Hopped up Jalapenos

I love to use inspiration from my Mexican and Russian heritage as often as possible when cooking. Whether I'm adding jicama to salad or a splash of pepper to a dish, staying rooted to my heritage has never steered me in the wrong direction. This is why I decided that pickling up some jalapenos would be the best addition to summer barbecues and warm nights. 

Keeping in mind that hops magnify the heat of peppers I decided to pickle some mild jalapenos in an extra hoppy pale ale to give them some kick and also bring out the citrusy notes of the hot pepper and the coriander!

Beer Pickled Jalapenos

2tbsp honey

1tbsp salt

2tsp whole coriander

1tsp whole mustard seed

pinch of whole pepper corns

juice from one lime

1/3 cup golden balsamic

1/3 cup white vinegar

1 1/2 cups of beer (I used Knee Deep's Citra Extra Pale Ale)

7 mild jalapenos

-Slice up your jalapenos thinly and set aside in heat proof container

-Add honey, salt, spices, vinegars, lime juice, and 1 cup of the beer to a pot and simmer

-Simmer pickling liquid for about 5 minutes

-Add 1/2 cup of beer and remove from heat for a couple minutes

-Pour liquid over sliced jalapenos and cover container

-You can enjoy them after about 2 hours and they will keep for a couple weeks if properly refrigerated!

Pair your jalapenos with grilled meats, tacos, charcuterie and of course a refreshing beer!

Don't forget to share pictures of your Hopped up Jalapenos with me on Instagram with #fugglybrew!

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Holiday Beer Buying Guide for Beginners

When you're on your way to see family and old friends for the holidays, the last thing you want to stress out about is what to bring. You are already getting the 9th degree of what you've been doing with your life the last year, who you're dating, why you're putting up with that soul-sucking job, when will you pop the question to your girlfriend of 5 years... Chances are you're already pretty stressed out and what better way to lubricate the situation than with a little booze.

Here's a few tips for the beginner on bringing beer to your holiday table.

Don't Be A Scrooge
This is not the time of year to grab a 30-rack, or a 12-pack of aluminum bottles. If you're looking to save a little money check out some of the beers in the bombers ( 22oz bottles) section. During this time of year they have holiday beers that are usually spiced with a heavier alcohol and flavor profile. If you're looking to splurge check out a Magnum (1.5L) or Jeraboam (3L bottles)-- these beers are great for parties or if your host or hostess is a connoisseur these are great for cellaring 'till next year.

Go Local
Skip BevMo and go to the bottle shop down the street. The guys there will be knowledgeable and able to help you pick out a good beer to go with your meal as well as let you know new beers and special releases that are around just for the season.

From The Source
The best beer is usually fresh beer, and during the holidays fresh hop beer is king. If you live near a brewery go in and ask if they have any wet hop or fresh hop beer you can get in a growler (refillable 64oz glasses from the brewery). It goes with well with stinky cheeses and mild meats and is perfect for a course of canapes.

Hostess Gifts 
Proper glassware is always a plus whether you're at a restaurant or enjoying a "brewski" at home. Grab a set of tulip glasses on your way out of the bottle shop or brewery for your hostess to enjoy the beer you brought. The right glass increases your enjoyment by opening up the aromas and like a wine, allowing the flavor profile to open up and relax.

The most important part of buying beer is to have a little fun, if you see Santa's Butt-- buy it! Drinking should be enjoyable

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Kilt Lifting Pecan Logs

While reading up on Scotch Ales I got a little craving for Moylan's Kilt Lifter, an nice wee heavy ale that warms the soul and make studying much more enjoyable! I was almost down to my last little bit when I thought to myself how fantastic this would be with pecans and it struck me! I wonder if I can make some sort of pecan candy with the beer! So I toyed with the idea of making turtles and I remembered how much my mother loves pecan logs but always complains about how sweet they usually are, so I tried my hand at making some. The sugars in the basic caramel really bring out the rich maltiness of this beer and the way the hops play upon the meatiness of the hops is an herbal mouth-dance not to be missed. A word of caution: Sugar get's hot (Don't give me that look) I gave myself a nice welt while trying to taste it so please be careful!

1/4 cup butter
large buttered platter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup Scotch Ale
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 can Condensed Milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups pecans

1. In a small pot place butter, sugar, beer, corn syrup, milk, and vanilla extract.
2. Place pot over medium heat and stir consistently until thick and forms a firm ball when dripped in cold water (may take an hour this is not a simple process).
3. Pour Caramel onto a large chilled pre-buttered platter and place in the refrigerator until just still warm (about 5 minutes).
4. Separate into three balls.
5. Place Pecans into a dish
6. Roll caramel balls into logs and press into the pecans until coated to your liking for each ball/roll.
7. Let Pecan Rolls fully cool to room temperature, and Enjoy!
(A variation to this is to pour rows of caramel over the pecans and roll into logs but do not do this unless you have silicon gloves to prevent burning...trust me this stuff is sticky and HOT!!

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Carnitas Demystified - a recipe for carnitas made with beer!

The days are getting longer and the nights are starting to heat up. It's time for short dresses, Taco Tuesdays, Wino Wednesdays and espadrilles! If you're entertaining a large group of people the last thing you want to be doing is finding yourself stuck in the kitchen filling beef wellingtons or mini quiches. Carnitas have been a favorite party food for ages because they feed a good sized group of people for a moderately low price and they're not as challenging as one may think. Below I have my recipe for Cerveza Carnitas, a quick roasted salsa and a crisp salad sure to be a winner at your next soiree!

Cerveza Carnitas

2 bay leaves

2 tbsp cumin

Kosher salt

1 tsp red pepper

1 Whole onion

2 crushed cloves of garlic

Mexican chocolate (2 pieces)

Lard (optional based upon the leanness of the pork...)

Boston butt/pork shoulder

2 Oranges

1 Ancho pepper (or one Jalapeño)

Half a Habanero (personal preference based on heat)

Growler of beer (For this one I used Anderson Valley's Crema Cerveza however I have also used Organic Bison Chocolate Stout and Rogue Hazelnut Brown Ale and had fantastic flavor harmonies)

You can add oranges for extra sweetness!

Night before: Cover your Boston butt in kosher salt and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate till you're ready to cook.

Slice Boston butt (1" slices for crispy, 3" for crispy with a tender center)

In a deep pot (cast iron is preferable since it retains flavors and distributes heat well) place meat slices along bottom then add bay leaves, peppers, oranges, cumin, garlic, and onions-adding enough beer to barely submerge the meat (remember that all the liquid needs to be boiled off to have the rendered fat for frying) turn on medium high heat, cover and cook for about an hour and a half to two hours.Be sure to turn meat over every 20 minutes or so, keeping an eye on liquid levels but be careful not to leave the cover off too long (evaporation happens faster than you think!).

I used AVBC Crema Cerveza for this batch but others work too!

Once juices have been evaporated you will see a clear liquid at the bottom producing large lazy bubbles (this is the rendered lard from the pork) turn down heat. I like to take out the onion and orange at this part so it doesn't fry and char during the next part. Cover and let cook for 30 minutes.

If there is less than an inch of the rendered pork fat on the bottom of the pan add a couple tbsps of lard and let melt. (I never said this was a diet food!!!)

Increase heat and let it boil furiously uncovered until meat starts to darken.

Add two segments of chocolate and mix it in briskly until dissolved and the meat is crispy and falling apart.

Turn off heat and remove meat from pan and there you have your beautiful carnitas!

If only we had smell-o-vision!

I like it best served with my roasted green salsa and a bright jicama salad!

Salsa:

2-lb of tomatillos

1 jalapeño

garlic

cilantro

1 large avocado

During the last 30 min of cooking start roasting fresh ingredients for the sauce until blistered and place in food processor with an avocado, add salt to taste.

1 jicama root

a couple of oranges

cucumber

red onion

chili powder

a couple key limes

For the salad just chop up ingredients and add salt chili powder and lime juice for flavor.

Serve with tortillas and your favorite cerveza! Salud!

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Options For Cinco De Mayo

It's Cinco De Mayo, America's favorite day to indulge in the wonderfully addicting food of Mexico and of course booze! Along with all the wonderful tequila's that will be consumed so will copious quantities of Tecate's, Pacifico's, Dos Equis and heaven forbid Bud Lime. I am here just to drop a friendly note regarding alternatives to these American-style lagers and some tasty dishes to pair with them!

Cucapá, named after the native tribe of Baja California, or Cerveceria de Baja California is a first in Mexican craft beer advocacy promoting a culture for good beer and awareness that there is more to beer than just Pacifico.

The Cucapá Honey Amber (4.5%) is a beautifully sessionable beer with a rich tan color and aromas of toasty nuts and light citrus. It's flavor had a deep flavor, almost of a savory french toast, very bright and refreshing. This beer plays well with the that of lightly salted corn chips and my Mango-Avocado Salsa!

Mango-Avocado Salsa
1 Firm but ripe Avocado, peeled + diced
1 Mango, peeled + diced
1 Jalapeno, roasted+ chopped
1/3 Cup Red Onion, chopped
3 key limes
chopped cilantro to taste
2 Roma Tomatoes, diced
Salt and Pepper

The Cucapá Obsura Brown Ale (4.5%) pours a bay brown with swirls of roasted toffee and molasses aromas. It's dry nutty flavor with hints of dutched chocolate make for a lovely pairing with Carne Asada!

The Chupacabra has indeed been found in Cucapá's Pale Ale (5.8%)! A medium bodied, deep caramel colored ale with citrus and savory complexities is the perfect companion for your evenings main dish of Camarones A La Diabla or Pescado Al Mojo De Ajo.

Of all the beer's that I've tasted by Cerveceria de Baja California my favorite by far is the Cucapá Barleywine (10%). With gobs and layers of caramel and chocolate covered orange peel, this black cherry colored barleywine is the perfect night cap for your cozy Cinco de Mayo dinner.

For those of you planning to do more drinking than cooking for Cinco De Mayo and in my growing excitement for the upcoming Boonville Beerfest I would also like to tell you about my new guilty pleasure that is Anderson Valley Brewing Co.'s Cerveza Crema (5.6%). This is a super smooth, lightly sweet cream ale reminiscent of an old fashioned cream soda. I was super excited when I tried this because of it's simplicity and it's crisp finish, perfect for a hot day! If you're looking for something to pair with your fiesta's flan this is definitely the beer!

Have a fun and safe festivity! ¡Salud!

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Irish Carbomb Cupcakes of Awesomeness

I have recently returned from the beautiful Mendocino coast to come back to the deafening noise of the city. We were up there to celebrate my father's birthday and my husband's 30th birthday with a BBQ and a keg. (The keg was North Coast Red Seal for those of you interested and yes I did use it to baste the 65 lb pig that we roasted...and yes it was amazingly delicious!) However, while I was up there my good friend Marina decided to surprise us with *drum roll* IRISH CARBOMB CUPCAKES!!!! There is a little cupcake shop up in Cotati (they also have locations in Napa and Santa Rosa) named Sift, that carries an array of tasty and not to mention visually stimulating cupcakes. These cupcakes were so good that on our way back south we had to stop and bought whatever was left of that days batch! Well sadly we're done with what small supply we had but apparently that was not enough and my husband reminded me that I didn't make him a cake for his birthday and he "wants carbomb cupcakes!" So this is the recipe that I came up with. Where I don't know how exactly Sift makes them or their exact recipe I decided to adapt my own based on the inspiration.

ProTip: I made my cupcakes mini. Maximize cuteness, minimize caloric intake!

What you will need for the cake part:

4tbsp of unsweetened coco (or 4OZ unsweetened chocolate, tempered)

1.5 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, at room temp

1.25 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract)

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 cup Guinness

Heat the oven to 375f and line the cupcake tin with those cute little paper cups

sift the four, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar in a large separate bowl until it's nice and creamy.

Slowly mix in the coco (or melted chocolate)

Add the eggs one at a time till each is well beaten into the mix

Add the Vanilla and the sour cream until you see no more white and the mix has lightened.

Slowly add half the flour mixture but don't over beat.

Add the beer.

Add the rest of flour mixture until it's just mixed in.

Fill the cups and bake till you can stick a tooth pick in and it comes out clean (approx 25 minutes)

...

For the Irish Butter Cream:

2 sticks of butter at room temp (In the words of Julia Child "You can never have too much butter!)

2 cups of confectioners sugar (you may want to add more depending on your taste)

1/4 cup Bailey's or other Irish Cream Liquor

Blend till smooth!


...............................

ASSEMBLAGE

Now here's where I'm sure my recipe differs :D

Cool off your Guinness Muffins on a rack! When they're cool poke them with a fork or tooth pick and make a few little holes on top. With an eye dropper, small baster, or straw- Drip Jameson (or Irish Whiskey of your choice) on to the top to saturate just the tops but to not make it soggy. Then pipe on your icing and decorate as you wish!

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I know this is probably what you would consider a "St.Patricks Day Blog" but I'm not Irish so I don't care. I don't need it to be St. Patty's Day to enjoy an Irish Carbomb do you? I didn't think so!

If you are however, in California's beautiful Wine country do make a stop at Sift! They have everything from Pink champagne to Black Cherry bliss cupcakes. They're seriously to die for!

I hope you enjoy the recipe and I look forward to hearing your reviews and how yours came out, so leave me a comment in the section below!

Next up I'm celebrating (the very tail end) of American Craft Beer Week at Stone Brewery tomorrow in Escondido so check back with me for a review of that awesomeness coming your way!

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Mac 'n' Beer Cheese

I feel like I have abandoned my beer blog, however I have not abandoned beer! I will be documenting my honeymoon (aka beer tour of the pacific north west) in the next few days. For now, however, I will start back off with my really amazing (and amazingly easy) recipe for Mac ‘n’ Beer cheese. A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to get a day off and drove to the Stone Brewing Co. in Escondido, aside from having amazing beer and wonderful taste in architectural design, Stone’s new location has a fantastic beer garden and restaurant. According to my sister-in-law I can take Mac ‘n’ cheese to new heights whether it be with seafood or Chorizo I can take you around the world with a bowl of Mac, and that’s exactly what Stone did here with their IPA Mac ‘n’ beer cheese.

I have made this recipe several times with several different kinds of beer; I have used Newcastle, Fat Tire, Stone IPA, Stone Ruination, and Guinness (which I don’t really recommend a stout for this it tastes…well…silly.) Another thing to note is the kind of mac ‘n’ cheese you use. If you use the boxed kind that you need to add milk and butter to I recommend omitting the milk and substituting it with the beer of your choice. For the best consistency I recommend using either the preprepared cheese sauce or making it from scratch (I like Alton Brown’s recipe using evaporated milk)

What you will need:

2 boxes(about 16 oz) mac ‘n’ cheese of your choice

1 kielbasa sliced thinly

1c. Beer of your choice (any ale will work perfectly or Belgium, I’d stay away from porters or stouts)

Rosemary

Garlic

Half an onion (diced)

2 tbs of butter

1c. Asiago or parmesan grated

What to do:

Cook your pasta ( boil to al dente or however you like it)

Drain Pasta add olive oil or butter to keep it from sticking to itself.

Sauté half an onion and add one whole kielbasa to the sauté.

Add Onion and sausage mixture to the pasta and then add the cheese mix (if using Alton’s recipe add the sausage to the sauce when you’re making the sauce)

Add one cup of beer to the cheese mix and half the amount of milk asked for on the box (in Alton’s recipe omit 2 oz of milk and replace with beer)

Mix together over very low heat and add rosemary, garlic, and the extra cheese (Alton’s doesn’t need the extra cheese since it’s in the recipe).

Cover, turn off heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes (to cool down, but also because things still cook after you’ve turned off the heat)

Serve and enjoy with your favorite beer!

Stay tuned, I will be reviewing my wedding and honeymoon beer exploits soon!

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Beer Bread Recipe

I have been on a bit of a bread baking kick these last couple weeks; it’s been a nice break from the intensive math course I’m taking. Last night I was looking to replace my last loaf and thought about making beer bread. Most of the beer bread recipes that you find on the internet are quick breads meaning that they rely on the yeasty flavor of the beer and baking powder to do the raising and giving a faux bread flavor, not always resulting in the fluffiest of breads. So last night I made a simple leavened bread of Parmesan and basil and beer.

Ingredients:



1 12-oz bottle of beer (I used Blue Star Wheat Beer to add a light flavor but a pale ale would probably be best, or an amber ale for whole wheat to add a heavier flavor)

1 packet of yeast (any kind of yeast will do, for this I used simple bakers yeast but as we all know you get different flavors from the thousands of those little buggers out there!)

3 ½ c. all purpose flour (whole wheat flour is a nice substitute too!)

1 ½ tsp. kosher salt

½ c. grated Parmesan (Asiago works wonderfully if you have a hoppier beer)

¼ c. fresh or dried basil

Pepper for taste

Olive Oil for coating pan and bread (Olive oil leaves a wonderful flavor so I don’t recommend using corn, vegetable oils, etc.

1. Place beer into a mug or bowl and heat up 15 seconds at a time until warm.
2. Mix in yeast and let sit for about 5 minutes or until creamy looking.
3. In a separate bowl sift the flour, salt and a few turns of pepper together.
   
4. Then mix in the cheese and basil
   
5. Start mixing a half cup at a time of the flour mixture to the beer and yeast until the dough has pulled away from the walls.
   
6. Lightly flour a work surface and start kneading the dough for about 8 minutes
   
7. Once fully kneaded place dough in a well oiled bowl and make sure the surface of your dough ball is covered in oil as well.
   
8. Cover with a damp towel and place in a warm space for 40minutes to an hour’s time (or till it’s doubled in size)
   
9. Once it has doubled roll it back out on to the floured surface and kneed a bit more. You can form the bread as you like either as buns or rolls or keep it a big ball.
   
10. Once your dough is formed, rub with oil and place it on a well oiled baking sheet (or if you’re using a loaf pan or other form make sure it’s well oiled).
    
11. If you are making a loaf you can sprinkle a little cheese on top, some basil or both for a nice topping.
    
12. Cover your buns again with the damp cloth and let rise for another 40 minutes.
    
13. While it’s rising the second time preheat your oven to °400 F.
    
14. Once it’s done rising remove cloth and bake for 20 minutes.
    

This is a really good bread for sandwiches (salami and provolone with spinach is especially good) or even croutons, if you slice it up and re-bake it with strong Parmesan on top and use it with a salad.

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