Moktoberfest!

Published on Thursday, October 5, 2006, by The CHOW Editorial Team / Edit Post


Black Forest is one of those cakes that you want to dig into in order to get all the flavors in each bite, so we decided to deconstruct it (with a little artistic leeway). In our version, Black Forest “Strata,” we layered in lambic whipped cream, cherries, and chocolate crème anglaise for an indulgent but balanced dessert. Since Lindemans Kriek Lambic is used in the dessert, it is only natural that this be served as the complementary beer. Though lambics are notorious for a cloying sweetness, there is a slight dry cherry flavor in this beer that works nicely with the chocolate, cherries, and cookies. The contrasting beer, Old Rasputin Imperial Russian Stout, makes your taste buds stand to attention; it’s complex and chocolaty. If you are taking the indulgent route for this meal, then this is the perfect beer to end things with.


Lindemans
Kriek Lambic


Old Rasputin
Imperial Russian Stout


Black Forest “Strata”
Lambic and dried cherries are high notes in this deconstruction of the classic German dessert.

ALLEntertaining
POST A COMMENT |8 Comments

COMMENT

  • Brilliant!

    Can I just rub the Spätzle all over my face?

  • If you would like the best version of Okoberfest I`ve found in the US, then check out the Hoff Brau Haus im Las Vegas NV !

  • Silly question....but anyone know where to get a print of that great Moktoberfest bird with the crown on his head?

  • This is absolute blasphemy! Yes, I like the idea of making a gourmet version of Oktoberfest, but it missed the whole point of Oktoberfest. There are many celebrations around Europe, and each has its own purpose and charm. Oktoberfest is first and foremost about beer, which apparently the writer knew, but more importantly, it's about Münchener beer!

    The real Oktoberfest includes only six brands...+READ

    This is absolute blasphemy! Yes, I like the idea of making a gourmet version of Oktoberfest, but it missed the whole point of Oktoberfest. There are many celebrations around Europe, and each has its own purpose and charm. Oktoberfest is first and foremost about beer, which apparently the writer knew, but more importantly, it's about Münchener beer!

    The real Oktoberfest includes only six brands of beer: Augustiner, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Spaten, Hofbräuhaus, and Löwenbräu. Among those, you have at least 3 beers that could easily rank in the top tier of world beers. They aren't that hard to come by in the U.S., either. That said, a few other delicious Bavarian beers wouldn't have been entirely inappropriate (Erdinger, Andechser, Weihenstephan). Beck's or Radeberger would. So this goes even beyond that to suggest that we forgo German beer altogether.

    I realize that this was about mixing it up a bit with the food, but if this is going to be about Oktoberfest, you should start with the beer and find food to compliment that. As for the food choices, I'm not entirely opposed, but you should be aware that most of the food here is actually from the southwestern part of Germany (and the northeastern part of France). The reason I say that we could probably be forgiving there is mainly that Bavarian food isn't particularly flavorful. That said, I'd love to see someone do something clever to make the Bayerische Küche a little more exciting.

    If you feel that I'm overreacting here, you may be right. Imagine yourself in Germany reading an article about improving Mardi Gras. Then they decide to serve New England clam chowder and fajitas and pair it with various types of Scotch. Does that, in any way, remind you of Mardi Gras?-COLLAPSE

  • I try not to nitpick here, but I hope you meant "Flammküchle" (pie out of the flames) , since "flammküche" translates to "kitchen in flames". Plus: spätzle may be traditional, but it is certainly not a bavarian tradition. In Munich they serve dumplings.

  • A nice marzen would have meant that they could only serve one beer, as it would work with every course...

  • This looks like a lot of fun. I'll give it a try.

    One point I need to vent though...How can you have a party that is based on Oktoberfest, but not list a single German beer to go with your pairings? I understand that a beer sommelier made the picks, but c'mon, they could have had a little nod to the original theme...

  • I did something similar a few years ago:
    - Smoked salmon with a squeeze of lemon and Paulaner Hefeweizen
    - Tempura veggies with soy sauce and Anderson Valley IPA (note: used iced cold Anderson Valley to make tempura)
    - Chicken with blue cheese mash and caramelized carrots with a Chimay gravy and Chimay Grande Reserve
    - Chocolate biscuits with Framboise lambic.

    My only problem was that I...+READ

    I did something similar a few years ago:
    - Smoked salmon with a squeeze of lemon and Paulaner Hefeweizen
    - Tempura veggies with soy sauce and Anderson Valley IPA (note: used iced cold Anderson Valley to make tempura)
    - Chicken with blue cheese mash and caramelized carrots with a Chimay gravy and Chimay Grande Reserve
    - Chocolate biscuits with Framboise lambic.

    My only problem was that I served an entire 12oz bottle with each course and my guests were well filled up by the time that the last course came out.

    6oz per course max.-COLLAPSE