Tales From an Urban Chef

Sorry folks, I know I’ve been away for a while but life in the fast lane as a hot-shot chef can be very busy….Actually, I’m just a lazy schlep sometimes and things pile up, but I’m back and with a new beer dinner post! This time, I’m proud to introduce Grand Teton Brewing out of Victor Idaho. They are a new brewery who has an interesting history. I’m not sure if anyone has ever heard of the term “growler” but it is a vessel that you can use to carry beer out of an establishment in bulk to enjoy at home. When I used to work at Taco Casa in Corryville many years ago, we had our own growlers. They were used plastic gallon milk jugs that were once homes to the house-made hot sauce. We’d go to Clifton and get to go beer from Fries, pronounced frees. I believe we were actually the first guys who discovered “chili beer.” We won’t take credit for it because the beer we drank sucked. To make a long story short, growlers were illegal in many states and Grand Teton fought very hard to allow breweries to export if you will, their beer to your home. Below are some of the wonderful shots Sonya Yu took that highlights some of the cuisine I created for this event.

1st Course Grand Teton Sweet Grass paired with a tropical crab salad with passion fruit vinaigrette and fried plantain chips over mixed greens

2nd Course Grand Teton Bitch Creek ESB paired with a Okinawan Sweet Potato Soup with Spiced Creme Fraiche and Fried Shallots

3rd Course Grand Teton Festbier Marzen paired with pan seared Day Boat Scallops with a warm Red Bliss Potato Salad and a Marzen BBQ Sauce

4th Course Grand Teton Tail Waggin With paired with a Coriander rubbed 38′ North Chicken Risotto with fresh Herbs and Lemon Zest

5th Course Grand Teton Bourbon Barrled Aged Double Vision on Nitro paired with Smoked Gouda, sliced Pear, Balsamic Reduction and toasted Pistachios with La Boulange Baguette and Walnut Bread

6th Course Barrel Aged Black Couldron paired with a fresh Strawberry Cobbler with Three Twins Organic Balsamic Strawberry Ice Cream