i am so grateful for fellow foodie friends who get me! and who send me delicious treats like these decadent holiday-inspired chocolates… that look like logs for a cozy christmas fire! aren’t the beautiful?!
and my goodness they were delicious!
i’m not certain, but i believe the flavours were :
needless to say, they didn’t last too long…
i admit i am kind of disappointed in myself that i only just discovered this as of 9:07 a.m. this morning… but i will be making sure to celebrate later today! 🙂
in honour of this awesome holiday, i thought i would share some fotos of some of my favourite beers i have tried. i tend to drink beer the way i eat food – seasonally and liberally, haha.
but seriously, i like to “drink the rainbow” and i will drink beers that correlate with the seasons.
for example, now that we are in spring, i have been letting go of the darker beers and transitioning into lighter beers like wheats, belgians, and saisons. in summer you will catch me drinking IPAs, lagers, and occasional pilsners. in autumn i like my reds and of course, can’t get enough of oktobetrfests. and then when winter rolls back around i’ll divulge in browns, porters, and stouts.
i hope you enjoy! drink the rainbow! 😉
and, ya know, drink responsibly!!
although it’s not quite time for this summerfest beer, it is one of my all-time favourite beers! it’s so clean and crisp and refreshing and has a lovely finish. this lager is very easy to drink, particularly while chillin’ on the porch and enjoying the sunset. sierra nevada is also one of my all-time favourite breweries and i’ve read online they are known for having very clean water, which is very appealing to me.
i look forward to seeing this back on the shelves.
belgain witbiers have a soft spot in my heart and belly… they were the “gateway” beer for me, once i first put down the boring bottles and opened up my palate to microbrews. i love the refreshing fruitiness of a witbier! “ZON” {meaning “sun”} has a hint of coriander and a low amount of alcohol and makes this one easy to drink – like orange juice! a very pleasing brew from the missouri-based boulevard brewing company.
although this isn’t a “red,” it has a beautiful red colour. i haven’t had this one in a while, but i remember thinking it was very interesting. “raging bitch” is a belgian-style IPA, which has interesting and complex features, as you can imagine. i am a fan of flying dog brewery, but this one is rather strong {8.3%} and it’s way more of a sipping brew, for me. delicious, nonetheless… and it pairs well with spicy food. of course, i’m a fan of flying dog brewery, since they are based in maryland.
i also happen to love the bizarre cartooning on the label.
this is a great nut brown ale! it’s well-balanced and has tremendous drinkability. not too sweet, not to bitter – it’s just right. ska brewing company has fun marketing, and they are based out of a small mountain town in colorado. i haven’t tried too many of their other beers, but this one is a go-to if/when i can find it.
ohhh, lagunitas. so full of diversity and flavour… and ABV!
seriously, the brews they come up with over there in california are super-duper strong and therefore i also enjoy sipping them… i have to watch myself because those kinds of beers will go to my head rather quickly!
“undercover” is a nice and malty ale with a boozy undertone, thanks to the 9.6% ABV. it’s a beautiful colour and for some funny reason, i like drinking it while i’m munching on pickles.
new belgium is my all-time favourite brewing company. my affinity for them dates back to 2006 when i reached out to the company and had the most pleasant interaction with one of the staff members, via email. the employee-owned colorado company comes up with some of the most unique flavour combinations and i love to support their “green” mission.
“giddy-up” does not disappoint in the “unique combinations” arena. brewed with espresso and lemon peel, this medium ale packs a power punch of flavours.
who doesn’t love chocolate and peanut butter?!
put that combination together in a beer, and i’m happy as a clam. i discovered this limited edition chocolate peanut butter imperial porter shortly after moving to north carolina. this state has some funny liquor laws, but one of the benefits of it, is you can drink a beer in beer stores. they also sell a lot of “single serving” beers, so it’s fun to create your own 6-pack and sample stuff you may have never tried… which i did when purchasing this beer from horny goat brewery in wisconsin {ha – that name!}
it’s pretty much as delicious as it sounds and makes for a perfect after-dinner brew, as it basically tastes like dessert.
the ultimate “dessert beer” for me – at least until i discover something that replaces it – is this decadent porter from saranac brewing company out of new york.
i will mention, it is extremely sweet. you’ll want to drink more than one, but for me, one is enough because of the sweetness. and this brew literally tastes exactly like a s’more… it’s kind of mind-blowing. hints of graham cracker, chocolate, and even marshmallow make your palate do a happy-dance.
what are some of your favourite beers?
i tried my hand at making my own corned beef and cabbage dinner for saint patrick’s day this year. i chose to just kept it simple with some pickling spices and brown sugar for my brine. i purchased the {grass-fed} brisket at the farmers market; it was close to 6 pounds.
perfect for plenty of leftovers.
there are so many methods and recipes out there, and after tons of research, i decided to do a simple 3-day brine {it was all the time i had anyway} and boil the meat on the stovetop, which is apparently how a traditional new england dinner is prepared.
i brought my brine to a simmer for about a half hour, then let it cool and refrigerated it for a couple of hours, until it was nice and chilled.
when ready, i poured the mixture into a brining bag with the brisket and immediately stuck it in the fridge to begin soaking up the flavour. i wish i would’ve prepared for more time, but as it was, i brined this for just under 72-hours.
to cook, i emptied the brine, rinsed off the meat, and stuck in a huge stock pot of water {enough to cover plus 1 inch} to simmer for about 30 minutes. then i drained, refilled the pot with water and brought to a simmer again, cooking for about 3 hours until tender. i added in my potatoes and carrots about an hour before finishing, and then tossed in some cabbage near the end.
it came out pretty yummy, overall. i served it with some irish soda bread… that i did NOT make, since i’m a lousy baker. my family seemed to really enjoy this method. i liked it because it was simple and i only had to use the one stock pot. it got me thinking about the history of the dish and how “back in the day” most families probably only owned one stock pot, anyway. so it makes sense that they would cook everything as simple as possible.
i will say, i think a longer brining process would’ve added more flavour, but i as i said, i only had a little under 3 days. the meat was still nice and tender and moist, but in my opinion, it could’ve had more of the “corned beef” flavour. i also chose not to add in the preservatives that make it create that pink colour.
overall i was very pleased with this st. patrick’s day meal. it was fun to make, and next year i’ll experiment with more time.
i hope you all had a nice day.
slainte!
i hope you all rang in 2017 with peace and love.
i think it’s pretty cool that the new year fell in line with a new moon… great time for reflecting, releasing, and focusing on things we want to let go of, as well as things we want to invite in.
sending all the best to you and yours as we march boldly into a new year full of new possibilities. to celebrate, i made a vision board, which is kind of a tradition of mine. i don’t like to get too crazy with resolutions, but a few of my “goals” this year include learning to sew, practicing my piano every day, buying a new camera, and keeping a daily journal.
what were some of your resolutions?
looking forward to a healthy year… mind, body, and spirit.
i want to take a moment to sincerely thank you all for being a part of my life. for taking the time to read what i write, for enjoying my fotos, for your emails, your comments, your jokes, and your love. i appreciate every word and interaction and cherish each one dearly. some of you have been along for the ride since the very beginning… and it just means so much to me to have you here! ❤
alcoholic rootbeer.
when i first discovered this, i wasn’t exactly excited. it sounded a little weird to me. but oh my goodness is this stuff good! it’s kind of a trend right now, i guess. i’ve tried a few brands, but this one is my favourite by far. it’s amazing how much it tastes just like rootbeer!!! the label recommended pouring it over ice… which, again, sounded odd to me but i tried it anyway. and it’s very good!
however, it’s also very very sweet and has a ton of sugar in it, so i only drink one on occasion for fun. and i highly recommend you do, as well!
🙂
… and she is {ironically} not really a fan of having her picture taken.
😛
finger-lime soda water…
a friend of mine gave me a sample of these delicious and interesting FINGER LIMES! yes, that is their name. and one can see why, eh?! they look like little nubby fingers…
perfect for halloween, i say!
after cutting one open, i remembered that i had tried them before! here’s part of the description i read :
“The globular juice vesicles inside these citrus fruits have been likened to a “lime caviar”, which can be used as a garnish or added to various recipes. The fresh vesicles have the effect of a burst of effervescent tangy flavour as they are chewed. The fruit juice is acidic and similar to that of a lime.”
those little vesicles are so fun to eat! they “pop” in your mouth and they flavour is intense!
the fruit itself is so interesting-looking! some of them are pink inside!
i made a little bubbly water with my sodastream and squeezed in some of the finger limes and their juices, along with these halloween-themed ice cubes.
it was super yummy!
of course, the adults could add in a little vodka or libation of choice… 😉
when i was a kid and i would be lucky enough to have a glass of soda as a treat, i used to sit there with my mom and be like, “check it out ma, the bubbles are taking the elevator to the top!” and she would giggle… and to this day i remember that and thought of it when these little vesicles floated to the top of this glass. 😉
ohhhh, that childhood imagination.
wishing you all a safe and happy halloween!
are you dressing up? and if so, as what?!
i made these yummy cookies in 2012 for the holiday, and it’s become a tradition ever since.
it’s no secret to those who know me well, that i am not a good baker. i can whip up things in the kitchen over a skillet pretty amazingly, but one can’t “wing it” when baking… it is a legit science! and i respect that… i just can’t seem to nail it.
but i did with these cookies! Continue reading
food & foto 