Budweiser Task twelve : The Ultimate Choices

Above the summer, Budweiser performed Project 12, exactly where each of their 12 U.S. breweries and brewmasters have been requested to appear up with a unique new beer utilizing the Budweiser yeast strain and model values. The final 3 beers strike cabinets in a combined six -pack this fall.

Batch 63118

Brewery Spot : St. Louis

Brewmaster: Jim Bicklein, with aid from Fort Collins, CO, brewmaster Katie Rippel.

Beer: Golden Pilsner, 6 % ABV

An homage to the German immigrants like Adolphus Busch, The pilsner works by using materials that had been prevalent in the St. Louis location in the late 1800s.

Evaluation and notes: Pours great gold with a reasonable head. Noticeably round and a small boozy, the beer doesn’t acquire factors for subtlety, but has a wonderful tang from the Tettnang and Hallertau hops. Correct to model for a Bohemian Pils, but the alcohol and thinness will switch off some drinkers, who may possibly connect the flavors with price reduction beer. The the malt character will proabably make this the least challenging to lovers of standard Budweiser, and the bitterness in the aftertaste will include a stage to which they are not applied. By considerably my least favorite of the six brews I tried, enable on your own the three that produced the final lower.

Batch 91406

Brewery Area : Los Angeles

Brewmaster: Bryan Sullivan, with assist from Scott Ungerman (Fairfield, CT) and Dave Cohen (Houston).

Beer: Amber Lager, six % ABV

Employing a caramel malt, Sullivan and co. aimed for a beer with both equally additional malt and more hops than regular Budweiser.

Evaluation and notes: Pours amber with tiny head. Slight roast in the nose. Enthusiasts of amber lagers like Yuengling will probably get pleasure from this beer, while the hops and yeast give it a substantially crisper, cleaner complete than most. It’s effectively -carbonated with not a ton of human body, and so the roastiness comes by nicely. A effectively -crafted lager, if not bursting with taste by non-macrobrew expectations, the LA batch should be satisfactory to nearly everyone and enjoyable to several.

Batch 23185

Brewery Location : Williamsburg, VA

Brewmaster: Daniel Westmoreland, in collaboration with Mike Anderson (Jacksonville, FL) and Dan Kahn (Cartersville, GA)

Beer: Bourbon Cask Lager, 5. five %

Westmoreland designed an all-malt brew and aged it on staves from bourbon barrels.

Assessment and notes: Pours light, whiskey- coloured amber with major head. Nose has a wonderful malty roastiness with a hint of vanilla. Absolutely the most intricate of the 3 beers, the description shouldn’t intimidate anybody. The bourbon staves advocate relatively than demonstrate vanilla character in the beer, and give only mild hints of the conventional taste. The beer – like all of the Job 12 offerings – has a crisp and clean complete from the Budweiser yeast, and could be effortlessly drinkable in some quantity. Though craft beer fans will lament the deficiency of daring taste, I truly uncover the subtlety refreshing. I really like bourbon, but also frequently it’s applied as a taste cudgel in craft beers. This is a nicely -crafted lager that I savored in the blind six -pack in advance of I understood it experienced bourbon staves. 

Via: Budweiser Project 12: The Final Offerings

Budweiser Project 12: The Final Offerings

Over the summer, Budweiser conducted Project 12, where each of their 12 U.S. breweries and brewmasters were asked to come up with a unique new beer using the Budweiser yeast strain and brand values. The final three beers hit shelves in a mixed six-pack this fall.

Batch 63118

Brewery Location: St. Louis

Brewmaster: Jim Bicklein, with help from Fort Collins, CO, brewmaster Katie Rippel.

Beer: Golden Pilsner, 6% ABV

An homage to the German immigrants like Adolphus Busch, The pilsner uses ingredients that were common in the St. Louis area in the late 1800s.

Review and notes: Pours deep gold with a moderate head. Noticeably round and a little boozy, the beer doesn’t win points for subtlety, but has a nice tang from the Tettnang and Hallertau hops. True to style for a Bohemian Pils, but the alcohol and thinness will turn off some drinkers, who might associate the flavors with discount beer. The the malt character will proabably make this the least challenging to lovers of traditional Budweiser, and the bitterness in the aftertaste will add a level to which they are not used. By far my least favorite of the six brews I tried, let alone the three that made the final cut.

Batch 91406

Brewery Location: Los Angeles

Brewmaster: Bryan Sullivan, with help from Scott Ungerman (Fairfield, CT) and Dave Cohen (Houston).

Beer: Amber Lager, 6% ABV

Using a caramel malt, Sullivan and co. aimed for a beer with both more malt and more hops than traditional Budweiser.

Review and notes: Pours amber with little head. Slight roast in the nose. Fans of amber lagers like Yuengling will likely enjoy this beer, though the hops and yeast give it a much crisper, cleaner finish than most. It’s well-carbonated with not a ton of body, and so the roastiness comes through well. A well-crafted lager, if not bursting with flavor by non-macrobrew standards, the LA batch should be acceptable to almost anyone and enjoyable to many.

Batch 23185

Brewery Location: Williamsburg, VA

Brewmaster: Daniel Westmoreland, in collaboration with Mike Anderson (Jacksonville, FL) and Dan Kahn (Cartersville, GA)

Beer: Bourbon Cask Lager, 5.5%

Westmoreland made an all-malt brew and aged it on staves from bourbon barrels.

Review and notes: Pours light, whiskey-colored amber with significant head. Nose has a nice malty roastiness with a hint of vanilla. Definitely the most complex of the three beers, the description shouldn’t intimidate anyone. The bourbon staves suggest rather than demonstrate vanilla character in the beer, and give only light hints of the traditional flavor. The beer – like all of the Project 12 offerings – has a crisp and clean finish from the Budweiser yeast, and could be easily drinkable in some quantity. While craft beer fans will lament the lack of bold flavor, I actually find the subtlety refreshing. I love bourbon, but too often it’s used as a flavor cudgel in craft beers. This is a well-crafted lager that I enjoyed in the blind six-pack before I knew it had bourbon staves. 

Via: Budweiser Project 12: The Final Offerings

Happy Hour Bloody Maria

I like the summertime and all that goes with it. But fall comes with a single pleasure that summer does not: football! And as a fan with season tickets, I take my pregame tailgating just about as severely as the game itself.

The opening-day menu? Mexican brunch. That signifies rolled-up huevos rancheros and chorizo hash served with blue corn chips and homemade guacamole and salsa. And a perfect cocktail, of program, to fit the occasion : the Bloody Maria.

There are a lot of approaches to make a bloody it all depends on your personalized preference. The traditional Bloody Mary recipe is merely two parts tomato juice to 1 aspect vodka, balanced off with lemon or lime juice, Worcestershire, and spice.

This Bloody Maria recipe, compliments of Josh Wortman, beverage director at Añejo Tequileria y Restaurante in New York City, calls for tequila alternatively of vodka and is accompanied by classic mexican flavors that, unlike a Bloody Mary, is intended to showcase the base spirit. "At the finish of the day, a Bloody Mary is not about the vodka. It is about the other substances," Wortman says. “When incorporating a flavorful tequila (Josh prefers Casa Noble Blanco), you actually want to taste the earthy, peppery, citrus flavors that blend so well with the other elements.”

But really don't be fooled by the simplicity here. The tomato and lemon juices mix beautifully with the hot sauce, seasonings, and salt. And the tequila itself ties it all together to make this a complex but clean, refreshing cocktail with a kick.

So let's raise a glass and welcome the two seasons— autumn and football—with a cheer. Let ’S! GO! JETS!

Bloody Maria

Recipe courtesy of Joshua Wortman, head bartender at Añejo Tequileria y Restaurate

What you'll require :
1. five oz a hundred % agave blanco tequila (Casa Noble Crystal is perfect )
. five oz lemon juice
3 oz tomato juice
3 dashes hot sauce (Like Valentina or Cholula—something with a very little entire body to it)
1 dash habanero sauce
Salt to taste*

How to make it:
Mix components in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Pour over ice and garnish with lime and pickled piquin chiles (or any pickled pepper will do here ).

*For more flavor : mix salt with ground dried chipotle, arbol, and ancho peppers. As well considerably operate ? Use ground cayenne pepper.

Photo spot : Rollin Greens in Queens, NY. 

Via: Happy Hour Bloody Maria

Budweiser Venture 12 : The Last Offerings

Over the summer time, Budweiser conducted Project twelve, where every single of their 12 U.S. breweries and brewmasters were asked to come up with a special new beer making use of the Budweiser yeast strain and brand values. The ultimate 3 beers hit shelves in a mixed 6 -pack this fall.

Batch 63118

Brewery Location : St. Louis

Brewmaster: Jim Bicklein, with aid from Fort Collins, CO, brewmaster Katie Rippel.

Beer: Golden Pilsner, 6 % ABV

An homage to the German immigrants like Adolphus Busch, The pilsner makes use of substances that have been widespread in the St. Louis area in the late 1800s.

Critique and notes: Pours deep gold with a reasonable head. Noticeably round and a very little boozy, the beer doesn’t win points for subtlety, but has a good tang from the Tettnang and Hallertau hops. Genuine to fashion for a Bohemian Pils, but the alcohol and thinness will turn off some drinkers, who may affiliate the flavors with low cost beer. The the malt character will proabably make this the least tough to lovers of traditional Budweiser, and the bitterness in the aftertaste will add a degree to which they are not employed. By far my least favored of the six brews I attempted, allow alone the a few that created the last minimize.

Batch 91406

Brewery Place : Los Angeles

Brewmaster: Bryan Sullivan, with help from Scott Ungerman (Fairfield, CT) and Dave Cohen (Houston).

Beer: Amber Lager, 6 % ABV

Making use of a caramel malt, Sullivan and co. aimed for a beer with each more malt and more hops than classic Budweiser.

Overview and notes: Pours amber with small head. Slight roast in the nose. Fans of amber lagers like Yuengling will most likely get pleasure from this beer, even though the hops and yeast give it a a lot crisper, cleaner finish than most. It’s effectively -carbonated with not a ton of physique, and so the roastiness comes via effectively. A effectively -crafted lager, if not bursting with flavor by non-macrobrew requirements, the LA batch really should be acceptable to nearly anybody and satisfying to quite a few.

Batch 23185

Brewery Place : Williamsburg, VA

Brewmaster: Daniel Westmoreland, in collaboration with Mike Anderson (Jacksonville, FL) and Dan Kahn (Cartersville, GA)

Beer: Bourbon Cask Lager, five. five %

Westmoreland manufactured an all-malt brew and aged it on staves from bourbon barrels.

Assessment and notes: Pours light, whiskey-colored amber with substantial head. Nose has a good malty roastiness with a hint of vanilla. Absolutely the most complex of the three beers, the description shouldn’t intimidate anyone. The bourbon staves suggest instead than demonstrate vanilla character in the beer, and give only light hints of the standard taste. The beer – like all of the Venture 12 offerings – has a crisp and clean finish from the Budweiser yeast, and could be simply drinkable in some quantity. Though craft beer fans will lament the lack of bold taste, I in fact come across the subtlety refreshing. I like bourbon, but as well usually it’s utilized as a taste cudgel in craft beers. This is a effectively -crafted lager that I loved in the blind 6 -pack ahead of I knew it had bourbon staves. 

Via: Budweiser Project 12: The Final Offerings

Acquired Taste Learn To Love Cilantro

There are some things, it seems, the People (you know, with a capital P) will never agree upon. Bowties: Charming accessory for the well-dressed man, or cheesy hipster attire? Al Gore: Environmental activist and former vice-president, or shape-shifting reptilian humanoid? Cilantro: Magical flavor enhancer, or soapy-tasting, gag-inducing destroyer of tacos, bahn mi, and all other potentially delicious dishes?

If you're firmly rooted in the latter camp (on the cilantro front, that is), it's time to give the humble leaf of the coriander plant another shot. I know, I know, if you're a full-fledged cilantro-hater you'd probably rather be run down by a passing Mack truck than down a dish of the stuff, but trust me on this one—it can actually be kind of … well, delicious.

The explanation is all in the chemistry. Those offensive soapy flavors are produced by substances called aldehydes, explains Harold McGee, and research suggests that crushing the leaves—like, say, in a pesto?—allows enzymes to work their magic and make those retch-inducing aldehydes less pungent.

I was willing to give it a shot. I pick cilantro out of sandwiches and salads, avoid cilantro-packed guacamole, and slurp around it in pho—in other words, I'm a tried-and-true cilantro-phobe. But this cilantro pesto from Jeffrey Saad? I'd eat it by the spoonful. The olive oil and the cotija temper the strength of the cilantro, the pumpkin seeds add a nice crunch, and slathered on a hot ear of corn, it may just be the perfect summer meal—even for a cilantro-hater.

My intrepid bunch of taste testers repurposed the stuff to top pulled pork and found it to be a winner. If you don’t have good sweet corn, use it to punch up your carnitas, spoon it over shrimp skewers, or spread it on tilapia with a squeeze of lime. Or (because why the hell not?) just grab a spoon.

Grilled Corn with Cilantro Pesto
Recipe by Jeffrey Saad, chef and host of United Tastes of America

What you’ll need:
8 ears corn
2 cups cilantro, washed, large stems removed
¾ cup canola oil, plus ½ Tbsp
½ cup cotija cheese, grated, plus more for topping
2 tsp garlic, chopped
¼ cup shelled pumpkin seeds
1 tsp chile powder
¼ tsp kosher salt

How to make it:
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Toss the pumpkin seeds, ½ Tbsp canola oil, chile powder, and salt in a small bowl and stir to combine. Spread the seeds on a cookie sheet and roast for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. In a food processor, combine the cilantro, canola oil, roasted pumpkin seeds, cotija cheese, and garlic. Pulse until evenly combined but still chunky. Add salt to taste.
3. Peel the corn and place on a hot grill. Cook for ten minutes, turning every two minutes to ensure even cooking.
4. Using a pastry brush, liberally slather pesto on each ear of corn. Top with additional cotija. Serves 8. 

Via: Acquired Taste Learn To Love Cilantro

Eat Wild Plants With Songwriter Sean Rowe

In the event of an apocalypse, you're going to wish you had a friend like Sean Rowe. He's the kind of man who could survive in the wilderness with nothing but a pocketknife. In fact he did once; he lived in the woods for more than three weeks, trapping and foraging all the food he needed to survive.

Even in his daily life, Rowe looks to nature to find food. Not for all of it, of course; foraging and trapping are quite laborious. And Rowe has other things to think about—namely the release of his latest album, The Salesman and The Shark. It's a haunting collection of songs with all the introspection you’d expect from a man capable of living weeks alone in the forest, and Rowe delivers it in a voice deep enough to rattle windowpanes.

Recently Rowe invited us along with him on a foraging mission, and the video here documents the music and food behind the singer.

Feeling inspired? If so, there are a few things to consider before you set out on your own survival mission.

Know where to find food
"Most people think you need a thick forest to forage," says Rowe. "But actually that can be very challenging." The reason: The forest is dense and hard to navigate, and at its center, it's not particularly diverse. "You're far better looking along the periphery between two ecosystems," he says. Where a wetland meets a prairie is a good place, or—more common in urban environments—where a wooded area meets a mowed field.

Study your plants
Trial and error is perfect for ironing out recipes in your kitchen, but in nature, it’s a different game. (Watch Into the Wild if you’re not convinced.) Start by learning a couple safe plants indigenous to your area, and every time you go out, try to recognize one or two new ones. To get you started, Rowe recommends The Forager’s Harvest, Stalking the Wild Asparagus, and Edible Wild Plants.

Remember the tricks of the kitchen
Just because you’re foraging doesn’t mean you have to eat like a primate. Take a couple hours to collect what you can, and then bring it back to the kitchen to prep. Lambsquarter is similar to spinach, so you might sauté it with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Wood sorrel looks about like clover but delivers a big punch of sweet citrus. Try tossing it with store-bought mixed greens for a more flavorful salad. And for a refreshing summer beverage, try the sumac tea below. Difficult as it is to find in stores, sumac is abundant in nature (just beware its poisonous copycat—sometimes its best to venture out with an experienced forager first to teach you identification), and, Rowe notes, the bright red clusters are loaded with vitamin C. Consider it your natural elixir.

Sumac Tea
Recipe from Sean Rowe

What you’ll need:
5 sumac clusters
1 gallon cold water
Maple syrup

How to make it:
Scrape the berries from the clusters and into the water. Press with your hands or the back of a spoon to bruise lightly. Let set for 1 to 4 hours and sweeten to taste with maple syrup. Yields approximately 10 12-oz servings.

 

Via: Eat Wild Plants With Songwriter Sean Rowe

Mix A Whole Grain Entree Worthy Of Dinner

A few months back I contacted cookbook virtuoso Bruce Weinstein to help me create a vegetarian burger that didn't suck. He delivered. It turns out Bruce had been thinking a lot about vegetarian burgers—more specifically, about the many ways to utilize the robustness of whole grains. In fact, as I reached out, he was just finishing a new cookbook called Grain Mains: 101 Surprising and Satisfying Whole Grain Recipes for Every Meal of the Day. What luck.

Grain Mains just hit bookstores, so I decided to take it for a test drive. My first foray into Bruce's world of whole grains did not disappoint. The recipe calls in sweet peppers and dates for a sweet balance to the black barley's robust nuttiness, and the roasted almonds and smoked paprika lend a warm, toasty finish.

If you don't already cook with whole grains, you should start. Unlike insipid refined grains, whole grains retain the bran and germ, making them robust enough to make substantial meals from vegetarian entrées. This black barley recipe works well as a side, but it's filling enough to sub in as a main dish. And if you can't fathom a meal without meat, just add chicken or some crumbled feta. The grains will understand.

Spanish-Inspired Black Barley Salad with Chickpeas, Dates, and Toasted Almonds
Recipe by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough

What you'll need:
1 cup barley (black barley is best for this, but regular barley will work)
2/3 cup almonds
2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 jarred roasted red peppers, chopped
6 large Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste

How to make it:
1. Prepare barley by soaking it in cool water for 8 to 16 hours. Drain the water and cover the soaked barley with a few inches of fresh water. Bring to boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. (Note: the barley package might provide a quicker recipe. Follow that if you'd like, but this method will result in a softer, chewier grain.)

2. Heat a pan over medium-low and add almonds. Toast until brown and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Once cool, chop roughly into bite-size pieces.

3. Mix the black barley, chopped almonds, chickpeas, roasted peppers, dates, and garlic.

4. Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss to coat. Makes 6 servings. 

Via: Mix A Whole Grain Entree Worthy Of Dinner

Slow-Roast Summer Tomatoes

August tomatoes are damn good. And with a little kitchen magic, they can be even better. All it takes is low, slow heat to concentrate their flavor.

Molly Wizenberg, author of  A Homemade Life, co-owner of Seattle's Delancey, and writer behind the food blog Orangette, uses the even heat of the oven, a little coriander for a nutty flavor, and olive oil to make the best slow-roasted summer tomatoes you’ve ever tasted.

The recipe is low on effort, but requires several hours in the oven, so it’s best saved for a lazy Sunday. When you're grocery shopping, don't worry about beauty—farmer's markets often sell large boxes of 'seconds,' the uglier tomatoes, at a reduced price, so stock up and make a few extra batches for freezing.

These tomatoes will bring new life to your favorite sauce recipe, if they last that long, as I've been known to eat them straight out of the oven. If you can handle the delayed gratification, give these guys a rough chop with some basil, spread them on toasted hunks of baguette, and top with some shaved Parmesan for a riff on the basic bruschetta, or toss a few in with your scrambled eggs with a crumble of goat cheese for a quick breakfast upgrade.

Oh, and remember those weak, watery, pale tomatoes you had back in January? This winter, try slow-roasting them, too—a few hours in the oven will make them almost as good as August's heirlooms.

Slow-Roasted Tomatoes with Coriander

What you'll need:
3 ½ lbs ripe Roma tomatoes (about 20 tomatoes)
1 T olive oil
salt
ground coriander

How to make it:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°F.
2. Wash and dry the tomatoes, trim away the stem end, and slice them lengthwise. Place them in a large bowl, and, using your hands, toss them gently with the oil.
3. Arrange them cut side up on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and ground coriander, about a pinch of each for every 4 to 6 tomato halves.
4. Bake until the tomatoes crinkle at the edges and shrink to about half of their original size, 4 to 6 hours. They should still be juicy in their centers. Remove from the oven, and set aside to cool at room temperature.

Adapted from A HOMEMADE LIFE by Molly Wizenberg. Copyright © 2009 by Molly Wizenberg. Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Photos courtesy of Molly Wizenberg and Simon & Schuster, Inc. 

Via: Slow-Roast Summer Tomatoes

Happy Hour The Miehana

Labor Day marks summer's swan song, so let's close the show with a splash by busting out a sunny, tropical tiki drink: the Miehana.

The Miehana (pronounced Mee-ha-na) was created in the mid-1990s by Jeff "Beachbum" Berry, a leading expert on all things tiki, for a tiki-culture museum exhibit in Anaheim, California. Its predominant orange flavor is a nod to pre-Disney Anaheim, when the town was known for its orange groves. In fact, read the name of this cocktail backward and, well … just try it.

The tiki bar trend enjoyed an extraordinarily long run, spanning from the post-Prohibition 1930s all the way to the '70s disco days. (And it's coming back big time, by the way.) The first one, Don the Beachcomber's, popped up in Hollywood in 1934 and was run by the famous gentleman who went by the same, and has created many classic tiki cocktails, perhaps most notably the Zombie. "This was a mega-hip spot in its day, frequented by the Hollywood elite," says Berry. And their influence changed the perception of rum drinks from cheap to chic forever. "These guys were used to drinking gin and scotch, but Don elevated rum with his drinks, and it became a nationwide sensation." The fad endured for more than 40 years and inspired the launch of thousands of bars and restaurants across the United States.

Tiki bars and drinks have always been considered Polynesian, but the truth is that all tiki drinks derive from Caribbean flavors, which start with the "holy trinity" of Caribbean mixology—rum, lime, and sugar. From this base, bartenders would branch out and experiment with various combinations to add dimension to the cocktail. Instead of sugar, for example, they'd try a syrup of honey and passionfruit as a sweetener, and then perhaps combine lemon and lime for the sour component. They would mix up different rums as well, marrying a perfumey Jamaican rum with a smoky demerara. "All these dribbles, dashes, and dollops of other flavoring agents helped create baroque masterpieces out of what began as a very simple Caribbean template," Berry says.

And that's why so many tiki drinks can have so many damned ingredients. The Miehana is relatively sparse as tiki drinks go. It's simple to make because it has equal amounts of each ingredient, but you'll still achieve the balance and dimension you're looking for. So enjoy the long weekend with your feet in the sand and a taste of "summer in a glass" as the sun sets gracefully on the season. Mahalo!

Miehana
Recipe courtesy of Jeff  "Beachbum" Berry

What you'll need:
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz orange juice
1 oz unsweetened pineapple juice
1 oz Grand Marnier
1 oz gold Puerto Rican rum
1 oz coconut rum (Cruzan is good)

How to make it:
Shake with ice cubes. Pour into a tall glass. Garnish with an orange wheel, a stick of pineapple, and an orchid. 

Via: Happy Hour The Miehana

Test Drive Epicoas Portable Rotisserie Grill

You've probably experienced this before: Your buddy will buy a new grill and invite you over to experience it in all its overpriced glory. He'll drop some arbitrary number about how high he can crank the BTU's. He'll demonstrate the one-touch pilot lights. He'll do this thing where he'll lift up the lid real slow and then stand back for a moment so you can oooh and aaah. You're impressed, but all the while you're thinking, "Yup, but I bet you that your burgers won't taste a whole hell of a lot different than they did before." And then, after taking a bite of one, most likely, they don't.

Unlike a new laptop or sports car, you don't experience much of a performance boost when you upgrade your grill. You may gain more grate real estate or some attached counter-top space—options that are helpful and nice to have, but in terms of how heat affects food, you're dealing with the same setup. A bigger grill is just that: a larger-sized version of the rig you had before.

If you really want to change how your flame-cooked food tastes, you have to completely alter your grilling game. This is why food cooked over a campfire can satisfy you in a way your Weber can't. It's why owning a smoker can change your entire perspective on what "backyard barbecue" means. And it's why Epicoa (formerly Carson Rotisseries) is bringing the Brazilian-style portable BBQ to the American market.

Blake Carson, founder of Epicoa, signs off his emails with the line "Free the Grillers!" The declaration infers we should relinquish our trusty hot boxes altogether. I went out to test whether his enthusiasm wasn't simply crafty marketing.

The Test:

I'd bring an Epicoa rotisserie to no fewer than two events—one a small gathering with a few mouths to feed, one a full-blown party—to see if the assembly was efficient and the product it produced would be so delicious, as Carson himself says, it would unfetter me from my grill.

The Process:

The rotisserie unpacks and assembles easily in about 10 minutes. That's not to say it's flimsy. The body is aluminum, as are the legs, which flare outward to enhance stability. While the "suitcase" design of the barbecue bed is heavy, it's nothing a Men's Health guy couldn't truck around. Here's what construction looks like.

The legs screw into the bottom of the cooking case.

The rotisserie stands stable.

After lifting the lid, you install the side panels and the skewers fit in like so.

The unit runs off electricity, so you’ll need an outlet or the rotisserie’s battery, which is included, to provide juice.

To fuel your fire, you'll need charcoal, which means you'll also need to cart around lighter fluid or a chimney starter and give time for the coals to turn white hot and ashy. But that's fine because you can prepare your food (and lance it!) during the warm-up stage.

Over the course of my two tests I cooked bacon-wrapped chicken chunks, sausage, sirloin steaks, chicken wings, pineapple and, because I was curious, hot dogs. In most cases, I seasoned the meat with nothing more than salt and pepper. Depending on the thickness of the barbecue-to-be, total cooking time ranged from 10 minutes for the hot dogs to 30 minutes for the steaks.

Cleanup involves dousing and disposing of the coals, as well as allowing the rotisserie to cool so you can safely repack. This takes about as long as it takes you to drink a beer.

The Verdict:

If you're looking to buy your first grill, the Epicoa isn't it. To start, it'll cost you $700. For half that, you can buy a solid standing grill for your backyard. The rotisserie operates entirely on direct heat, which means that if you want to harness indirect heat to slow-cook big hunks of meat, such as a pork shoulder, you can't lock in that heat via the lid traditional grills have.

That said, if you've been hunting around hardware stores for a new grill—a grill that you think may help you cook better food—keep your old grill and buy a Epicoa rotisserie. Everything I pulled off the skewers yielded tender, juicy results. Sausage burst with a depth of meaty flavor I didn't think was possible without a good sear. The salt-and-pepper sirloin was one of the best foods I ate all summer. Even the lowly hot dogs gained a sense of enhancement from the rotisserie. Perhaps it was the sirloin fat that had dripped on them from above?

Plus, the Epicoa rotisserie became the centerpiece of each party. Attendees asked questions. People set up chairs to watch the meat rotate. Eaters heaped on the praise. I mean, the thing is pretty damn cool. Bring it to a family reunion, invite some friends over, or truck it to a tailgate. Guaranteed if you don't command attention up to and after you serve the meal.

Not that envy would ever affect your grill-buying decisions. Right? 

Via: Test Drive Epicoas Portable Rotisserie Grill

Make Sweet And Spicy Cherry Salsa

I grew up in the cherry capital of the world, Traverse City, Michigan. It's a sleepy beach town in Northeast Michigan known for its yearly Cherry Festival, orchards and vineyards, and (don't mention this to the tourists) eight feet of snow in the winter.

Most of the cherries grown in the region are tart cherries—not the sweet variety suitable for snacking and pit spitting—but that doesn't stop local chefs from putting cherries in absolutely everything. We're talking cherry barbeque sauce, cherry wine, sour cherry candy, cherry pulled pork, and—my personal favorite—cherry salsa.

"The cherry is a unique fruit as it is more subtle and able to blend with so many flavors—tomatoes, chocolate, nuts, meats, and the list goes on," says Bob Sutherland, president of the cherry product emporium Cherry Republic, in Glen Arbor, Michigan. "It can go spicy, sweet, savory, and sour."

Sutherland shared this cherry salsa recipe with us, and it's darn near close to the same delicious salsa you'd buy at his shop. Prepare it in 10 minutes, let the jars sit overnight, and you'll have a quickly disappearing conversation starter to bring to your next tailgate. Serve it with classic tortilla chips or add a scoop on top of grilled chicken.

Cherry Salsa
Recipe by Terry Hornbaker, production manager of Cherry Republic

What you'll need:
1 jar (8 ounces) cherry jam (Buy it from Cherry Republic here. Or, as a substitute, combine 3/4 cup of cherry pie filling with 1/4 cup water)
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup diced onions
1/4 cup diced jalapeno peppers (to taste)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano

How to make it:
1. Put all ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Let boil for about 2 minutes and jar.
3. Invert jars lid-side down for 5 minutes and then cool to room temperature. Makes three 8-ounce jars of salsa.

—Photos by Ken Stachnik 

Via: Make Sweet And Spicy Cherry Salsa

Happy Hour Bloody Maria

I love the summertime and all that goes with it. But fall comes with one pleasure that summer does not: football! And as a fan with season tickets, I take my pregame tailgating almost as seriously as the game itself.

The opening-day menu? Mexican brunch. That means rolled-up huevos rancheros and chorizo hash served with blue corn chips and homemade guacamole and salsa. And a perfect cocktail, of course, to fit the occasion: the Bloody Maria.

There are many ways to make a bloody; it all depends on your personal preference. The classic Bloody Mary recipe is simply two parts tomato juice to one part vodka, balanced off with lemon or lime juice, Worcestershire, and spice.

This Bloody Maria recipe, compliments of Josh Wortman, beverage director at Añejo Tequileria y Restaurante in New York City, calls for tequila instead of vodka and is accompanied by classic mexican flavors that, unlike a Bloody Mary, is designed to showcase the base spirit. "At the end of the day, a Bloody Mary is not about the vodka. It's about the other ingredients," Wortman says. “When incorporating a flavorful tequila (Josh prefers Casa Noble Blanco), you really want to taste the earthy, peppery, citrus flavors that blend so well with the other ingredients.”

But don't be fooled by the simplicity here. The tomato and lemon juices mix beautifully with the hot sauce, seasonings, and salt. And the tequila itself ties it all together to make this a complex but clean, refreshing cocktail with a kick.

So let's raise a glass and welcome both seasons— autumn and football—with a cheer. LET’S! GO! JETS!

Bloody Maria

Recipe courtesy of Joshua Wortman, head bartender at Añejo Tequileria y Restaurate

What you'll need:
1.5 oz 100% agave blanco tequila (Casa Noble Crystal is ideal)
.5 oz lemon juice
3 oz tomato juice
3 dashes hot sauce (Like Valentina or Cholula—something with a little body to it)
1 dash habanero sauce
Salt to taste*

How to make it:
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Pour over ice and garnish with lime and pickled piquin chiles (or any pickled pepper will do here).

*For more flavor: mix salt with ground dried chipotle, arbol, and ancho peppers. Too much work? Use ground cayenne pepper.

Photo location: Rollin Greens in Queens, NY. 

Via: Happy Hour Bloody Maria

Grill Octopus (Yes, Octopus!)

Octopus isn't for everyone—not eating it, and definitely not cooking it. It's an acquired taste, and a time-consuming and not inexpensive meal to prepare. Plus, while it might make for great dinner party conversation, it's never going to have the mass appeal of, say, pigs in a blanket. But hear us out…

Still, there are few dishes that will earn you more chef cred than cephalopod. And octopus does have its fans—namely, anyone who's ever eaten it when it's been prepared correctly. Worried about sourcing some? Any fishmonger worth his salt should be able to extend his tentacles to order you some variety of octopus, though it will likely be frozen.

The chief fear when cooking octopus is it ending up rubbery and jaw-tiring in chewiness. There's an old chestnut that tossing a wine cork in the cooking water will help, although most modern cooks dispute that. I found that the cork at least kept the foam down, as my octopus vendor had suggested it might. I'm more inclined to credit the tenderness of the tentacles to the hour of simmering and subsequent hour of steaming in the pot.

The meat was perfectly done, and charring it on the grill gave it a nice smoky flavor that went well with the simple paprika dusting and succotash. And while it may not be a dish that's going to work its way into my regular menu rotation, I'm still glad I took the plunge. Octopus is a delicacy in many cultures (Mediterranean and Asian cuisines, mostly) and  it's time for Americans to overcome their squeamishness already. If you can eat lobster, which is essentially a giant sea bug, you can grow to love octopus too.
Grilled Octopus with Summer Succotash
Courtesy of Quinn Hatfield, executive chef and co-owner of Hatfield's and The Sycamore Kitchen

What you’ll need:
1 whole, raw octopus (about 3.5-4lbs.; if frozen, fully defrost)
4 large ears sweet corn
2 cups fava beans, shelled
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
12 basil leaves
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus additional for the grill
Kosher salt
2 Tbsp sweet paprika

How to make it:
1. Prepare the octopus. Bring a large pot of water with a lid to a boil over high heat.  Place the octopus in a large bowl in the sink and rinse under running water until the water in the bowl is clear and the octopus skin feels clean, with no traces of grit.  Transfer the octopus to a cutting board and, using a sharp knife, cut the tentacles from the body, being sure to trim as closely to the body as possible for maximum yield.

When the water is at a rolling boil, add the tentacles and give the water a gentle stir.

When the tentacles curl and the heat returns to a gentle simmer, place the pot lid atop the pot slightly ajar. Cook until the tentacles are cooked through, about one hour. Turn off the heat, cover the pot securely with the lied, and let stand until the tentacles are tender, about one more hour.
2. Carefully transfer the tentacles to a parchment-lined sheet tray and place in refrigerator for 3 hours or, preferably, overnight to allow to set firm (this will significantly help with grilling).  When chilled completely, carefully wipe any jelled cooking liquid from the tentacles and gently pat dry with paper towels.  Keep refrigerated until ready to grill.  Tentacles can be prepared in this manner up to 48 hours in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.

3. Prepare a charcoal grill, or preheat a gas grill, to medium-high heat.  Wipe the grill with a clean rag dabbed in a little vegetable oil once the proper temperature is achieved.
4. While the grill is preheating, stand each ear of corn on end and remove the kernels by slicing down the side, then rotating and repeating.
5. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the corn and season with salt.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender and slightly caramelized, about 8 minutes.  Add the fava beans and cook until tender and bright green, another 3 to 4 minutes.  Toss in the cherry tomatoes and tear the basil leaves into small pieces by hand and add to the pan.  Season to taste with salt.
6. Remove the octopus from the refrigerator and evenly sprinkle with the paprika and a little kosher salt.  Place the tentacles on the grill perpendicular to the lines of the grill.   Cover and cook the octopus until nicely colored but not too charred, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side.

7. Transfer the succotash to serving plates and top with the grilled octopus.  Serve immediately.  Serves 4 as a main course or 8 as an appetizer. 

Via: Grill Octopus (Yes, Octopus!)

Budweiser Project 12: The Final Offerings

Over the summer, Budweiser conducted Project 12, where each of their 12 U.S. breweries and brewmasters were asked to come up with a unique new beer using the Budweiser yeast strain and brand values. The final three beers hit shelves in a mixed six-pack this fall.

Batch 63118

Brewery Location: St. Louis

Brewmaster: Jim Bicklein, with help from Fort Collins, CO, brewmaster Katie Rippel.

Beer: Golden Pilsner, 6% ABV

An homage to the German immigrants like Adolphus Busch, The pilsner uses ingredients that were common in the St. Louis area in the late 1800s.

Review and notes: Pours deep gold with a moderate head. Noticeably round and a little boozy, the beer doesn’t win points for subtlety, but has a nice tang from the Tettnang and Hallertau hops. True to style for a Bohemian Pils, but the alcohol and thinness will turn off some drinkers, who might associate the flavors with discount beer. The the malt character will proabably make this the least challenging to lovers of traditional Budweiser, and the bitterness in the aftertaste will add a level to which they are not used. By far my least favorite of the six brews I tried, let alone the three that made the final cut.

Batch 91406

Brewery Location: Los Angeles

Brewmaster: Bryan Sullivan, with help from Scott Ungerman (Fairfield, CT) and Dave Cohen (Houston).

Beer: Amber Lager, 6% ABV

Using a caramel malt, Sullivan and co. aimed for a beer with both more malt and more hops than traditional Budweiser.

Review and notes: Pours amber with little head. Slight roast in the nose. Fans of amber lagers like Yuengling will likely enjoy this beer, though the hops and yeast give it a much crisper, cleaner finish than most. It’s well-carbonated with not a ton of body, and so the roastiness comes through well. A well-crafted lager, if not bursting with flavor by non-macrobrew standards, the LA batch should be acceptable to almost anyone and enjoyable to many.

Batch 23185

Brewery Location: Williamsburg, VA

Brewmaster: Daniel Westmoreland, in collaboration with Mike Anderson (Jacksonville, FL) and Dan Kahn (Cartersville, GA)

Beer: Bourbon Cask Lager, 5.5%

Westmoreland made an all-malt brew and aged it on staves from bourbon barrels.

Review and notes: Pours light, whiskey-colored amber with significant head. Nose has a nice malty roastiness with a hint of vanilla. Definitely the most complex of the three beers, the description shouldn’t intimidate anyone. The bourbon staves suggest rather than demonstrate vanilla character in the beer, and give only light hints of the traditional flavor. The beer – like all of the Project 12 offerings – has a crisp and clean finish from the Budweiser yeast, and could be easily drinkable in some quantity. While craft beer fans will lament the lack of bold flavor, I actually find the subtlety refreshing. I love bourbon, but too often it’s used as a flavor cudgel in craft beers. This is a well-crafted lager that I enjoyed in the blind six-pack before I knew it had bourbon staves. 

Via: Budweiser Project 12: The Final Offerings