pungies because of their deeper draft.  The bugeye's lower bulwark, as well as its less complex rigs, made it easier to engage in dredging with less crewmembers.   While a typical bugeye could be expected to be in service for about 20 years, the Edna continued in service until 1967. It outlasted not only the other seventeen bugeye built by John B. Harrison, but also the many skipjacks that were built long after the last bugeye.

The Edna had been gifted to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum with the expectation that it would be restored and used to educate the public about a true Chesapeake tradition.  The latest restoration began in 2016, with volunteers working to restore the log hull. That work continued until it was completed earlier this year, and the vessel was moved to the marine launch for the OysterFest.  

This was the first launching of a vessel that I have witnessed.  There was the traditional opening remarks, along with the thanks to all of those individuals who helped to restore the Edna.  (The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum contains its own shop where the work was performed.) This was followed by the traditional breaking of a champagne bottle -- or, in this case, three champagne bottles -- on the bow of the vessel.  After the initial ceremonies, the vessel was slowly lowered into the water, a couple of feet at a time, until the vessel could float on its own.  At that point, the Edna was immediately moored and the celebrations concluded. The Edna will eventually begin a tour of the Chesapeake Bay

Not only is the the first time that I witnessed the launching or relaunching of a vessel. This was also the first time we went to the OysterFest, or, for that matter, any oyster festival.  It was a lot of fun, even with the wind and rain.  To be sure, the weather probably depressed the turnout, which made it a little easier to navigate all of the attractions, vendors and events.  At this point, I have just realized that I did not take any pictures of any oysters from the festival.   

But, I did take some pictures after the OysterFest. We went to a local restaurant where I could sample some Maryland oysters.  This time, I remembered to take a picture so that I could remember the oysters that I tried.  I tried four different oysters.  Two are farmed: (a) Wild Ass Ponies, described as having "good salt content, briny"; and (b) Fisherman's Daughter, described as having "mild salt content, sweet finish.  The remaining two are wild: (c) Deal Island, described as "medium salt, smooth, mild brine"; and (d) Wild Divers, described as "medium salt, full-bodied, buttery."  

All of the descriptions were on the spot and demonstrated the range of Maryland oysters, from salty to smooth, briny to sweet.  The oysters are even better with a local brew, such as the St. Michael's Ale from Eastern Shore Brewing Company (it is photobombing the picture of the oysters).  A red ale with a good malty backbone, the beer was a great complement to the full range of oysters that I tried. 

A great festival, great oysters, great beer and, of course, great company.  This festival has inspired me to make my own oyster stew.  Stay tuned for that.  Until next time ...

ENJOY!

La Vigilia and the Feast of Seven Fishes

My beautiful family will be celebrating the  Christmas holiday at home this year.  Both my beautiful Angel and myself have our Christmas traditions.  For example, my Angel's family incorporates Italian sausage into their tradition, something which is an important part of the Christmas tradition in the Italian community in Birmingham, Alabama. My family had a Christmas tradition of a multi-course dinner on Christmas Eve, with a plate of antipasta, Italian wedding soup, and homemade pasta and meatballs.   I love all of these traditions, which, over time, have built up a lot of good memories of fun times and great food. Given all of those memories, I have to admit that I thought about adhering to them for our Christmas holiday at home.

But, I am also someone who is willing to try new things and, perhaps, make new traditions.  This is why I decided to prepare the Feast of the Seven Dishes, an Italian-American tradition. The tradition derives from the Roman Catholic obligation of abstaining from eating meat on Christmas Eve.  Thus, Italians would eat a meal fish and other seafood.  If one was in Italy for the holiday, he or she would not hear Italians talk about the Feast of Seven Fishes.  They would speak of La Vigilia.

But, this post is not about the history of the feast.  Instead, it is about what I want to make for this Christmas Eve.  It will also serve as a culinary challenge, part of my personal challenge to make a main course as part of the Around in the World in 80 Dishes.  But I am taking this challenge to a whole new level.  Rather than make one main course, I will make 7 courses.  I have decided to make an Italian feast for La Vigilia.  This challenge involves the preparation of a course from 7 different regions of Italy featuring 7 different seafoods. The map to the right provides a guide for this challenge. I have spent a lot of time paging through my Italian cookbooks, as well as watching a lot of Iron Chef (Japan).  The cookbooks provided me with the actual recipes from across the country of Italy, while Iron Chef (Japan) filled me with inspiration to make culinary masterpieces so my cuisine will reign supreme.

One other note about this menu.  Seven dishes is a lot of food.   More than most people could eat.  Therefore, most of the courses will be prepared and served in a tapas style.  The final dish will be a main course and serve as the main dish that will satisfy the challenge.  So, without further ado, here is the (tentative) menu:

FIRST COURSE -- FRIULI VENEZIA GUILIA

Polenta Pasticciata al Gamberi (Polenta with Shrimp)

The first course starts in the northeastern corner of Italy, in the region of Friuli Venezia Gulia.  The course will be a very simple dish of baked polenta with shrimp, surrounded by a sauce of garlic, mushrooms, parsley and white while.  While I could make the polenta, I bought some from the store to save time.  After all, I still have six dishes to make.  (Culinaria Italia 19)

SECOND COURSE -- APULIA

Ostriche Arrosto (Broiled Oysters)

The second course takes us all the way down the eastern coast of Italy to Apulia (or Puglia).  The course will be Ostriche Arrosto or Broiled Oysters.  Freshly shucked oysters topped with breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic and oregano.  A little lemon juice and olive oil are drizzled over the oysters before they are placed under the broiler to cook.  (Culinaria Italia 373)

THIRD COURSE -- UMBRIA

Polpette di Pesce in Umido (Fish Meatballs in Broth)

The third course takes us inland to the region of Umbria.  It just did not seem right to simply make seafood courses from regions with coastlines.  So this course is a challenge: to take a traditional Umbrian dish -- polpette in umido  -- and make a seafood version.  Freshwater fish fillets would be made into meatballs and stewed in a broth made from seafood stock.  (Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy 196-97).

FOURTH COURSE -- ABRUZZO

Cozze allo Zaffrano (Mussels with Saffron) 

The fourth course requires us to travel to Abruzzo, which has a coastline along the Adriatic Sea.  The course will be Cozze allo Zafferano or Mussels with Saffron.  This recipe is a nod to the Abruzzese region, which is the only region where saffron is cultivated.  Ironically, the Abruzzesi do not use saffron a lot in their cooking, and they often make Pepatia di Cozzi, or a version of this dish using diavoletto, or spicy pepper flakes.  (Food & Memories of Abruzzo 21)

FIFTH COURSE --  CALABRIA

Calamari Piccanti  (Spicy Calamari)

The fifth course takes us to the southwestern coast of Italy, to the region of Calabria.  The dish is a very simple one of spicy calamari, sauteed on a hot skillet and served with a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, parsley and salt.  (Lidia Cooks form the Heart of Italy 339)

SIXTH COURSE -- SARDEGNA

Insalata di Polpo e Patate (Octopus and Potato Salad)

The sixth course takes us to the island of Sardegna or Sardinia.  The course is an Octopus and Potato Salad.  The octopus is combined with gold potatoes, and, it is then mixed with flat parsley leaves and thinly sliced red onions.  The salad is dressed with white wine vinegar and olive oil, and finished with freshly cracked black pepper and celery leaves. (How to Eataly 240)

SEVENTH COURSE -- SICILY

Cuscusu (Couscous with Fish)

The final course will be the main course, coming from the Island of Sicily.  It is a classic seafood dish of fish fillets served over couscous.  This dish brings together the myriad of culinary influences that have made Sicilian cooking what it is today.  (Regional Italian Cuisine 288-289)

It is an ambitious menu, but I've already got a couple of the dishes in the works and a whole lot of hacks and shortcuts to make the preparation easier.  I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays.

ENJOY!

National Geographic Live: The Taste of Saison

The National Geographic Society is a long established institution with a long history in geography, cartography and exploration.  Once a year, the National Geographic asks the head brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery, Garrett Oliver, to create a beer tasting experience that combines beer with geography and exploration.  I have attended several of these beer tastings.  At each event, Garrett Oliver introduces guests to beers that they have never heard or seen before.  He places each beer in its own context, weaving stories about the brewers and the beers with a combination of facts and humor that keeps the crowd listening throughout the event. 

Each beer tasting has a theme and Garrett Oliver chooses beers that best exemplify that theme.  Previous beer tastings have included "Beers from Where?", a tasting focused on beers from unexpected places, "The Power and the Glory," a tasting focused on high powered beers, and "Mini-Micros," a tasting focused on beers from very small producers.

The theme for this year was a first for Garrett Oliver and the National Geographic ... it focused solely upon one style of beer.  The style was the Saison.  This beer first emerged from the farms in southern Belgium.  According to The Year in Beer, farmers would take part of their harvest in the autumn and brew a beer that could ferment during the cold months.  Once the spring and summer arrived, the farmers had a beer that they could give to their saisonnieres or "seasonal workers." The beers helped quenched the thirst of the workers and, brewed at 3.5% ABV, it did so without causing the workforce to become drunk in the fields. 

As one would expect, each farm had its own recipe for a Saison beer.  The recipes generally were produced with whatever the farms had on hand, plus hops and, in many cases, whatever spices the farmers could get their hands on.  This beer tasting, which featured nine Saisons, provided a good example of the variety that comes with this style.

1.  Brooklyn Half Ale.  The first beer of the night was one of Garrett's own beers, the Brooklyn Half Ale.  It is dubbed a Session Saison, that is, a saison beer brewed as a session beer.  At 3.4% ABV, it clearly falls within the lower alcohol content one expects from a session beer.  Garrett explained that this particularly low ABV was intentional.  The beer was brewed and first released in Sweden (where Brooklyn Brewery recently opened a new brewery).  In order to sell beer in a grocery store, the beer must have an ABV of less than 3.5%.  Most of the beers sold in Swedish grocery stores tended to be of the "industrial variety," i.e., mass produced beers.  Garrett and the other brewers thought it would be a great idea to brew a craft beer that could be sold along side the mass-produced beers in the supermarkets. 

This beer pours a light straw color, with aromas that suggest grass or flowers.  Those aromas also carry over somewhat to the taste of the beer.  There is a noticeable tartness or bitterness, which comes from the fact that the beer has 40 IBUs.  The brewers used Sorachi Ace hops, which principally contributed to the aromas, but also provided some of the traditional hop elements in the taste.  This beer is not yet available in the United States.

2.  Allagash Saison.  The next beer was the Allagash Saison.  I am familiar with Allagash, which operates out of Portland Maine.  I have had several of their beers, including the reknown White and the Curieux Ale.  The Allagash Saison is a brewed with 2-Row blend, malted rye, oats and dark Belgian candi sugar.  The brewers hopped the beer with Tettnang, Bravo and Cascade hops. 

Their efforts produced a beer that has a golden hue, with aromatic elements of spice and tropical spice.  I had a harder time registering the aromatic notes of this beer, but they came through in the end.  As for the taste, the brewers suggest "citrus and a peppery spice," which is a good characterization of the beer."  The beer also had a tartness and a dry finish that I think has become a characteristic of a saison.  With a 6.1% ABV, the Allagash Saison felt like a high powered beer compared to the Brooklyn Saison.  Fortunately, this beer is available in the United States and I have seen it in local grocery stores.

3.  Rue Saison de Lente.  The Bruery has established itself in recent years with some very interesting beers.  One of those beers is the Saison de Lente, a beer that, as its name suggests, is brewed in the springtime.  Unlike the previous two beers, I have actually had this one before ... and I even wrote a review about it.   I have to admit that I did not remember having the beer at the time of the tasting.  I am not sure how that necessarily bodes for this beer. 

Still, the Saison de Lente set itself apart from the first two Saisons by the use of Brettanomyces or wild yeast.  The wild yeast was mild in comparison to some of the other Brett beers that I have had in the past.  The yeast provided aromatic elements of grass and wild flowers, along with some citrus from the hops.   The brewers suggest that this beer pairs well with strawberry salads, turkey burgers and roasted bell peppers.  The Saison de Lente was a nice transition from the first two beers to the next one.

4.  Boulevard Saison-Brett.  This beer took the Brettanomyces to another level.  The Boulevard Saison-Brett featured the wild yeast much more prominently than the Saison de Lente.  This provided a funkiness that was perhaps a throwback to the Belgian farmyards of times past.  When the farmers brewed the beer, they used wild yeast or reused yeast that provided a certain funk to their beers. Boulevard brews its saison with pale malt and malted wheat, along with magnum and amarillo hops.  The brewers also used corn flakes in the brewing process. 

The beer exhibited everything one would expect from a Brett beer ... a certain type of grass and earth that pervades the aroma and taste, only to be complemented by some grapefruit notes from the Amarillo hops.  Perhaps the most unusual aspect of this beer, according to Garrett Oliver, is the fact that Boulevard Brewing referments its Saison-Brett in a keg, as opposed to a stainless steel container or a wooden barrel.

5.  Wild Beer Company Somerset Wild.  "There is something about saying, Wild Beer Company, Somerset Wild, Evercreech, Somerset, United Kingdom."  That is how Garret Oliver began his explanation of the fifth saison beer.  The Somerset Wild provided a nice divergence from the Saison de Lente and the Saison-Brett.  A departure from the wild, barnyard notes provided by wild yeast.  I don't remember the specific malts or yeasts used to produce this beer; however, the Wild Beer Company did use Sorachi Ace hops in the beer. 

This beer pours much like the other Saisons that we tasted to this point ... golden hued, with notices of tropical fruit that provide a tangy and somewhat tart flavor.  The bottle's line -- "Crisp + Zesty + Spicy" -- is accurate.  The beer is definitely crisp, somewhat zesty and does have spice notes that reinforce its saison style and demonstrate how the saison was able to cross the English Channel and emerge in a rather interesting form.  After this beer, the saisons presented by Garrett began to take on a whole different character.

6.  Brooklyn/Mountain Goat Ridgy Didge.  After trying a saison from the United Kingdom, Garrett Oliver took the guests half way around the world to try one from Australia.  Actually, the beer is a collaboration between Brooklyn Brewing and Mountain Goat Brewing.  Mountain Goat is located in Richmond, Victoria, and it is one of the older craft brewers in Australia. 

The Ridgy Didge took the fundamental characteristic of a saison -- the brewing of a beer with what is available to you or around you -- and gave it a distinctly local outback flavor.  The brewers used lemon myrtle and Tasmanian pepper berries when they brewed the Ridgy Didge.  These ingredients helped to contribute to a unique aromatic and flavor profile, one that made this beer smell and taste more like a hefeweizen than a saison.  There were definitely aromas and flavors of clove and banana in this much more amber-hued offering.  Those flavors are probably more the result of the lemon myrtle, as the pepper berries are more hidden in the background and only emerge later as you sip the beer.

7.  Franches Montagnes Square Root 225. The tasting continued on the international leg of the tour, with the next stop being Switzerland.  The unique, individual characteristic of this beer begins with the name.  The square root of 225.  The answer is also the age of the brewery, Brasserie des Franches Montaignes or BFM.  This saison is different from the others that we tasted in that it is aged or matured for four months in Saint Bon Chien barrels.  Those are the barrels that BFM ages its signature beer, the Abbaye de Saint Bon Chien.  The beer is then aged for Like the Ridgy Didge, the Square Root of 225 had its own distinct flavor.  Distinct even from the Ridgy Didge.  This beer was very tart, bitter and astringent.  The tartness was intentional, as the brewers were playing a sort of prank on the domestic market, which they believe is not ready or willing to accept such beers.  I love tart beers, even sour beers, so that prank would not have worked on someone like me.

8.  Saison de Pipaix. As the beer tasting winds down, Garrett Oliver returned the guests to the home of the Saison with the Saison de Pipaix, which is produced by Brasserie a Vapeur.   The brewers describe the beer as being brewed in the traditional Wallonian style of a saison.  Garrett described this Saison that one that confounds people because of the flavor elements that can be found in this golden/amber hued offering.  The brewers describe those elements to include black pepper, ginger, sweet orange peel, curacao, and star anise.  All of these flavors did make themselves known as the beer is sipped.  The brewers also note that this beer has been brewed by Brasserie a Vapeur since 1785.  That would make this beer a very old example of a saison and is a nod to how some brewers may have produced saisons back in the 18th and 19th centuries.  As the first Belgian saison in this beer tasting, it was an interesting introduction to the style as brewed in the country of its origin.

9.  Avec les Bon Voeux de la Brasserie Dupont.  In my opinion, Garrett Oliver always seems to save the best beer for last.  This tasting was not any different.  Garrett introduced everyone to Brasserie Dupont, which is considered to produce the gold standard of saisons.  The last beer is the Avec Les Bons Voeux de las Brasserie Dupont or "With the Best Wishes of Brasserie Dupont."  With an ABV of 9.5%, this beer is like a "super" Saison or Imperial Saison.  The beer was very smooth, with almost a cordial like body.  The aroma and taste of the beer has been described as having a golden color with elements of marmalade and spicy apple and pair aromas.  I have to be honest that, after having tasted eight beers, my smell and taste senses were a little "compromised."  The description continues by observing the taste of the beer as having notes of pepper, dates, sour cherry, earth and spices.  Other descriptions note citrus, bananas and cloves.  While I cannot say that I recall any of those elements, what I can say is that the Best Wishes of the Dupont Brewery was the best saison of the tasting.

In the end, this was a great tasting that that exemplified the variety that falls within the style of the saison.  As always, Garrett Oliver did an excellent job in terms of describing the beers, telling stories about the beers and generally keeping the interest and attention of the crowd.  He also did a great job in terms of selecting the beers, showing that one can taste a wide range of different beers even when the tasting is limited to one style.  

Until next time...

ENJOY!

National Geographic Live: Beer from Where?

For the past five years, I have looked forward to one particular beer tasting.  The tasting is conducted by Garrett Oliver, the brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery and editor-in-chief of the Oxford Companion to Beer.  Every year, the tasting has a different theme.  Italian beers.  Scandanavian beers.  Barrel Aged Beers.  Mini-Micro Breweries. The Power and the Glory.  With each tasting, I am introduced to beers that I never knew existed.  Beers like Cigar City's El Murciélago or Renaissance Brewing Company's Renaissance MPA.  And, with each tasting, I am introduced to new beers that quickly become some of my favorites, such as Birrificio del Ducato's Nuova Mattina and Brasserie Montagnes de Franches Cuvee Alex La Rouge.

This year marks the National Geographic Society's 125th anniversary.  The National Geographic has chosen the theme "a new age of exploration" for this particular anniversary.  Garrett Oliver has seized upon the potential of this theme as it relates to beer.  Together, National Geographic and Garrett announced that the beer tasting for 2013 will feature beers "from some of the most unlikely beer-producing places on Earth."

In advance of the beer tasting, I took a moment to peruse Garrett Oliver's Oxford Companion to Beer to see if there were any entries that could perhaps shed some light on some of the places that could be inclded in the tasting.  The Oxford Companion contains entries for countries like 

1.  Gisberga Trigo. This beer -- the Gisberga Reina de Aragón Trigo -- comes from the Spanish region of Aragón.  This region is known more for its wine than its beer.  Nevertheless, the brewers at Gisberga produce the Trigo in the style of an Iberian Farmhouse Wheat Ale.  After all, "trigo" is Spanish for wheat. 

The beer pours a clear gold color, with a light, pearly foam.  The aroma gives hints of the citrusy hops used in producing the beer.  The brewers say that there are also spicy aromas of vanilla and cinnamon, but I had a little more difficulty finding those aromas in the beer.  The Triga has a light body, and a refreshing, almost wheaty zing of acidity.  The beer has an ABV of 4.8%.

The brewers suggest that this beer is best paired as an accompaniment to goat cheese, salad with vinaigrette, roasted vegetables, marinated fish, white fish with mild sauces, stews or paella.

2.  Saison de Caipira.  The next beer took us across the Atlantic Ocean to Brazil.  The beer was a collaboration between Brooklyn Brewery and Cervejaria Wäls.  Garrett explained the madness behind the beer.  He and the Wäls brewers decided to take machetes into a sugarcane field and personally cut the sugarcane that would be used to produce a beer.  The inspiration for using sugar comes form the Brazilian Caipirinha, the national drink made with cachaça, which is a hard liquor made from sugarcane. 

Garrett Oliver and the Wäls breweers harvested and used 700 kilograms of of sugarcane for their Saison de Caipira. The brewers also used a Belgian yeast during the initial fermentation and a Champagne yeast during the second fermentation.

The Saison de Caipira, described as Fort clara com cana de acuar, pours a very light color.  The beer has a light citrus and taste, along with a definite sugary sweetness.  That sweetness is not overwhelming and, in fact, it is balanced perfectly with the citrus in a very light and easy to drink beer.  The Saison de Caipira has an ABV of 6.5%, which if you are drinking this by the bottle as opposed to the tasting cup, could catch up with you very quickly. 

 3.  L'anjub 1907.  For our third beer, we return to Spain or, more specifically, to Catalonia.  This Spanish region is better known as the principal source of Cava, the Spanish sparkling wine.  However, there is also L'anjub, a brewery which takes its name from the Old Catalonian word for cistern.  L'anjub's flagship beer is an Iberian-style ale called "1907."  The name is inspired by the year in which flood rains overflowed the medieval water cisterns from which the brewery takes its name.

The 1907 is produced with Pils and Cara Pils malts, along with Citra and Amarillo hop flowers.  The brewers also use the local water which has what they describe as a "hard, tangy edge." 

Any hardness and tangy edge has definitely been smoothed over by the brewers during the brewing process.  The 1907 has a dark gold color, with what the brewers describe as having "tiny smooth, tiny bubbles that rise to a full fluffy head of cream colored foam."  The brewers also describe the beer as having aromas of "country orchard fruits and flowers."  I noted there were aromas of apricot and orchard apple, which also carried over to the taste of the beer.  There was also a sweetness to this beer, although much less than the Saison de Caipira.  This beer an an ABV of 5.5%.

As for food pairings, this beer can be paired in the same fashion as the Triga.  Possible pairings include seafood dishes, chicken, paella and soupy rices, mild cheeses and tapas as well as oriental fusion cuisine.

4.  Cucapa Runaway IPA.  Our next beer comes from a country that is well known for beer ... Mexico.  However, like the United States, much of that beer is mass produced swill.  Nevertheless, Garrett reassured everything that there is a growing craft beer movement in Mexico. 

Cucapa produces beers with whimsical names and labels like its Runaway IPA, which sports a label that resembles some street signs in the Southwestern United States.  For a country principally known for its lagers, this IPA is very much a standout.  The brewers used an indigenous two-row malt, along with four different hops.  Each hop varietal was used to impart a specific flavor to the Runaway IPA. The flavors that they sought were grapefruit, tangerine, lemon and lime.

The beer pours the perfect color of orange, which one expects from an India Pale Ale or even an Imperial India Pale Ale.  (The Runaway IPA has an ABV of 7.5%.)  There brewers definitely achieved their objective, as both the aroma and the flavor of the beer was full of different citrus flavors.  Picking out particular flavors, such as grapefruit or lime, was a little difficult at times, but I would attribute that to the fact that we were trying small samples.  If I could get my hands on a whole bottle, which I definitely would like to do, I think I could sense the different aromas and flavors much better.

5.  Dragon Extra Stout.  From Mexico, we turn to Jamaica.  The beer was not Red Stripe, although it was brewed and bottled by Red Stripe.  Rather, the beer is the Dragon Stout.  This heavy Stout -- packing an ABV of 10% -- is known by the locals as "Spitfire."

The Spitfire is brewed in the style of a Foreign Extra Stout, which is a style brewed in Ireland or England for export to places in the New World, like Jamaica.  The beer is dark brown, almost cola in color.  It is a malt driven beer, with a sweet, molasses flavor and little to no hop presence.  There was also a burnt sugar character, as well as some caramel in both the aroma and the flavor of this beer.

Overall, this beer provided an interesting change in style from the lighter and hoppier beers that we had tried to this point.  However, I think that the other beers, especially the Cucapa Runaway IPA, were far better than the Extra Stout.

6.  Colorado Vixnu.  There seemed to be some deja vu to this tasting.  After trying a beer from Jamaica, we found ourselves back in Brazil to try the Vixnu from the Cerveja Colorado. The "Vixnu" is named after Vishnu, the Hindu deity responsible for the maintenance of the universe.

The brewers have their own challenges with maintaining the balance of a beer that, while brewed in the style of an Imperial Pale Ale, also has a sweetness from the use of Rapadura cane sugar.  In the end, I think that the brewers achieved that balance between the tart, citrus flavors of the hops and the sweetness contributed by the sugar cane.  The principal aroma and flavor from this beer is grapefruit, although the sugar cane makes it seem as if someone sprinkled a little sugar over the fruit. 

With an ABV of 9.5%, this beer does have a little booziness in the background, but it gets lost a little with the nice interplay between the hops and the Rapadura cane sugar.
 

7.  Sagra Bohio Especial.  For some reason, the pictures of the next beer -- the Sagra Bohio Especial -- did not come out.  This is unfortunate because this beer was definitely one that I wanted to keep in mind.  The Sagra Bohio is an imperial stout, with an ABV of 10.5%, produced in the Spanish city of Toledo.  What makes this stout truly stand out is the smoke character in both the aroma and the flavor.  The smokiness provides a very good contrast to the other aromas and taste elements in the beer, including bitter chocolate, licorice and espresso.  

8.  Olvisholt Lava.  Our next beer was a first for me ... a beer from Iceland.  The beer is called Lava, and it is brewed by Olvisholt Bruggus.  The brewers operate a dairy and sheep farm, but they also brew the Lava, which is an imperial smoked stout.  The label shows Hekla, an active volcano as it looks from the brewhouse door.  The beer itself is brewed with six different barley malts, one wheat malt and the Fuggles hops.

The smokiness of the Olvisholt Lava can be clearly contrasted with the previous beer, the Sagra Bohio Especial.  The smoke, which was present in both the aroma and the flavor of the beer, was reminiscent of peat moss.  While that may turn off many drinkers, I actually found it interesting and enjoyable.  It was reminiscent of some other smoked beers that I have had, like L'Abri de la Tempete's Corps Morts. As for other aromas and flavors, the Lava displays the most common element in an imperial stout ... chocolate.  There is also a little sweetness, but not as much as in some of the other beers that have been part of this tasting.

9.  Cucapa Green Card Barleywine.  The last beer takes us back to Mexicali in Baja California, where Cucapa brews the Green Card Barleywine.  This beer is the first barleywine brewed in the Mexico and it was also the best beer of the night. 

There was some debate over the style of barleywine.  Garrett thought the Green Card was more in the vein of an American barleywine, which is known for having a more hop-focused character to it.  Personally, I could sense some hops, but I thought that, overall, the Green Card resembled more of a British barleywine, which is more malt-driven.  Regardless of the style, this was a very good barleywine.

The beer pours a dark, boozy brown, with an off-white foam that was quite persistent.  There was definitely some ripe, sugary fruits like plums in the aroma of the beer.  These fruit were also present in the flavor of the beer, wrapped by the alcoholic warmth that comes with a beer sporting a 10% ABV.  This beer was the best way to finish the tasting.

As that tasting came to a close, I was left thinking about what was the best beer.  The finalists were the Cucapa Runaway IPA, the Ovisholt Lava and the Cucapa Green Card Barleywine.  Ultimately, I think that the barleywine was the best beer of the night.   I am definitely going to keep my eyes out for bottles of that beer, and the others that we tried, because it would be great to see if my impressions carry through the entire bottle or if they change as the beer warms and over the time it takes to drink them.  

Until next time,

ENJOY!

Swine & Wine 2

There is something about Black Ankle Vineyards that captures my interest.  Maybe it is their dedication to making Bordeaux-style wines in the State of Maryland.  Or it could be the fact that they have a working farm, with Piedmontese cows, heritage pigs and chickens.  Maybe, it is both.

Recently, I had the opportunity to experience the work that goes into the wines and into the farm.  This work is showcased in a multi-course dinner where each course features a dish prepared with the meat from the heritage pigs raised on the farm and a pairing with one of Black Ankle's wines. The owners have dubbed the event "Swine & Wine." I missed the first  dinner (which took place last year), but I was very fortunate to have a seat at the second dinner, "Swine & Wine 2." 

Reception: First impressions are important, especially during a multi-course dinner.  It sets the expectations for the entire evening.  For this dinner, the first impression came in the form of Glouchester Old Spot Prosciutto.  According to the Glouchester Old Spots of America, Inc., the this heritage breed has the oldest pedigree of any spotted pig. It also has a high body fat ratio, which is said to produce more flavorful meat and lardon.  This particular Glouchester Old Spot was raised by Black Ankle on its farm and it was slaughtered for the first Swine & Wine.  However, they kept one of the haunches, which the caterer cured and aged the meat for several months.  Although sliced a little too thick, the prosciutto was nevertheless excellent and the perfect way to start the meal.

As for the pairing, the winemakers selected  Black Ankle's Viognier.  The light fruit flavors of the wine -- peaches and apricots (as well as maybe a little pear) -- and its smoothness worked very well with the prosciutto.  In all, a great start to the meal.

First Course: The first course was a Miolea Red Russian Kale & Mustard Green Salad served with a Confit of Pork Shoulder and a Verjus Vinaigrette.  This course embodied one of the sub-themes for this event ... buying local.  The greens were purchased from the Miolea Organic Farm in Adamstown Maryland, and, were "paired" with a nice sized helping of the pulled pork shoulder along with goat cheese and nuts.

This course was paired with Black Ankle's 2011 Passeggiata.  This wine is the lightest red wine offered by the vineyard, and, it was a great match for this dish.  Obviously, a light red wine can pair well with salads and lighter fair.  The Passeggiata's lighter body, as well as its full fruit flavor, worked well to round out the bitterness of the greens and the creaminess of the goat cheese. Both the dish and the wine were very good.

Second Course: The second course was a Grilled Pork Loin served with Pork Belly Lardon and Roasted Summer Creek Acorn Squash, which came from the Summer Creek Farm in Thurmont, Maryland.  This course compensated for its small size by providing a surprising amount of flavor.  The rub used on the pork loin, as well as the sauces on the plate provided a lot of character to the dish. 

This course was paired with the 2011 Bedlam, which is a white blend.  Although I do not have the percentages or grapes for this particular vintage, Black Ankle has produced this wine in the past using Grüner Veltliner, Albariño, Viognier, Chardonnay and Muscat grapes.  The wine complemented the dish well, adding a little apple to the flavors of the dish, as well as smoothing out some of the black pepper used in the rub and cutting through the sauce served with the loin.  As far as this course went, it was another very delicious dish and pairing.

Third Course: The third course was a Porchetta Roast, served with Candied England Acres Sweet Potatoes and Sea Salt Smoked England Acres Rainbow Swiss Chard.  (The sweet potatoes and chard came from England Acres Farm in Mt. Airy, Maryland).  For me, this dish was the most decadent of the night, with the slightly fatty pork shoulder having been cooked perfectly over top of the sweet potatoes and the Swiss Chard.  The sea-salt smoked chard was interesting, and it had much of its original bitterness.  That bitterness was cut down with the reduction, which was made from Black Ankle's Terra Dulce II.

This course was paired with Black Ankle's 2008 Leaf Stone Syrah.  The Syrah is a blend of 81% Syrah, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Viognier, 1% Malbec, 1% Merlot.  This is one of Black Ankle's bolder red wines.  The pairing worked very well because the Syrah could stand up to the fatty nature of the porchetta roast.  

Fourth Course: The fourth course consisted of Smoked Pork Ribs, with Rosemary and Chilled Poached Catoctin Mountain Sekel Pear.  (The pear was from the Cactoctin Mountain Orchard in Thurmont, Maryland.)  Two ribs were served with this course.  The ribs had just the right amount of smoke flavor, along with a sweetness in the sauce or rub.  The sweetness was a subject of debate amongst the people at my table. One guest suggested that the sweetness was due to the use of an Asian-inspired rub or sauce.  The rest of us were a little skeptical.  To be sure, there was some form of sugar (perhaps brown sugar) and, if I focused enough on it, I could detect the flavors of soy sauce.  But I sided with the skeptics.    (Quite frankly, I was enjoying the ribs too much and tasting the ribs with the wine to get entangled in the argument.)  

Speaking of the wine, the fourth course was paired with the Black Ankle's 2010 Rolling Hills.  Personally, I thought the pairing was perfect.  The Rolling Hills is a Bordeaux-style blend that has flavors of black raspberry and cherries with just a little spice. The wine is just mellow enough to complement the smoke flavors of the pork, without compounding or clashing with such strong flavors. 

Fifth Course: The final course was an Autumn Spice Cake with Cranberry Terra Dulce Compote and Cinnamon Anglaise.  The spice cake was delicious, especially with the cinnamon anglaise.  

This dessert was paired with the Terra Dulce II, Black Ankle's dessert wine.  Produced in the style of a port, the Terra Dulce is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Viognier, Chardonnay, Albariño, Grüner Veltliner and Muscat. 

Serving the Terra Dulce as the final pairing allows all of the grapes to take the stage for a bow.  The sweetness of the port, along with its boozy character, provided a nice complement to the spices in the cake.   It was a good way to end a great meal.

As the evening drew to a close, I felt compelled to thank the owners personally.  I felt that need because, even though I paid for the dinner, it was still a great opportunity to have a meal prepared with humanely raised pork, local produce and some amazing wines.  The only thing I can say is that I hope that I am lucky enough to go to Swine & Wine 3.  Until that time, 

ENJOY!