This Is My Blood: Wit / Munich Gold / Babka Loves Rugelach

Starting today, and occurring at least once a month, I want to cook a three-course meal, and pair each course with a beer (splitting each beer with Pam). This is attempt #1. I don't think I did a good job with the pairings, but this is a work in progress. Hopefully by December I can make a dinner and hit this shit out of the park.

Appetizer: Sweet Kale Chopped Salad

Kale, broccoli, brussel sprout, radish, cranberries, with a poppyseed dressing. Paired with a light witbier, in an attempt to link the refreshing qualities of the beer to the cranberries.

Entree: Sweet and Spicy Chicken

Bone-in chicken breast, topped with a sweet and spicy sauce that consisted of brown sugar, sriracha, and garlic. Sauce boiled and then ladled onto chicken before baking at 400 degrees. Extra sauce poured on chicken after cooked through. Sides of wild rice and sauteed broccoli. Paired with a nice, simple lager, so as to not overwhelm the chicken.

Dessert: Brownies

Ya know, chocolate brownies. Paired with a pastry stout, with chocolate and cinnamon flavors. Dessert beers and dessert pair nicely.

Room for improvement: the salad was too plain, so its pairing was uninspiring; the dessert pairing was uncreative; I could use a better camera, but I'm lazy; the chicken took forever to bake, and it seems longer than forever when two kids are wailing. See ya next time.

NOTES (Beer #1)

BEER: Wit

GENRE: Belgian Witbier

ABV: 5.5%

BREWED BY: Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV

LOCATION: Watou, Belgium

PURCHASED AT: IGA

PAIRED WITH: salad

GRADE: 3 pukes out of 5


NOTES (Beer #2)

BEER: Munich Gold

GENRE: German Helles

ABV: 5.5%

BREWED BY: Hacker-Pschorr Bräu GmbH

LOCATION: München, Germany

PURCHASED AT: IGA (spent a lot of in the international fridge)

PAIRED WITH: sweet and spicy chicken

GRADE: 2.5 pukes out of 5


NOTES (Beer #3)

BEER: Babka Loves Rugelach

GENRE: Pastry Stout

ABV: 7.0%

BREWED BY: Schmaltz Brewery Company

LOCATION: Clifton Park, New York

PURCHASED AT: IGA

PAIRED WITH: brownies

GRADE: 4 pukes out of 5

BEER COUNT: 159