Beers on our Minds (aka BOOM) – Session Black

The members of the Delicious Attack trio have been avid beer samplers for many years now, constantly searching for the next best brew.  For a long stretch we were hooked on heady stouts and powerful porters.  Then came ferociously hoppy IPAs and robust barleywines.  Our palates changed quite dramatically and we moved on to sour ales and gueuze.  I’m not sure if it was a matter of circumstance or maybe a need for something new after assaulting our gullets with highly-acidic brews, but about a year and a half back we changed our focus a bit and set our collective gaze on rum, bourbon, mezcal, and whiskey.  Now, I must make note that we had always sampled spirits during our beer days and certainly maintained an interest in beer during our spirits phase, though we do seem to have obsessive and compulsive tendencies…and not to mention competitive natures.  Our competitive natures are WAY better than yours, FYI.  Anyway, I digress.  Back to the matter at hand.   The other day while having a couple of drinks out at The Butcher Shop in the South End of Boston, I decided to mix it up and try a beer I had never had/seen before.  The beer was called Session Black and is produced by Full Sail Brewing Company, located in Hood River, OR.  I’m going to go pretty far out on a limb here, but it was one of the top 5 best beers I have EVER had.

Adventures in Earl Grey, part 1: Tuiles

Tired of using coffee as a crutch, about 4 months back I kicked the habit. Sure I’ve dabbled since then, but not once have I looked back longingly. Starbucks, bad breath, and that humming nervous feeling of having imbibed too much caffeine can take a hike.

In its place, I have nurtured a taste for Earl Grey tea that has grown into a veritable addiction. I have bulk ordered “double bergamot” varieties unavailable locally, and become known for regularly toting a flashy glass tea vessel for loose-leaf on the go.

In an unabashed effort to push my Earl Grey fanaticism yet further, tonight I bring you the first installment of Adventures in Earl Grey, an exploration of the many less common uses of a tea that I have grown to love.

A Mushroom called Morchella

In January I closed the chapter on my exotic and challenging life in Podgorica, Montenegro, and took up residence in a green suburb of Brussels, Belgium. In doing so I left behind burrek and endless variations on grilled meat in exchange for a cheesier, French-style cuisine and excessive potato (and potato-like substances). Convinced that neither cuisine is overwhelmingly healthy, I’ve taken to describing my transition as a horizontal move from greasy/meaty to fatty/starchy.

One edible that I recently came across that fits the Belgium mold is morchella mushrooms sautéed with butter (recipe below the break). This treat, revealed to me by the ‘mushroom man’ at my local Sunday farmers market, constituted a spectacular Easter dinner almost* entirely by itself.