Tuesday, August 18, 2015

IT'S COMING...PUMPKIN EVERYTHING!

It's sunny and nearly 90 degrees with a wallop of humidity in the DMV (DC,Maryland, Virginia not Department of Motor Vehicles...that was a whole new level of confusion the first time I heard that when I moved here), but fall beers are arriving by the truck load already. So I am gearing up for some fun fall recipes with some of my favorite fall brews.

I hate that I never got time to finish all of my lofty aspirations for summer brews, but this does mean that I have plenty of time to perfect them in time for the next summer and a whole year to get them all together for you! Judging by the first marshmallow experience...I will need the testing time and cleaning time. I'm still scraping the first batch off splatter spots in my kitchen. I really need to invest in a splatter shield.

Also I have been in the hunt for the apartment and let me tell you, the market in the DMV is no joke. I was out bid on several apartments. Out bid! What is that?! I never thought of the renters market as an auction style thing, but I have learned that lesson...three times. I finally have an application in on a place and am awaiting a lease, so hopefully that madness is over! If not I may have to cut someone, or bribe...with beer. Once its signed, I can actually get into the process of moving, one that I'm overly familiar with if not fond of...at all. That means hunting through boxes for all my kitchen supplies, but before then I have a pre-season game so I'm hoping to try out some tailgating beer bites for football season.

Who is not excited for football season to be back?! The food, the beer, the game, and lately the controversy. What could possibly make a better Sunday in the fall? Let's be honest I'm way more thrilled about the beer and the food than the game. Mostly cause I'm a neutral party in the NFL. Though I love watching the games and talking football, my mother is an avid Broncos fan and my honey is a staunch Patriots fan (to the point of craziness...seriously he would probably leave me for Tom Brady). I keep the peace by just not picking one, staying in the kitchen, and cooking up some good food. In the spirit I am going to whip up a beer cheese dip for those nachos,  a smokey beer rub for ribs, some beery bbq wings, and the never fail delicious beer chili! Can't wait to give these a shot at the Panthers vs. Patriots game!

Fall also beckons the arrival of Pumpkin EVERYTHING. There are very few pumpkin beers I am actually fan of because many lack the pumpkin-ness I want in the brew. Kind of like the Pumpkin Spice latte. I'm not allowed back in that Starbucks now, but I made my point. Anyway with the pumpkin patch arriving in every grocery, I'm going to whip up a pumpkin beer caramel to top a pumpkin beer cheesecake, pumpkin and chocolate bread (cause chocolate needs to be in everything), a Pumpkin spiced braised pork tenderloin, and a pumpkin beer flip cocktail for a warm fall drink. I've been tossing around the idea of working some marshmallows for hot cocoa, but with the sticky of my last batch still in the kitchen I may be waiting till I am gifted a stand mixer...with a splash guard. (*hint, hint honey my birthday is in September!).

Finally, the quintessential beer event ever, Oktoberfest brings us some deliciously malty brews in huge frothing steins, with pretzels as big as my face, and lederhosen revelry doing the chicken dance. There is nothing not to love with Oktoberfest. Beer, pretzels, polka. Love it all, though I will admit a  stein or two into the evening and I'm doing the two hand lift (for those who don't know, steins are raised with one arm.) I've already started my bicep curls for this year. Actually I'm preparing for next year when my honey and I hope to go to Oktoberfest in Munich. Eye on the prize ya'll. In honor of this awesome, beer and pretzel drenched event, I'm going to whip up a beer mustard, and Oktoberfest beer cheese for pretzels (which I may give a shot at making by hand with what else...beer), some braised brats with homemade sauerkraut sliders, and a chocolaty beer and pretzel bark for a sweet reprieve from the salty deliciousness of fest food.

I'm creating a schedule (starting on my tailgating weekend) which may only be briefly deterred by my move, to ensure I get all of these delicious things to you. To be honest my honey is begging for these kinds of dishes. Fall beer is his favorite time of the beer year and he has already mentioned he's anxiously anticipating what I bring home and what I cook up. At least my guinea pigs are thrilled to try it all. Prost ya'll!