TongoRad's Profile
Shot and Beer - Change off or Stay the Course
And George heard it from John Lee Hooker.
I don't think either of them were drinking Highland Park alongside Traquair House Ale, though, but man that is a match made in heaven. Actually, that sort of combination could even be altered to suit one's mood/preference: any single malt with any suitably rich malty beer, even a doppelbock. I'm not too big on bourbon, so I'll just have two whiskys instead.
Canned Beers for a Beer Tasting
Lancaster Kolsch is really nicely done, and a great one for the season.
Historical beers
There's a Scottish group called Williams Brothers that is known for a recreation of a heather ale called Fraoch. They also have other interesting varieties including Kelpie (brewed with kelp, naturally). I see them all the time by me:
http://www.williamsbrosbrew.com/beerboard/bottles/fraoch-heather-ale
Nine Cuisines, One Dish Each
Italian: Pappardelle con funghi
Indian: Rava masala dosa with sambar and coconut chutney
(fenugreek chicken is very high on the list, though- I make a very good one)
Mexican- as long as the chorizo and tortillas are top quality, that's all you need for awesome tacos
Chinese: Ma Po Dofu
Thai: what is normally just caled 'basil chicken'
French: Trout almondine
American: big pub burger with mushrooms and swiss
Middle Eastern: schwarma on laffa
Eastern European: pierogies with sauteed onions
Looking for the best Mexican in North/Central Jersey (NJ)
I really like Maravillas del Tulcingo, too- glad you had an enjoyable meal there. They've been there less than a year and I hope they catch on.
"A man's drink of choice , tells volumes of one's character"-- need help..
Yeah- I got that you were looking for something a bit more, how to put it, 'mature'(?) than your college days experiences, but not necessarily mui-macho.
I'd bet that a lot of this thread was put out there with a bit of a wink and a nod (like that last post of mine), but sometimes these things do take on a life of their own.
Bitters (and amari) as well as single malts tend to be a real natural step for craft beer drinkers, so hopefully you've gotten some useful suggestions so far.
"A man's drink of choice , tells volumes of one's character"-- need help..
Well, if your husband's idea of a manly beer is something like Miller Lite then I'll just have to put that in the "taken under advisement" file.
"A man's drink of choice , tells volumes of one's character"-- need help..
Well that's, like, your opinion, man.
There's a pretty huge difference between the appletinis, fuzzy navels (or white Russians, if you will) of the world and the negroni, and I don't recall anybody in a skirt ever ordering one around me. It's usually guys like Luca Brasi and Clemenza.
"A man's drink of choice , tells volumes of one's character"-- need help..
Maybe it's a regional thing, but I tend to see Campari everywhere these days. What's even nicer is that in the past decade or so I'm also seeing a lot more Averna, Ramazotti and the like.
I also see nothing wrong with getting a beer, though. Heck, SNPA is common enough that you'll find it in non-beer places, and I'd be happy with one of those any day of the week.
"A man's drink of choice , tells volumes of one's character"-- need help..
Assuming that as a craft beer drinker you are accustomed to a certain level of bitterness, I'd say that a Negroni would fit the bill. It's equal parts Campari, gin and sweet vermouth if you want to try making them at home first.
What brand of beer is made with the best water?
Every place I've visited in the Northeast and Northwest uses carbon filtered municipal water, with perhaps some salts added for certain styles. The water is suitable for brewing so that's what is used. Some brewers have even told me that they chose a certain municipality for their water, in large part.
I don't doubt that RO is used- it may even be a necessity in certain parts of the country. I just don't get the sense that it is that widespread.
Recommendations for a Beerhound in Manhattan?
I'd add Southern Tier (2XIPA) and Ithaca (Flower Power) to that list, especially for a hop head. The Flower Power, especially, shouldn't be missed if you come across it. There was a shortage for a while, but a new batch it finding its way down state right about now.
Sierra Celebration 2011 WTF?
I just reread your post and now I can see where you were going with it, but must admit that I originally didn't see it that way.
That knee-jerk reaction does come from someplace, though. I do frequently see people saying that they have outgrown certain (and perfectly good) beers, they describe normal gravity stouts as being 'thin', won't recognize something that hasn't been dry-hopped out the wazoo as being hoppy, stuff like that. The signal-to-noise ratio on the beer boards I read seems to be getting lower and lower these days, and, well, it gets kind of annoying at times.
The only reason I brought up Sam Adams (and even SN) was just to establish a baseline of where 'small' should be, but that seems to be cleared up now. I really do appreciate how they have both created and maintained their particular niche, though. I remember all too well what it was like before they came upon the scene, and think it's great that one can almost always find something good to drink no matter where they go.
Sierra Celebration 2011 WTF?
I just tend to think of those individuals as being on the far end of the bell curve, and their baseline is completely f***ed. Thinking that their experiences represent the majority of craft beer drinkers is probably where the error lies. To say it's a 'small beer compared to what I normally drink' is fine, but it is different from stating that something is 'small' in the objective sense (which definitely provoked a few eye rolls from myself as well).
Barrel for Barrel, the vast majority of craft beer produced and sold is still in the 1.050s, so that's what is 'normal' these days, and will be for a while.
Sierra Celebration 2011 WTF?
For the record, I have gotten other sixers since that last post and they were all up to snuff. Just one of those things, I guess, but it definitely confirms my belief that with beer you shouldn't form any definite opinion based on one particular sample.
Is there a difference between pommes frites and french fries?
Hate to break it to ya, but it was covered in the very first response (rimshot and all) :P
Amazingly, the answer is still $6, 3+ years later. I guess inflation hasn't been as bad as we were led to believe. ;)
ipa in a can
That's a really good one, pretty much a hybrid approach to my tastes. The hop character leans heavily English, but the more neutral yeast signature and huuuuge bitterness rings of a more American approach. Pretty darn dry for that gravity as well. Still, even after all that they managed to make a nicely quaffable beer.
Sierra Celebration 2011 WTF?
FWIW- I just got some with that same date (269th day of 2011) and I agree that this particular sixer cames across with a very muted aroma compared to years past (although nicely bitter). I'm just going to chock it up to batch inconsistency and see if I can get some from another batch; other reports do seem to be more favorable.
Musical Artists with Food in their Name
Una mas cerveza!!!
While we're on that theme, how 'bout Joe King Carrasco y las Coronas?
(okok- stretching it to the breaking point there as the band name is really the Crowns, not the brand of beer, but I just had to do it...)
Favorite IPAs?
It's from Ashland, Oregon.
We get three of their beers here in NJ- the Amber, Pale and IPA. The IPA is also really nice, with a great caramel malt/hop balance, leaning heavily citrus and pine. Their beers all give me that old PNW vibe, which one got from Grant's way back when.
Favorite IPAs?
If you're looking for something similar these days try the Caldera Ashland Amber (it comes in 12oz cans)- it's definitely available in NJ, I see it all the time.
It's definitely in the same ballpark in terms of aroma and flavor, a nifty little beer.
As seen on TV cooking Gizmo, what is your funnest / worse thing you have seen?
"My wife would like that" ;)
That one definitely takes the cake- much better than the Bassomatic, and apparently it's for real?!! What a strange, wonderful world we live in.
Get your gravy on!
Since the thread's been bumped...
The way my mom makes it (and me too, on the rare occasions when I make gravy, my birds are usually done on the grill) is to make a giblet/neck based stock while the bird is cooking. Then she adds that to the drippings in the roasting pan while the bird is resting elsewhere, and the whole works is then strained before making a simple roux-based gravy.
I really should do that more often; good gravy, it makes for a good gravy.
L&B Spumoni Gardens type pizza in NJ?
La Sicilia in Belleville has a square that is very close to what you're looking for.
There is another place, though, that I just have to get back to one of these days. I used to work within walking distance to Vittorio's in Englewood and fell in love with their square. The sauce on top of the cheese was very garlicy and fresh tasting, lots of fresh herbs. If they are still doing it the same way it may be a contender for an even better slice. Just something to keep in mind if you're in the nabe.
North Jersey Beer Flights / Samplers
I couldn't tell you if they serve samplers or flights (never been my kinda thing), but you just have to get him to Andy's Corner Bar in Bogota, by far the best beer bar in the area.
http://andyscornerbar.blogspot.com/
Also- if you feel like crossing into Rockland, Defiant Brewery in Pearl River usually has a number of different styles on tap.
-----
Andy's Corner Bar
257 Queen Anne Rd, Bogota, NJ 07603
K- Cups
I'm kinda stuck with the K-cup experience at work, myself. Our office was getting the Green Mountain Breakfast Blend delivered, which was so bad that it really put me off of that brand (to borrow a phrase from Edmund Blackadder it was like "brown water with grit in it"), so I've been shopping around for something better.
One of the positives thus far was indeed the Dunkin Donuts Dunkin Dark, with a nicely rounded flavor. I'd get that one again in a pinch, but I did enjoy the Newman's Own brand a bit more. It came across as more of a 'real' cup of coffee, for lack of a better term.
Lula's Latin Cuisine- Dumont, NJ (Bergen County)
We've been there when El Caney was closed, and I thought it was a good substitute, though a bit pricier. The pernil from the steam tray was off the charts, and like you said the mofongo rocks. It's great to have a place close by where you can get stuff like that- not just Cuban, but Puerto Rican, Dominican specialties as well. Personally I think the Cubano at El Caney is better, but this is a case where I think the bread choice makes all the difference (Lula's uses what looks like ordinary hero bread, as opposed to the Cuban style), but this one was good in a pinch. Overall we liked everything and vowed to return as well.
I honestly don't get why I see people putting this area down as a culinary dead zone, it seems to be so thriving to me with little joints like this all over the place. Between Dumont, Bergenfield, Hackansack, west Englewood, etc., I'd have endless choice of places to explore if I wasn't across the river most of the week. Glad to see some of these come up on this board.
-----
El Caney
48 W Church St, Bergenfield, NJ 07621
Choose My Lunch: Driving from NJ to JFK airport and need an earlyish solo lunch
When I worked in the area I used to get lunch at the canteen all of the time- I'm sure they're still doing it. I love the rava masala dosa there, and their sambar was my fave in the city.
dimsumfan- bring an appetite, you might just have time to do all of these places in the time you have alotted:)
Preserving serrano chiles -- pickling maybe?
I froze a whole lot of them last year and was really pleased with the result. If you use them in guacamole or pico de gallo, or other salsas the texture isn't really an issue. I am more conerned with the flavor, and pickling or drying alters the taste too much.
All you have to do is line a sheet pan with parchment and place them on it in a single layer. Freeze them that way, and then you can store them in a ziplock bag. When you need one or two, just take them out an hour before using them to defrost. I can't believe how handy and, well, 'acceptable' this solution was, and I'll be doing it in years to come.
Choose My Lunch: Driving from NJ to JFK airport and need an earlyish solo lunch
That would be really cool, but OP should keep in mind that parking can be pretty dicey on that part of Main Street, especially around lunch time. I usually had much better luck down by the Botanical Garden, and it's really not that bad of a walk up toward Roosevelt.
Another suggestion would be to check out Grill Point for an excellent schwarma on laffa. It is right off of the Jewel Ave exit of the Van Wyck, easy on, easy off, and parking should not be a problem.
-----
Grill Point
69-54 Main St, Queens, NY 11367
