Mahaffey's Strong Beer Tasting & 4 Course Lunch Pairing at BistroRX

 

First Course begins with Barley Wines:

Blue Cheese Cheddar Soup garnished with Cayenne dusted popcorn!

Victory Old Horizontal Barley Wine 11%

Smutty Nose Wheat Wine 11% slightly syrupy, sweet, with a citrus hop finish. Subtle wet dog, metallic pineapple aftertaste.
Weyerbocker's Blithering Idio
Course 2 We Enter Germany for Dobblebocks

Spaten's Optimator Dopplebock 7.6% Raisiney, roasted, toasted, slightly sweet. Smooth with little carbonation, tight bubbles. Not overly powerful. Drinkable!


Third & Main Course THAI & IPAs

Thai Braised Chicken served over scented Jasmine Rice

Scheider & Sohn Aventinus Imperial IPA

Harpoon Leviathan Imperial IPA 10% Hints of lemongrass, hoppy, citrus, green notes with tight tiny bubbles.

Avery Maharaja Imperial IPA Malty, coffee, lighter body, little pithy, citrus but cloudy.

Final Course Dessert & Stouts

 

Housemade Chocolate Truffles with Toffee Ice Cream

Long Trail Coffee Stout 8% from Vermont. Thin, sour aftertaste, not a well balanced stout at all. Dark burnt coffee notes.

Thirsty Dog's Siberian Night Russian Imperial Stout 9.7% Dark espresso notes, roasted, ashy, bitter but not burnt. Better balance and depth of flavor.

South Hampton Trappist Belgian Abbot 12 Dark Style Ale 10% -

Superior Chocolates_Local Baltimore & Online

Kirchmayr Chocolates

If you have never had the opportunity to try this tasty treats, order yourself a box or stop by his shop in Timonium, MD.

We celebrated Valentine's Day at the Creative Alliance as we usually do. This year we enjoyed a box of Kirchmayr chocolates. I have had his dark chocolate enrobed hazelnuts and truffles and they are wonderful. He sells these at the Baltimore Farmer's Market in the winter months only.

I was quite surprised however, that I enjoyed the specialty pieces that came in our combination box. I am no longer one who enjoys the variety packs! Just give me a great dark bar so, I can break off a hunk and I am good. I share this simply because it shocked me how fabulous these were. The chocolate was amazing quality & the flavors did not over powering (ok- the liquor ones were not for me but the hubbie enjoyed) .

Our box was filled with 12 chocolates and my very favorites were: Caramel (who doesn't love it), Bitter Nougat (roasty/toasty goodness), Mocha, Layered Gianduia (Hazelnut hmmmm), Pear and Passion Fruit (tart, sweet, balanced).

If you haven't tried them out yet - worth it!
Oh -did I mention they are powered by wind?

9630 Deereco Road

Timonium, MD 21093
(410) 561-7705

Cash/Check Only accept online.
Hours:
M~F 9a.m.~5p.m.
Sat 10a.m~5p.m.
Sunday Closed

Dulce Gorgonzola Pickled Pear Tart Recipe

 

Serves 8-10
INGREDIENTS

FILLING

4 oz or 1/4lb Dulce Gorgonzola cheese
1/4 cup Light sour cream
1 1/2 tbsp Honey
1 Egg yolk, large
Pinch of Kosher Salt & Cracked Black Pepper


CRUST

1/2 Hazelnuts, roasted, ground 
1 tbsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
3/4 + 2 tbsp Flour, all purpose 
6 tbsp Butter, unsalted, chilled
1-3 tbsp Ice water
1 tsp Cinnamon or Thyme or Rosemary (these flavors each will work well with filling so, your choice)
2 pint jars Pickled pears or you can poach fresh pears (for pickled pear recipe see below)

INSTRUCTIONS:


1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Making crust using a food processor. Place flour, cool, ground hazelnuts, salt, sugar and butter and pulse until combined. Add water 1 tbsp at a time to help the mixture blend completely. 
3. Place dough on plastic wrap sheet, cover and roll into a log shape, chill for 30 min.
4. For the filling, place cheese, yolk, sour cream, honey and S&P into a blender or vita mix and puree. 
5. Remove crust. Spray a tart or pie pan with nonstick spray. Unwrap dough and place into pan. Using the piece of plastic wrap to come in contact with the dough, press it flat into pan. This protects your hands and smooths the dough evenly. 
6. Using a fork, prick the dough in several places. Place foil over the whole crust and weigh it down with dry rice or dry beans. Place in oven to bake for 20 minutes.
7. After 20 minutes, remove the foil and rice or beans. Cook tart shell an additional 15 minutes until edges begin turning golden brown.
8. Remove tart shell from oven. Pour in the filling and top with slices of pears. 
9. Return to the oven and bake an additional 15 minutes.
10. Remove from oven. Can top with additional roasted hazelnuts. 
11. Serve warm or at room temperature.  Store leftovers in refrigerator.



Recipe by "Joy of Pickling"
6 lbs Bosc pears, pitted, peeled, sliced
4 Cinnamon sticks
2 tbsp whole cloves
1 inch Ginger, fresh, sliced thin
3 cups Water
2 cups Distilled white vinegar
4 cups Sugar

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place spices in a sachet of cheesecloth.
2. Using a nonreactive pot, bring water, sugar, vinegar, spices to a boil- creating an infused syrup.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 min.
4. Add in pears and cook until tender ~5-10 min.
5. Place pears and syrup into clean pint jars. Seal with lid.
6. Place jars into a boiling water bath and process for 15 minutes.

Super Bowl Snack, Mushroom & Hazelnut Pate

Mushroom & Hazelnut Pate Recipe

Quick and easy, healthy snack - - chocked full of  "super foods" yet, so decadent you feel shameful eating it.


No one will miss the meat. 
This vegetarian spread is a crowd pleaser, especially for mushroom lovers. 
This recipe could be made vegan if like  or RAW. I will note what changes to make below.

INGREDIENTS

1cup hazelnuts, unsalted,  roasted (can substitute walnuts or pecans for RAW version don't roast)

1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms (rehydrate w/a cup of boiling water)

1 lb cremini or baby portobello mushrooms (or 1 store bought container)

2-4 dry packed sun dried tomato halves (if plump and large use 2 halves only)

1/2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese (substitute nutritional yeast for vegan &/or RAW version)

2 tbsp Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce (Tamari if you prefer)

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tbsp porcini soaking liquid (from rehydrating them)

1/2 tbsp Lemon Juice

1 tsp Miso, Light

1 tsp Rosemary, chopped

1 tsp Thyme, chopped

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Serves with bread slices, feeds 6

DIRECTIONS

1. Place porcinis in a bowl and pour bowling water over them. Soak for about 1 hour to rehydrate.
2. Preheat oven to 400F. Place nuts on a baking sheet (do not grease or spray). 
3. Roast nuts for about 20-30min. Careful not to burn.
4. Remove nuts and allow them to cool.
5. Place remaining ingredients into a food processor or Vita Mix blender. Add the hydrated porcinis along with 2 tbsp of the liquid they soaked in. Add cooled nuts. Process until smooth.
6. Serve with bread, toast or crackers.

The Very Best Thick Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Cherry Raisin Cookie Recipe

These cookies are cafe quality! The kind you see in the glass case or on a large cake plate and you instantly think to yourself " I shouldn't! I am not even hungry! I can't help myself! That cookie must be eaten...AND you order 2." These are those types of cookies.

It has taken me a while to perfect the recipe and I thank my taste testers out there. It was hard work.

The selection of ingredients are very specific for a reason- either to keep the cookies shape, texture, density or appearance - otherwise you end up with Toll House, thin, crispy cookies no matter what you do. That is ok if that is what you desire.

Ingredients
1/2 cup Bread Flour
1/4 cup Cake Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
11/2 tsp Cinnamon, ground
1/2 cup Coconut, toasted (King Arthur sells it online or make your own)
1/4 tsp salt (For salty sweet flavor you can increase to 1/2tsp and you will taste the salt)
3 cups Oats (Not quick oats, You can substitute 1 cup of 3 with quick oats but no more)
1 cup Light Brown Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Butter, unsalted, melted
1 lg egg + 1 additional yolk  (I prefer cage free, no hormones etc... trust me yolks are darker/creamier)
1/4 cup Earth Balance Natural Shortening, softened
  (I love this product b/c it is packaged in 1/2 cup sticks and is vegan. Sold at Whole Food or you can use any shortening)

Optional but who are we kidding?
1/2 cup Dried Cherries
1/2 cup Raisins
1 cup Dark Chocolate chunks/chips (60% at least cocoa) 

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350F.
2. Mix in a large bowl the flours, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and oats. (Side note, this combination of flours is one reason the cookie stays chewier & thick. For thinner, crispy cookies use 100% all purpose flour.)
3. In a separate bowl, mix brown sugar with melted butter, soft shortening and vanilla. I do this by hand and not in a mixer because it is important to combine the ingredients but not introduce tons of air. The reason we introduce shortening and melt the butter is due to the melting points in the oven. The higher the melting point the less the cookie will spread and be on the thin side. I have not tried this, but I imagine you substitute margarine for both shortening and butter and yield a similar effect.
4. Add the butter/sugar mix to the flour mixture. I do this gradually so the dry ingredients do not fly all over the room. Gently, mix these ingredients. The dough will be thick and pasty looking. 
5. Lastly, stir in your dried fruit, chocolate and nuts if you like. Make sure they are evenly distributed. Nothing worse than a cookie missing one of key components...chocolate!
6.  Use nonstick baking sheets or silpats when possible. You do not want to be forced to grease or use nonstick spray as it also will cause cookies to spread.
7. For reasonable size cookies, I use a 1/4cup measuring cup to scoop the dough. This creates a rounded and evenly shaped cookies. However, for big as your face - cafe style- use a 1/2 cup measuring cup. Space evenly on the baking sheet. Using your palm slightly smash the cookie, creating a flatter, round cookie versus the mound caused by the measuring cup.
8. Place baking sheet in the center of your oven. Half way through the baking time, rotate the pan. Bake for ~13 minutes (for the 1/4cup size). I set timer for 11 min. and check for browning around the edges. You want cookie to be still slightly soft/wet in the center. When you remove from the oven, allow the cookies to continue to cook on the sheet. I do not move these to a cooling rack but allow them to cool on the pan. I also bake one sheet at a time. 

Recipe yields about 20 1/4cup size cookies.

Mixed Dough



Raw dough



Baked - Cooling on baking sheet

Dig In!