Smörgåsbord

My sister drove up from California, and instead of going out I decided to do up “The Big Board”. I had three cheeses – Crucolo, D’Affinois and St. Agur – plus bourbon chicken liver mousse from Chop, some smoked duck, garlic cured olives, some homemade pickled carrots and beets and a baguette.

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The beer list for this evening was a bit extensive… Gose from pFriem, Petit Azacca from De Garde, Colorado Wild Sage Mountain Saison (made with wild white sage) from Crooked Stave and Peach Panache (a saison aged with white peaches in a vermouth barrel) from Heathen. With dessert, we had a Rum Barrel Cavatica Stout from Fort George and London Balling (a bourbon barrel aged barelywine) from Against the Grain.

Pork & Poblaño Stew

With the weather getting cooler, I decided to try out this recipe again. It also gives me another chance to break in my new dutch oven.

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I went with a bottle of the Fifth Anniversary Farmhouse Ale collaboration between Copper & Theory and Upright Brewing.

Thai Mussels with Dồi Xá Chiên Tây Hồ Sausage, Asian Slaw and Sticky Rice

Wow. Has it really been two years since I fixed this last?

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To drink, I went with a bottle of Bellwether from Breakside – a gin barrel witbeir with kaffir lime leaves.

Beer Braised Beef Brisket, Collards & Chorizo, Green Chili Mac & Cheese

If you ever have a chance to go to the Hair of the Dog Brewery, you have to try their brisket. They braise the whole brisket in their beer called Adam ahead of time. When you order it they, take a one inch slice and brown it in a pan. I found this recipe, and deiced to give it a try – using the Adam as the dark beer. After letting the whole brisket cool, I sliced it and then browned in some butter in a cast iron pan.

As to what to serve with the brisket, my wife and her sister asked for me to make Collards & Chorizo and Green Chili Mac & Cheese – which is basically my grandmother’s recipe, but I switched out the Emmentaler and regular Cheddar for Oaxaca and Sharp White Cheddar and added in some diced roasted Poblaño peppers.

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The beer list for the party was heavy on bourbon barrel beers: Defacto from No-Li, Fishing With Hallet from The Commons, Hellshire V from Oakshire, James E. Pepper 1776 from Georgetown Trading Co., Lee Noir from De Garde and Tart of Darkness from The Bruery.