Thanks to CraftBeer.com for posting a collection of my recipes for summer grilling, along with musings on Memorial Day beers – the Imperial pilsner, big and bold flavors for BBQ.
Features Imperial brews by Rogue, Sam Adams, Flossmoor Brewing Co., Point Brewing and more. Here’s a photo of the Grilled Chicken Salad with a link to the recipe online. Cheers!

Recipe online at www.craftbeer.com

Chifa mini buns, to be paired with Flying Fish Oktoberfish

Beginning in October, Chef Jose Garces’ Latin-Asian restaurant, Chifa (707 Chestnut Street, 215-925-5555), will debut Buns & Beers happy hours. Every Monday through Friday, from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m., guests can choose from an assortment of Chef Garces’ delicious buns, each paired with a microbrew, at special prices.

“The distinctive, often unusual flavor pairings in our dishes at Chifa are an ideal mate for artisanal beers,” says Chef Garces. “And with our new happy hour pricing, our guests can join us for a light snack after a tough day in the office and experience our food and beer pairings in a fun new way.”

Buns & Beers will be available in four varieties; they are priced in pairs, with one beer and one bun for $10; two beers and two buns for $15; three beers and three buns for $20 and all four beers and buns for $25, the best deal of all. Tempting offerings include: Pork Belly, Hoisin and Pickled Carrot with togarashi mayo on steamed white bun (Philadelphia Magazine’s “Best of Philly 2009: New Dish” – pictured) paired with Flying Fish OktoberFish; Grilled Chicken, Panca Emulsion and Bacon with frisee on pan de bono, paired with Philadelphia Brewing Company Kenzinger Lager; Braised Duck and Cilantro with spicy guava on brioche bun, paired with Elysian Brewing Company Immortal IPA; and Shrimp and Chile Mayo with avocado on steamed white bun, paired with Allagash White. The four-for-four offer is especially great for sharing among a small group, sampling each beer and nibbling on each bun.

Chifa opened in early 2009 to critical acclaim; The New York Times praised the restaurant’s unusual ability to “kill two cravings [Asian and Latin] with one dish,” while Philadelphia magazine called Chef Garces’ innovative interpretations of Peruvian cuisine “a cross-cultural thrill ride…A meal at Chifa is a night out, a form of entertainment, an infusion of world culture, a culinary education, something to brag about the following day.”

At 6pm on Wednesday, September 16th, Triskele’s Restaurant will offer a special 5-course Sprecher beer dinner featuring local produce from the South Shore Farmer’s Market. Designed by Chef JoLinda Klopp, this menu reflects the transition from summer into autumn. Founder and brewmaster Randy Sprecher  will discuss the beers and pairings:

Crabcake with Grilled Sweet Corn Aioli and Fresh Basil Chiffonade (Special Amber);
Curry Cauliflower Soup with Fried Brussel Sprout Leaves  (Extra Pale Ale);
Field Greens with Sweet Green Apple Vinaigrette, Blue Cheese and Spiced Pecans  (Shakparo Ale);
Chicken Braised in Pipers Scotch Ale with Chorizo Bread Pudding, Haricot Verts and Pickled Carrots (Pipers Scotch Ale);
Cream Soda Creme Brulee with Cherry Cola Chocolate Truffle and Fresh Mint (Black Bavarian).

Triskele’s is an intimate and friendly restaurant located in Walker’s Point, 1801 S. 3rd Street.   Known for its fresh and innovative cuisine, Triskele’s was opened in October 2007 by Chef Klopp who previously worked as the Executive Chef at the River Lane Inn.  Milwaukee Magazine recognized Triskele’s as one of “Top New Restaurants” of 2008.

Cost for the Sprecher beer dinner is $35 per person plus tax and gratuity. Hurry, because the dinner is almost *sold out* with just a few tables left. Reservations can be made by calling Triskele’s at: 414.837.5950.

Portland chefs love to kick back with a cold craft brew on the patio as they cook up their favorite grill grub.  The Oregon Brewers Guild asked five local chefs for their favorite barbecue pairings, so that we could pass them along to you. Enjoy these refreshing recommendations from Munich on the Willamette…it is Oregon Craft Beer Month after all!

Ten 01 – Burger
Chef Benjamin Parks of Ten 01 restaurant loves pairing the restaurant’s signature burger with Deschutes Brewery’s Mirror Pond Pale Ale. The brew’s classic hop aromas and flavor make it perfect with a burger. The hoppy bitterness provides a great balance that cuts through the fat – it’s just enough hops without being overwhelming, the perfect balance. “During the summer I live off our burgers and this beer,” says Parks.

Red Star Tavern & Roast House – Ribs
Grilled meats take center stage year round at Red Star in downtown Portland, so Chef Tom Dunklin takes a seasonal approach to beer pairings. For ribs off the backyard barbecue in summer, Dunklin recommends a Bridgeport Blue Heron Pale Ale. The round and soft texture of this pale ale complements the rich, smoky flavor of barbecued ribs, while the refreshingly crisp finish quenches a summer thirst.

Tabla Mediterranean Bistro – Salmon
Anthony Cafiero, chef de cuisine at Tabla Mediterranean Bistro, loves barbecued salmon during the summer months and recommends pairing it with a Ten Barrel Summer Ale from Bend, OR.  Salmon is naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids and Ten Barrel’s Summer Ale offers a nice mix of malts and hops to balance the meaty flavors with a dry finish.  Cafiero likes to keep it simple, flavoring his salmon with a bit of lemon juice and fresh rosemary from the garden.

Café Nell – Pork Tenderloin
For pork tenderloin, Café Nell Executive Chef Andrew Garrett recommends pairing it with Southern Oregon Brewing Company’s SOB Pale Ale. This sweet and hoppy ale hits a balance that can be hard to find in pale ales, and it has a full front and smooth finish that completes the palate. This ale will work with any pork dish, but Garrett suggests pork tenderloin basted with a sweet plum marinade, grilled and served with fresh sweet corn basted in butter or grilled pluots.

Wildwood – Lamb
With a philosophy of letting ingredients shine, Wildwood Executive Chef Dustin Clark finds that the barbecue is the perfect medium. For grilled lamb simply seasoned with salt and pepper, Clark recommends Terminal Gravity IPA out of Enterprise. Yes, it’s hoppy… but that big hop flavor is backed by the subtle sweetness of malt for a balance that doesn’t overwhelm the mild gaminess of the lamb, but instead accentuates it.

A delightful evening of dining with Bell’s beer on August 3 at Tess (2499 N Bartlett Ave., 414-964-8377) which is one of the hidden gems of Milwaukee’s east side. Here’s the menu from restaurateur Mitchell Wakefield and local Bell’s rep Paul Moebius – the guest speaker will be Marty Compton from the brewery HQ in Kalamazoo – just 20 seats left out of 75 for the evening – tickets are $48 per person which includes tax and gratuity and the chance to win special Bell’s beer gear!

Here’s tonight’s menu for a first-ever beer dinner from Triskele’s Restaurant, in Milwaukee’s Walkers Point neighborhood, featuring craft brews from the Upper Midwest – to reserve a seat, call 414-837-5950:

Prince Edward Island Mussels in Bison Blonde Lager w/Fresh Shallots and Fried Parsley
Served w/Water Buffalo Bison Blonde Lager

New Glarus ”Totally Naked” Cheddar Fondue w/Grilled Usinger’s Polish Sausage and Caraway Crostini
Served w/New Glarus Totally Naked Lager

Roasted Vidalia Onion Salad w/Fresh Chives and Bacon Vinaigrette
Served w/Central Waters Ouisconsing Red Ale

Grilled Beef Short Ribs w/Founders “Dirty Bastard” Scotch Ale-Tomato Glaze and Smokey Blue Cheese Potato Croquette
Served w/Founder’s Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale

Dark Chocolate-Apricot Torte with Butter Walnut Brittle
Served w/Sand Creek Oscar Oatmeal Stout

Just in time for grilling with beer class at Larry’s Market tomorrow, Thursday, June 18 – a review and recipes for Father’s Day in the Milwaukee Journal’s food section- get a load of those big daddy beer chairs!

Mmm, taste-testing recipes for Thursday’s class at Larry’s Market in Brown Deer – am excited to be back teaching under the big tent in the beer garden – we’ll sample grilled Juusto bread skewers with pineapple and peppers in a brown ale glaze and other treats served hot from the barbecue. Just $25 per person, and for more information, contact Larry’s Market, 8737 N. Deerwood Dr., Brown Deer, WI 53209, 414-355-9650  or email – bigcheese@larrysmarket.com

Now that it finally feels like summer, Wisconsinites are out grilling in full force – and there’s even a Grilling with Beer competition set for Wednesday night in Appleton, at the Radisson Paper Valley hotel – featuring professional chefs from area restaurants and caterers. The cook-off is sponsored by Wisconsin Distributors, and will feature beers from Goose Island, New Belgium Brewing Co. and more. Chefs are being creative in cooking with beer, such as Big Tomatoes’ Fat Tire Brined Pork Eye with Pomegranate-Ale BBQ Sauce served with grilled sweet corn and poblano peppers,  or the grilled Goose Island Urban Shrimp with a 3-1-2 Punch.

I’ll be there, both as a judge and as a guest author, signing copies of The Best of American Beer & Food, and Grilling with Beer. Tickets are $15 – contact Brian Eschenbauch, 920-733-8000 x1511 for details.

Heading into a weekend filled with great beer events – a special dinner with New Glarus Brewing Co. at Bacchus tonight, and the women-only Pils Party on Sunday at the Sugar Maple – 5 great Pilsners, from classic Pilsner Urquell, to Victory Prima Pils, with a few surprises from my beer cellar.

Here’s the menu from Bacchus Executive Chef Adam Siegel for the New Glarus beer dinner with a few tasting notes about each pairing from me:

Dungeness crab and melon salad with fresh thyme, lemon and Espelette pepper, topped with crisped prosciutto -  NGBC Spotted Cow – this was an amazing match, with the mild ale highlighting the sweetness of the crab and melon

Strauss veal Tartare with a quail egg, with Parmigiano, orange gremolata and celery root remoulade – NGBC Totally Naked provided crisp carbonation, more of a textural contrast

Seared sea scallop with spiced rhubarb, fava beans, and Port wine syrup – NGBC Dancing Man Wheat brought up the caramelized sear on the scallop, but the rhubarb was a bit too sweet and served in a very generous portion…

Grilled quail breast with stewed apricot and foie gras sauce – NGBC Imperial Saison was wonderful with the quail alone, but the apricot was candy-sweet and made the ale taste very sour in comparison

Braised Shortribs with cumin, caramelized cauliflower and garlic spinach – NGBC Stone Soup, a strong golden ale modeled on a tripel, made the richness of the beef taste even better and its yeasty bite was a perfect foil for the garlicky greens

Lamb noisette with brown butter polenta, toasted hazelnut crumbs and sauteed artichokes – NGBC Fat Squirrel brown ale made a seamless match with the brown butter and lamb topped with toasted nuts

Creme fraiche panna cotta with strawberry soup, grapefruit and pistachio brittle – NGBC Wisconsin Belgian Red accented the slight tartness of the fresh fruit, although the brittle perched atop the panna cotta had absorbed a lot of moisture by the time we were served and was no longer truly a crisp brittle, more like a caramel

It was a huge crowd for the dinner – about 150 people, with about a dozen people from the local distributorship showing their support of the brand. Dan Carey spoke briefly about the beers, but spent most of the night circulating from table to table. The New Glarus Hilltop Brewery has its grand opening on Saturday  June 13, so that will be the next big party celebrating the end of two years of construction….