Two of my favorite things in the world are food and beer. My favorite beer happens to be craft beer, I am not a Bud Light kinda guy. One of the gifts I received for my birthday was a spot at a five-course beer dinner featuring my favorite craft beer company, Brooklyn Brewery, and the best part, we got to learn about the brews from the man himself, Brooklyn’s brewmaster Garrett Oliver. Of course I was excited and like a true craft beer fanboy, I brought along “The Oxford Companion to Beer” as an accessory so Garrett could sign my copy. You’ve never heard of that book? You better find out.
This event was held at Mikro, a small bar dedicated to craft beer. This is definitely a place you will want to check out as a beer lover. The owner is friendly and the staff follows suit, best of all, these guys know their beer. Chef Mike also gave us some daring, inventive dishes that pleased all. For this beer dinner they acquired a whole pig and used different parts to feature in each dish. Pork and beer, yum! Make sure to take the trip up to Hamden and pay Mikro a visit, we know we will!
The menu was as follows:
- Finger foods to start. Pork pate, cheese, and bread.
- Homemade pork rind with lobster ranch dip.
- House cured, applewood smoked ham with pickled cherries, ginger beer poached apples, and petite greens.
- Chicken fried head, pigs head boiled in stock until the meat falls off, so tender, so good and served with green tomato jam. This came with Brooklyn Local 2.
- Pastrami cured pork belly with rye bread spaetzle, beer braised cabbage, dijon mustard. Pretty much the best deconstructed reuben ever. Paired with Brooklyn BLAST.
- Roasted stuffed pork loin with spent grain, melted leak, and dried fig stuffing with local maple beurre blanc, braised greens, ham hoc jus, and black eyed peas. Served with one of my recent favorite brews, Mary's Maple Porter.
- Oddest item of the night, spicy tellicherry pepper granita with lard and yuzu. I liked it, some did not. Cool experiment by the chefs. Came with Brooklyn AMA Blonda.
- Very delicious parsnip cake with mascarpone parsnip purree, bourbon spiked raisins, candied bacon, toasted pecans. Accompanied by Brookyn Cuvee Elijah.
Mikro Beer Bar
3000 Whitney Avenue
Hamden, CT 06615
(203) 553-7676
And check out Brooklyn Brewery! You can drink, eat, learn, and take a brewery tour! Trust me, it’s a good time.
Brooklyn Brewery
79 North 11th Street between Berry Street and Wythe Avenue
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY 11249
(718) 486-7422
For more local food stuff and beyond check us out at http://www.food-dudes.blogspot.com