Lists

by snebbu

Endless Beers: Our Top 10 IPAs

Summertime. Hot days, no more school, and yes, our fourth round of the beer exchange. This was one of my favorites—IPAs. I’m trying to savor these…but at the same time, you can’t let them sit too long, or they’ll go bad! While reviewing the exchange beers, and thinking about my favorite IPAs, I’ve done you the great pleasure of creating our “top ten IPAs” list. Here they are in no particualar order. You’re welcome.

10. Founder’s All Day IPA (ABV 4.7%)

IPAs don’t have to be high in alcohol content. Enjoy this bitter delight ALL Day…and more than once. Packs a punch of hops and malts without the dangers of having three on a hot day and feeling groggy for the rest of the day.

PHOTO: Founder’s

9. Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA (9%)

Hop. Garden. There really isn’t much more to say here. If you like the aroma and flavor of hops…this is the one for you.

PHOTO: Weyerbacher

8. Sierra Nevada Snow Wit White IPA (ABV 5.7%)

For those drinkers who are looking for something light and sweet…but still packing a hop-forward punch. The Snow Wit is surprisingly tasty with a refreshing sweet taste of summer.

PHOTO: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

by snebbu

The Mount Rushmore of Craft Beer

Recent talks in the sports world have centered around Lebron James’ comments on the Mount Rushmore of Basketball. His claim is that he belongs on it. From there, we digress to Mount Rushmores of all kinds: NFL quarterbacks, best baseball players, etc. Nobody mentioned the Mount Rushmore of Craft Beer. After much thought and debate, I’ve created two Mount Rushmores—one is made up of the top craft beers. period. The other is made of the top craft beer companies. Of course, many of you will disagree…so please tell us what yours are. Here are mine:

Mount Rushmore of Craft Beers:

1. Bell’s Two Hearted Ale

ABV: 7%

The Two Hearted Ale is a true American IPA that meets expectations every time. This brew has balance in flavor between citrus and earthy hops. When drinking, you aren’t overwhelmed with bitter flavor, but hopheads are consistently pleased. The finish is dry and crisp, which is expected with an IPA. While it makes hopheads happy, it also welcomes newcomers to the party and may even open their minds to trying another IPA. Bell’s Two Hearted Ale makes it on to the Mount because of it’s bold flavors, and welcoming notes of sweetness that often makes new hopheads with every sip.

2. Dogfish Head, Stone, and Victory Saison du Buff

ABV: 6.8%

Collaboration brews bring more awareness to craft beer and create unique flavors that work. It is hard to choose one collaboration brew, but the Saison du Buff was the most memorable. The saison style brew is flavored with rosemary, sage, thyme, and parsley. You can actually taste the spices in the beer…in a good way.

in Drinks / Lists 1 comments

by ES Guest

Tenerife’s Top Five Tapas

These days, it seems like there’s a tapas restaurant in every city in every country on earth—we even found one in Iceland a few years ago—but when I asked my fellow passengers on our way to Tenerife (in the Canary Islands) for recommendations for tapas restaurants, I got a resounding “Qué?”

This is because traditionally, tapas are not considered a Canarian dish, even thought the Canary Islands are technically part of Spain. Visitors travel to the Canary Islands in their droves, thanks to the abundant cheap flights to Tenerife and Lanzarote, and they have always been presented with plenty of delicious traditional local dishes such as fish casserole to enjoy along the beachfront.

But in recent years tapas have become more common here, as it is in mainland Spain. So with this in mind, here are my top 5 tapas dishes that have a Canarian twist…

1. Pimientos de Padrón

(Photo: loeffelgenuss)

One of the most simple tapas dishes, pimientos de padrón is a special variety of pepper, cooked in oil and sprinkled with rock salt. However, beware the sting in the tail, as while most pimientos are very mild, you get the occasional surprise spicy one that will knock your socks off, so be careful!

2. Croquetas Caseras

(Photo: Pincas Photos)

Croquetas caseras are small fried balls of almost any filling, usually white fish or ham mixed with potato, but many fillings are possible. We found croquetas caseras that were filled with chicken, tuna and spinach as well, and not only are they delicious, they are also very filling.

3. Carne Fiesta

(Photo: Pamela Stocks)

A dish that will tingle your tastebuds, carne fiesta is the name given to small cubes of pork that has been marinated in garlic, thyme, oregano, spicy peppers, salt, paprika, wine vinegar and white wine. The cubes are then fried to make deliciously tender and moreish meat treats.

in Cheese / Food Travel / Lists / Pig 0 comments

by Emily

Top 5 Super Bowl Recipes for Seahawks Fans

OKAY. This Sunday is the Super Bowl to end all Super Bowls. Seahawks vs. Broncos. If we had a Denver writer on our staff, things might have turned out differently here on Endless Simmer today. But we don’t, we have ME, a ride-or-die West Coaster for 25/27 years of her life, most of those in Washington. This means we’re going to talk about Seattle-themed Superbowl recipes today, and you’re going to read it and you’re going to cook it and most importantly, you’re going to LIKE IT. Even if you aren’t a Seattle person, unless you’re a die-hard Broncos fan, your NFL team of choice is already out of the running so you might as well take this opportunity to embrace the glory of the Seahawks and just enjoy the ride.

Besides, Seattle has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to signature regional delicacies: salmon, shellfish, cherries, apples, craft beers, fine wines… need I go on?

For your Super Bowl XLVIII party, represent the great state of Washington with one (or all!) of these crowd-pleasing recipes, each showcasing one of the state’s beloved flavors. Even if you and your friends aren’t Seahawks fans, you’ll be fans of these snacks.

5. Duke’s Clam Chowder from Smashed Garlic (& originally from Duke’s, of course)

I know lots of people think that the East Coast runs the show when it comes to chowder, but I guarantee you the Pacific Northwest can give it a run for its money. Washington clam chowder is thick, creamy, and chock full of fresh clams. The two most well-known and beloved recipes are from Ivar’s and Duke’s chowderhouses. If you’re an Ivar’s fan, you can find their recipe online, too.

Anyway, most of the country is still cold and miserable, so a bowl of piping hot clam chowder (maybe even in a bread bowl?!) is sure to keep your party guests warm and happy.

4. Washington Apple Martinis from Santa Barbara Chic

Do people in other parts of the country know about the Washington Apple? When I moved to Austin, I was shocked to learn that most of my Texan friends had never heard of it. This was a staple of my college years—of course, back in those days, we drank it as a shot, not a cute little cocktail like this one. (I completely condone imbibing in either fashion!) While this boozy beverage isn’t exactly the same as a fresh, organic Honeycrisp apple plucked from a Washington orchard, it gets you much more drunk. And that’s important when watching sports.

3. Chipotle Cherry Chicken Wings from The Foodie Couple

Why this recipe? The reasons are threefold: 1. Wings are a quintessential sports-watchin’ food. Everyone can agree on a good wing. 2. Cherries are one of Washington’s top crops – have you ever had a Rainier cherry? Delicious. 3. There are lots of cherry BBQ wings recipes out there, but this one is from a blogging couple in Tacoma, and you KNOW these people are rooting for the Hawks on Sunday. Credit where credit is due.

in Drinks / Holiday / Lists / Personal 0 comments

by snebbu

Endless Beers: Top 10 “Winter Rarities”

What’s a “Winter Rarity?” Well, you know those “seasonals” you like so much? Yes, they are great…but odds are they will be around next year as well. How about the ones that won’t be around? THOSE are winter rarities. The special treats that breweries bless us with once a year—only during that year. Next year, they’ll have at it with a tweak. I won’t waste my breath, but here’s one simple tip. These rarities are meant to be enjoyed, but not all at once. Save at least six and compare with the next year…and the next…and the next. Within six years, you’ll have six beers to compare against each other. Anyway…here it is.

10. Bell’s Black Note Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout (2013)

ABV: 11.5%

Bell’s brewery decided to combine the Exhibition Stout with the Double Cream Stout. The result is a delicious beverage filled with malty flavors of chocolate, coffee, and even some fruity flavors. As you can imagine, this is not for the faint-hearted. OH—did you noticed the whole “aged in Bourbon Barrels” thing? Yup. Find one…if you’re lucky.

(Bell’s)

9. Weyerbacher’s Althea (2013)

ABV: 7.7%

With visions of the occasional sugar plum still dancing in your head, you’ll enjoy this brew. This is a dubbel style beer with notes of fruits coming through. Weyerbacher brewed this beer to raise Breast Cancer Awareness and donated one dollar per bottle to the cause.

(Weyerbacher’s)

in Drinks / Lists / Top 10 Lists 0 comments

by snebbu

Slow Cookers Gone Wild! Top 10 Super Bowl Slow Cooker Dishes

The Super Bowl is almost upon us. People will gather around TVs, big and small, to complete the holiday feasting in one last hurrah. Snacks will be enjoyed on the couch while watching commercials and loyal fans will get up for refills when the game comes back for a few quick minutes before more commercials.

But I digress. What really matters during this year’s superbowl is the food. Of course, there are wings, chips, dips, and other salty snacks. But what else can we add to the spread this year? How about some chili to go on the hot dogs? Or pulled pork? Maybe some hearty soup. Get out your slow cooker and impress your guests with something more than 3D Doritos (don’t pretend that you don’t remember). Enough of the jibber jabber—here are ten ways to use that slow cooker to its full potential!

10. Mini Chicken Sausage Pineapple Appetizers

Regular cocktail weenies are for…well…weenies. While in the midst of winter, something a bit tropical may turn your mood around. If it were me, I would sandwhich a weenie between two pineapples. Or weenie, pineapple, weenie? I guess it depends on which way you swing? Weenie or chicken sausage – I think both would work.

RECIPE: Misty Yoon

9. 21st Amendment Brew Free! Chili

My friend got me an awesome encyclopedia of craft beer recipes. Chili is great and beer is great. Soo…why not combine great beer and chili? 21st Amendment brings us a delicious twist on chili in John Holl’s The American Craft Beer Cookbook.

Recipe: John Holl

8. Coke Ribs

Ribs do not have to be laborious day-long projects of putting them in foil after lathering them in bbq sauce several times, then moving them from the oven to the grill. You get the point. You can take that approach, OR you can through them into a slow cooker with a sauce made with cola. They’ll fall apart, while giving you a unique sweetness unlike your standard bbq sauce.

Recipe: Cardamom Addict

7. S’mores Dip

Unfortunately, too often I find that my sweet tooth is not satisfied at a Super Bowl party. Well, now you can put the slow cooker to good use for us healthy folk that enjoy chocolate…and anything else with sugar in it.

Recipe: Little Indiana

in Holiday / Lists 0 comments

by Emily

Top 10 Awesome Pies to Make for National Pie Day

Happy (almost) National Pie Day! What, you didn’t know that January 23rd is officially National Pie Day? Well, you now have one last day to plan how you’re going to celebrate. There’s no limit of crazy pie (and pie-like) recipes out there on the Internet, including in our very own Endless Simmer archives.

Get inspired with five of our tried-and-true beloved ES recipes, then read on for five tasty treats from other pie-loving food blogs.

Endless Beers: Our Top 10 IPAs

The Mount Rushmore of Craft Beer

Mount Rushmore of Craft Beers:

Tenerife’s Top Five Tapas

Top 5 Super Bowl Recipes for Seahawks Fans

5. Duke’s Clam Chowder from Smashed Garlic (& originally from Duke’s, of course)

4. Washington Apple Martinis from Santa Barbara Chic

3. Chipotle Cherry Chicken Wings from The Foodie Couple

Endless Beers: Top 10 “Winter Rarities”

10. Bell’s Black Note Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout (2013)

9. Weyerbacher’s Althea (2013)

Slow Cookers Gone Wild! Top 10 Super Bowl Slow Cooker Dishes

10. Mini Chicken Sausage Pineapple Appetizers

9. 21st Amendment Brew Free! Chili

8. Coke Ribs

Top 10 Awesome Pies to Make for National Pie Day

Endless Simmer:

10. Bacon Lattice Pulled Pork Potato Pie

9. Twinkie Key Lime Pie

8. Sweet Cherry Pie

7. Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes