Another Porktastic day, Part two: crispity clouds of porkaliciousness.

Snack Time!
Chicharrones, for a simple pork fix there is nothing better...except for maybe bacon. Nothing like some deep fried pork skin and an ale to sustain you until dinner, and nobody makes them better than 4505 Meat's Ryan Farr. These crispity clouds of porkaliciousness are a textural miracle, they are crunchy yet melt in your mouth like only chicharrones can. They are subtley spicy and sweet without taking away from the delicate porky flavor.
I paired the chicharrones with a Rogue's Somer orange honey Ale, which was a great idea! The unfiltered sweet wheat and malt character of this ale went wonderfuly with the pork and the orange peel and chamomile lent a refreshing herbal note to cleanse the palate.
Sláinte!
http://www.4505meats.com/

Ancestry & taste...

Growing up as a kid in the California wine country, I took all the vineyards and farms for granted. I thought that maybe it was like this everywhere. Now that I’m older I see that I live in a truly magical place (gastronomically speaking) of fine artisan foods, boutique wineries and breweries.
It’s relatively easy to be a locavore here with the huge seasonal produce and meat assortment we have been given by all the hard working farmers who give us such a bounty. I cant forget to mention the wild herb and mushroom foragers, the local fisherman, and all the artisans who care enough to make the delicious cheeses, breads, charcuterie, olive oil, ice cream, chocolate, teas…well the list can go on all day, but I think you get the point.

Along with all this food come fantastic restaurants and chefs that use the local harvest to create truly world class cuisine. I live about an hour north of San Francisco and only forty minutes from Yountville and Napa, in the town of Santa Rosa, located in the heart of the Sonoma County wine country.

Immersed here since I was born, food now consumes my mind, just as much as I consume food itself (which is a lot!). If I’m not eating or cooking, I’m often found nose deep in a cookbook or thinking of new and creative ways to use an ingredient. I’ve also unknowingly developed my palate since childhood, being blessed with a family of great cooks; I’ve always appreciated food and didn’t just eat it. I’ve been finding nuances in cheese, chocolate, olive oil, Heirloom tomatoes and mushrooms while other kids were unfortunately eating processed foods.

In my adult life I’ve been nearly swimming in award winning and “cult” wines and ales, being able to relax in my own “backyard” and hear stories, and learn from some of the top winemakers in the world is truly a magnificent and humbling experience.

p.s. to all my loyal readers...sorry I've been gone for so long, I've been on several small journeys and have been busy rediscovering and finding myself. I think I've finally figured it out.
Skol!

The end of the world.

La fin du monde
PfffPOP…pop the cork on this Belgian style golden ale from Canada, and you’ll set loose bottled up aromas of tangerine, shortbread, almonds, tarragon and ginger. Gazing in at this nearly orange beer you’ll find it has little bubbles reminiscent of those found in champagne, and at 9% abv it goes down way to easy. La fin du monde has flavors of caramel green apples, and toasted-buttered banana bread. A great ale for the holiday season…if this is the End of the world sign me up, I’m ready!
www.unibroue.com/english.cfm
p.s.
To all my loyal readers, I've been really quite busy lately; I've been preparing for a move. I know it's only been two weeks since my last post but it has seemed like forever.
I promise many more frequent and lengthy posts in the near future.
Cheers!
The Gastronome.

Home brewed Beer

Beer…the sparkling, frothy nectar of the gods has been around almost as long as mankind- beer has been traced back as far as 9000 BC- and has sustained us through the toughest and best of times in human history. Home brewed beer is made by farmers for sustenance, and brewed by connoisseurs for hobby. It’s really not too hard to make and if you feel so inclined, I suggest giving it a go... you might just surprise yourself.

My latest brew, a proper British style Pale Ale is as my ancestors brewed it malty with a good hop backbone, balanced and unfiltered; CAMRA would approve.

It pours a nice golden amber color and releases the aromas of stone fruits and wild flowers with a faint piney fragrance. The first sip has flavors of biscuits and toffee; it evolves into pears and peaches with only a ghostlike bitterness on the finish. It’s very refreshing with a surprising strength that will sneak up on you. I wish I could share some with you all.

Cheers!