Steak and Kidney Pie Wars

When I was in England and it was my birthday, the one thing I would consistently ask for, other than a   hasselblad,

was steak and kidney pie. Usually this had to be Fray Bentos.

Now the before cooked image does not do justice to what is about to  follow

After the top of the tin is removed the bottom serves as the baking pan. Preheat the oven, (Yes Tammy, that would include you, if you ever followed directions.), place pie on a baking sheet. Sit back and enjoy the delicious aroma as the pie crust cooks to a golden brown.

Now since it was my birthday month I did break out one of these delicious pies, but I also did a sort of homemade version using Princess steak and kidney pie filling.

I used American style biscuits for the crust: Grands Flaky Layers Butter Tastin Biscuits. The crust was good, but the filling left a lot to be desired. Unlike the Fray Bentos, Princess, as I was forced to recall, had less meat and less fantastic flavour. So in the Princess vs. Fray Bentos challenge The Princess was flattened.

Just as a foot note to any of my wonderful sisters who happen to visit and or find other ways to get steak and kidney to me Fray Bentos is king! LONG LIVE THE KING!!!

Elder Betty, Coffee Crisp, and Violet Crumble

  The following several posts are late in being posted. Other things took over and the post was stalled until my family convinced me I had truly been remiss.
February birthday celebration continues, with Elder Betty from Mad Hatter.

This beer has a good flavour that does justice to its name. The elderberry flavour complements the flavour of the beer. Not a heavy or strong flavour but an enjoyable one.

I also tasted  a couple of my Christmas gifts. The first, Coffee Crisp, is one of my wifes favourites. (Which shows how giving she can be) It is, however, confusing that she likes it, since its pleasent coffee flavour would normally have her spitting it out. She hates coffee.

Anyway a nice mild coffee flavour, with a crisp wafer, surrounded in a nice thin layer of chocolate. MMM...good.

Finally Violet Crumble, made by Nestle in Australia, a poor imitation of Crunchie bars, which I love. You might think by saying this I am saying I don't like Violet Crumble. Well, you would be wrong. I very much enjoyed this.It's just that I like Crunchie more.

Something interesting I did find with this, and several other chocolate/candy items: the recipe changes from country to country. England offers the best version. Australia's is still good, but not as good. And least favourite is Canada, where things like bicarbonate of soda can clearly be tasted in items like Crunchie bars. Normally it is either not present or very subtle.

Happy Birthday month to me. (Although this shows Pacific time for some reason, where I am it is February).
 I came up with a theory a few years ago. let me know by the comments section if this makes sense to you. OK, here goes.

When you are young you have a birthday. After all, according to the actuary tables, the younger you are the longer you are likely to live (I know.No guarantees.This is just probability)After you have lived into your twenties you should probably celebrate your birthday for the equivalent of a weekend. If, as the saying goes, God's willing and the creek don't rise, you make it to your forties, celebrate for a week. (Why not? You earned it). Well, I made it to fifty last year, so a month of celebration is a more appropriate reward. After all, who knows how many birthdays lie ahead? 

With the cheery part in mind,ie celebrating my birthday month,let the party begin.

Tonight we start with an item that my oldest daughter recommended whilst we were on a three hour saunter around the grocery store.

Skinny sticks, (multi grain sweet onion). She described them as hipster onion rings.

First observation is they are nice and crisp.The flavour is good, but sadly more subtle than I would like. The sticks are square but hollow in the middle, meaning they fool me into thinking I am eating more than I am, so maybe I won't feel the need to eat as many. I keep dipping in for more so they can't be too bad. Would I buy them again?Yes, if the price is right, They remind me of some kind of corn stick snack I had in England when I was younger. Can't recall the name. Below are the official details. They did make me thirsty, so below is a quick review of  O'Fallon cherry chocolate beer.

  Multi-Grain
Sweet Onion

(Case of 12)

Hi, I’m a Skinny! I am a multi-grain based stick that’s perfect for guilt free snacking.
I’m loaded with all kinds of grains (whole ground corn, rice, oat flour, and barley). With just the right amount of sweet onion taste, I’m fat on flavor, but I won’t make the scales or your skinny jeans a scary thought.

• All natural
• 40% less fat than potato chips
• 15g of Whole grains per serving
• Non-GMO ingredients 

O’Fallon Cherry Chocolate Beer

 A lot lighter in colour than some chocolate beers. It has a bubbly head. The chocolate and the cherry are definetly present, though I would like both, especially the cherry, to be slightly more pronounced.Still, tasty and a nice change. Wet my whistle after those skinny sticks. Official word on beer below.

Well if time permits I will review a lot of taste sensations this month since tasting is what I like to do to celebrate.

A dark wheat beer that tastes like a chocolate covered cherry…only better! Available December1.
Style: Dark Wheat Alcohol: 5.7% ABV Bitterness: 10 IBUs Color: 13.3 SRM Grain: Pale, White Wheat, Caramel 40L, Chocolate Hops:Cluster

Mendocino Brewery Eye of the Hawk Ale

  Mendocino Brewery brings us the Eye of the Hawk,a fairly full flavoured beer Other reviews on this beer will tell you about its lacing, its head, its body, but to me flavour is king. This I would say was a lady in waiting in the royal court, but not royalty. Still, well worth drinking. Not, as one review described it, something that they poured the rest of away. What a waste. Well, here is the official word, so until I taste again I bid you peace.

  Eye of the Hawk is an excellent, rich bodied ale that is brewed to perfection. "Eye" is coppery reddish-amber in color and its unique taste is the result of a judicious mix of caramel and pale malted barley, balanced with Cluster, Cascade and Saaz hops. This gives the Eye its luxurious flavor, substantial mouth-feel and that slightly dry finish. Eye of the Hawk has garnered a cult following that is enviable.
Category American-style strong AleType handcrafted ABV 8.%

Fox Barrel Pear Cider

  English Pride, English Perry. I am proud to say I am English American. The question with this review is, am I proud Fox Barrel is English?
Today I am trying a tin, or can to Americans, of Fox Barrel imported pear cider.It's ok but it is not special. I prefer a sweet apple cider. This is ok, but slightly dry. I was a fan of Woodpecker and Bulmers cider.So try this, but, if like me, you like sweet cider, try Woodpeckers and Bulmers. Now the official specs, So until I taste again I bid you peace.


100% Made In England. 100% pressed and naturally fermented in England. Made with only premium pears, smoothed with pure pear juice. No added flavors, colorants, malt, spirit or apple alcohols. No sorbate or benzoate preservatives.
100% Pearfection. A truly sessionable, classic English medium-dry natural Perry. Juicy, fresh, medium-bodied, with a subtle citrus zing and a long natural pear finish.

100% English Supeariorty. 5.3% ABV.
Slightly cloudy and alive with natural pear flavors and complexity. Lightly sparkling, fresh straw in appearance with a natural semi-brilliance. In 4-pack cans with our unique middle “pick-and-go” band. With an easy pick handle it also means,
no splaying or damage associated with traditional top plastic ring holder.

Goose Island Sixth Day Ale

  On the sixth day my Goose Island brought to me...
...Sixth Day, a festive brown ale, Goose Island proclaim. They are correct. A brown ale with a tasty, festive twist. If you are like me, not eager to let go of the festive season, grab a bottle, look at the snow, and turn the Christmas lights back on. After all, it can't be Christmas everyday, but a taste of Christmas could do no harm.
I enjoyed it. See if you do.Below official specs, and until I taste again I bid you peace.

Brewer's Notes:

Every year to celebrate the holiday season, we brew up our Sixth Day, and with each year we change the recipe slightly so that you have something special to look forward to.

Recipe Information:

Style: Brown Ale
Alcohol by Volume: 8.3
International Bitterness Units: 55
Color: Auburn
Hops: Pilgrim, English Golding, Celeia
Malt: Special Pale, 2-Row, Bonlander Munich

Serving Suggestions:

Preferred Glass: Nonic
Food Pairings: Ham, Turkey, Lamb
Cheese Pairings: Aged Gouda, Dry Jack
Cellaring Notes: 180 days

Availability:

Seasonal (October - December)
Bottles: 6pks
Draft: 1/2bbl (IL & OH only)

Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA

  Other reviews suggest both good and bad opinions exist for this. I lean on the side of good. It is, I believe, one of the better beers in Sam's hopology collection. No, it's not complex, but a decent IPA flavour that should  be enjoyable if we are not trying to be beer snobs and just want, as I just said, a decent IPA flavour. Sure the existence of better IPA's is a fact, but many worse exist. Several brewed by Sam Adams. Please remember what I say now and carry it with you in life, like a torch lighting the way to truth: "All opinions given by others (including me) are just that: opinions. They are theirs and not your own.Form an opinion based on your own preferences, not that of others!"
  With that said, please come back soon, and see what taste sensations I have had. My wish is to inspire you to try new things, not to avoid everything I, or others, say is bad. We may prove to be right, but the only way to know for sure is to have that sensation for yourself. Below are the official specs.
So until I taste again I bid you peace.


Samuel Adams

Latitude 48 IPA

Latitude 48 IPA is brewed with a unique blend of hops from top growing regions in Germany, the UK, and the US, all close to the 48th Latitude.  In 2013 we added Mosaic™ hops from Washington state for a bright citrus note and to complement the distinct character of the other four hop varieties included

HOP VARIETIES

Hallertau Mittelfrueh, East Kent Golding, Zeus, Simcoe, Ahtanum, Mosaic

MALT VARIETIES

Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Caramel 60, and Gambrinus Honey Malt

YEAST STRAIN

Top-fermenting Ale

COLOR

Deep copper, SRM: 20

SPECIAL INGREDIENTS

ALC. BY VOL/WT

6.0% ABV - 4.7% ABW

IBUs

60

CAL PER SERVING

206

AVAILABILITY

Year Round