While you are at work and taking care of business . . . I am having THE BEST DAY EVER!!! How do I know? I am writing this the day before THE day after all. Well here we go.
1. My husband has the day off and we're going to spend it TOGETHER with no kids. Well the 21 yr. old will be around but we'll avoid each other by mutual agreement.
2. We're headed to school for Darling Daughter to receive a Super Citizen award. Yes, I'm bragging! I figure I should enjoy it now. Next year she could decide she hates school and is becoming an atheist.
3. We've got a lunch date at the Boulevard Brewery! That's right, I get to take pictures of somebody else's food. Somebody who actually gets paid to cook!
4. School Art Expo/Ice Cream Social/Scholastic Book Fair is this evening! Okay, I'm still trying to sell that one to myself.
I am savoring the day before it even gets here. I figure I better enjoy it beforehand. What if I got a flat tire? What if I fall and break my leg? Life changes quickly savor your blessings NOW!
Lunch at a brewery? Big deal? YES it's a big deal. For us craft beer fans at least.
You have to understand Boulevard only has these lunches once a month. You have to enter a lottery to win the chance to buy a ticket. There is no Boulevard "chef" so they actually just recruit a local chef to come cook. Tomorrow it's the Chef from Bluestem. The only guideline is that they cook with beer and pair their offerings with beer!
Did I mention there's beer?
Lots and lots of Boulevard beer?
Did I say the chef gets to cook whatever they want?
Would you like to see pictures?
These are some of the barrels they age their "smokestack" series beers in. You gotta watch yourself with those beers. They have an alcohol content more like wine!
The bottling line!
Big old vats of beer in the making!
What? You wanted pictures of the food?
Salmon rillettes. Smoked and cured salmon chilled in a shot glass and covered with clarified butter. Spread it on the sesame crostini! Served with a lovely cucumber and radish salad with a sour cream dressing. The salmon made a rich and buttery spread. LOVED IT! Paired with ZON beer. A light crisp beer flavored with coriander! Very summery! Perfect with the rich salmon.
Lamb Chops! Served on a warm salad of dandelion greens and roasted beats! YUMMO! The morel mushroom demi-glaze's saltiness cut the bitterness of the dandelion greens perfectly! Paired with "Rye on Rye" from the Smokestack series at Boulevard. Wonderfully rich beer with a hint of sweetness that complimented the bitterness of the lamb seasoning and salad.
Maybe some dessert? A blackberry rhubarb tart with little oatmeal crumblies and vanilla gelato! Very, very tasty! Paired with a stout of the Smokestack series called "The Dark Truth." I usually don't like stouts but this one was rich, foamy, and had the sweetness of a stout with a nicely balanced bitterness. Perfect to accompany a buttery, fruity, dessert.
Maybe you'd like this short rib ravioli? Braised in Sour Brown Ale? With oyster mushrooms and English peas? Savory, meaty, tender. Beef and pasta, am I in heaven?
Perhaps some wild king salmon cured in lime juice and Zon? With a micro green salad and Zon-orange-coriander vinaigrette. It was served with Two Joker's Double Wit. It's almost too pretty to eat. Almost.
Maybe a cheese course? A smokey blue cheese with rosemary scented honey and hazelnuts? Some grilled Rosemary Olive oil bread on the side to wipe the plate with? Have mercy!
I always like it when they include something to clean the plate with. My Dear One gets so embarrassed when I lick the plate.
After I recover from Friday I'll make sure to tell you all about it. Does this make me cruel?
I better stick the camera in the purse NOW!
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