I've had family in town for a bit so my postings to the blog have been less than frequent. Still, this is a time of year that I am thankful that there is family to share with so please forgive my absence. Hopefully I can make up for it in the coming weeks.

Yesterday, while the ladies were out braving the crowds and getting their fill of Black Friday specials and overworked credit cards… OK, I have to take a minute here to reiterate a point my brother-in-law brought up yesterday. If you are buying a case of something that you don’t really need because you can save 10% by buying 12, you can save 100% by not buying it at all. This is something that may be only the male of the species can see, but I feel that at this time of the year, it is a point worth mentioning.

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My heritage is English and German with a healthy dose of French-Canadian thrown in for luck. When I was growing up, a dumpling was a delicacy that came from the Chinese takeout two towns over. Then I had the great fortune to meet and eventually marry the wonderful Ms Cocktail. She is Polish, Polish and more Polish. She is also a great cook which she inherited from her mother (it’s also part of what inspires me, but that is an entirely different story).

One of the things that I got introduced to from Ms Cocktail’s mom is pierogies. These are little dumplings stuffed with various fillings that can range from cheese to potatoes to sauerkraut or even meat. The most important thing is that they are delicious little bombs of flavor. They can also be a touch time consuming to prepare which is why they are typically made in large batches and frozen for future use.

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According to Beer Advocate, there are 100 recognized styles of beer plus a couple that they haven’t figured out what to do with yet. I like some of these much better than others. Some of them, I won’t do any more than taste. Some of them, I can’t stop drinking. At the end of the article I’ve included the list of recognized beer styles.

The entire list is pretty extensive. It’s the second category that we find ourselves buried in today and that is Belgian/French Ales. The ale that I recently tried is called St Rieul Grand Cru. This is done in the style of a tripel. Now there several are theories as to what a tripel is but the most accepted on is that it somehow indicates the strength of the beer. I’m fine with that definition as most of the tripels I’ve had in the past tend to be on the stronger side. This beer is no different. It comes in at 9.0% alcohol and is most definitely a sipper.

Actually according to the label, this is a “biere triple sur lie”. Sur lie is not a beer term but one that was borrowed from the wine world. It means literally ‘on lees’ or left on the yeast and other sediment that would normally collect on the bottom of the fermentation tank. In the beer world it means that the beer is unfiltered and that final fermentation occurred in the bottle, thereby having the carbonation in the beer be provided by the remaining yeast rather than injected carbon dioxide. The net result of this technique is a carbonation that is composed of smaller bubbles, thereby giving a creamier mouth feel.

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Ever since the dawn of time, or at least that time that includes access to fire, man has been cooking meat over flame. It took a little while, but eventually, we got down the concept of not scorching or burning or incinerating the meat on the outside while things were still raw on the inside. So that meant regulating the temperature affecting the meat. Whether this was over an open flame and adjusting the distance between the meat and the flame or by enclosing the meat and flame within a space like a grill, we’ve found ways to control the reaction between fire and meat so that we get great results.

We’ve also discovered variations on a theme here. In some instances we like to sear the outside of the meat and then leave the inside only slightly warm such as when cooking a steak. Not all meats take to this technique though. Notably, both chicken and pork can cause pretty severe health problems if not cooked all the way through. So we can’t cook all our meats at a very high temperature. Sometimes we must vary the temperature and the time the meat cooks in order to have the meat done to completeness while still leaving it edible.

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Did you ever notice that Americans are extremists? Nothing is done right if it isn’t done at full speed with a healthy dose of violence thrown in for good measure. The best example of this that I can think of is the National Football  League. The NFL is the single most popular sport in America. Every play there are three hundred pound men that can move quick as a cat crashing into each other and trying to separate other large and quick men from the object they are carrying around.

We can’t get enough of it. Otherwise normal everyday folks dress up in costume and transform into rabid, chest pounding, vitriol spewing legions that inhabit places like the Dog Pound or the Black Hole. They brave searing heat and bitter cold, rain, snow and howling winds, all so that they can be part of something bigger than themselves. This is America at its most flamboyant, extremist self and we love every minute of it.

In case people missed it when watching the replay of Eli Manning’s escape and subsequent circus like catch by David Tyree in Super Bowl XLII for the 338th time (I can revel in that particular moment of glory forever it seems, what can I say, I’ve got issues), we like our beer the same way. Ever since the microbrew revolution hit this country back in the 1980’s we have slowly but surely been ratcheting up our beers in a manner similar to the way we like everything else. Full speed and with just a touch of violence.

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Today is November second. That means my days are now filled with the joyful task of picking up all the leaves that are currently cluttering up my yard. The reason these leaves are falling, as many of you have already either guessed or experienced, is that the weather is turning colder now. There are no potted plants left alive, there’s a touch of frost in the mornings and I’d prefer to just stay under the covers for the day.

It also means that I get to make food that warms me from the inside out, so that’s not such a bad thing. I love soups and stews during this time of year. Last week, I made my mom’s French onion soup. Yesterday, I made a shrimp etouffee that carries enough heat to bring sweat to your forehead. So exactly why am I reviewing a German wheat beer today? Aren’t these supposed to be summertime, drink when it’s hot out, light beers?

Well, it has to do with two things. The first is that it was highly recommended by a patron of Cork and Fork. In fact, this person loves the beer so much that he regularly asks for it by name. The second reason is the aforementioned etouffee. It is such a rich dish that it screams for a wine to be served with it. However, after the meal, you want something light and easily drinkable to finish off the rest of the evening with. A wine that pairs well with rich foods is not always the best choice as a sipper later in the evening. Therefore, enter the Vitus.

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