Beer Of The Week #1

Harpoon IPA

The Rundown

Brewery: Harpoon Brewery - Boston, Ma

Type: India Pale Ale
ABV: 5.9%
IBU'S: 42
Hops: Northwest Cascade
 BA Score: 83

Impressions: From the first sip of this extremely refreshing IPA, I was impressed! When I think of India Pale Ales, the first thing that comes to mind is not necessarily refreshing, but more along the lines of complex flavors and a high alcohol content. The aroma of Harpoon IPA has hints of pine, floral and definite citrus flavors providing a different experience all together. Harpoon's rendition of the IPA is a lot lighter and flavorful than most other IPAs on the market. 

The smooth taste of this beer can be partially attributed to Harpoon's Proprietary Yeast Strain which they claim makes the fruity flavors stand out more. They also use three different types of malts to add Toasted and Malty Flavors, while The Northwest Cascade Hops used are known to add Citrus Flavors. The fruity and floral flavors that come  through after the first few sips last until the last drop. As far as beers in general, this is a fantastic brew and one of my favorites, however since it is an IPA I expected a little more complexity and a higher alcohol content. 

Food Pairings: Seafood, Grilled Meats, Mexican Food, Spicy Sauces

Ratings

Look -5/5

Taste- 3.5/5

Smell - 4.5

Overall- 4/5

Summer Fruits & Vegetables: Chapter 1

             If you always wonder what local fruits and vegetables are in season right now, you're in the right place! For starters, read this article featuring myself that was published today on the Get Fit Get Life website that gives some great tips on selecting summer fruits and vegetables: Your Summer Menu. 

Local Produce Update as of June 21st, 2012

• Hammonton Blueberries are in full swing now and are delicious. A relatively warm winter and spring led to an early harvest so these will be gone before you know it so don't forget to stock up! Remember you can easily freeze them for a nice treat year round!
• Jersey Tomatoes have hit the market in some places but the real start begins around the 4th of July with lots of promotional pricing available. In the meantime try UglyRipe Heirloom Tomatoes, the best tasting tomatoes on the market. The best part is that they are grown in New Jersey during the Summer!
• Local Assortment - NJ Romaine, Escarole, Endive, Kale, Cucumbers, Green, Red and Savoy Cabbage, Beets, Green and Yellow Squash and Parsley are easily grown in small farms all across New Jersey and Pennsylvania and always available at local produce stores and farmers markets! Help support your neighborhood farmer by buying local! 
• Fruit - NJ Peaches should be hitting the market within the next week, two at the max. Always a sweet treat, try them on the grill for an easy dessert.
• Area Green and Red Peppers should hit the market in about two weeks or less. They are always a cheaper alternative than imported bell peppers and the same quality flavor.



Graffiti Eggplant

• Eggplant is one of my summer favorites, sliced in thick strips and coated with garlic & olive oil or balsamic vinegar and thrown on the grill make for a healthy side dish. Look for cool variations of the normal  dark purple large ones.

More Recipes To Follow!!

Lemon Paprika Swordfish With Grilled Vegetables

Swordfish is probably one of the easiest fish to cook. It is definitely one of the tastiest as well, even with little to no seasoning. With that being said, try and keep it simple! One of my favorites is a combination of paprika, fresh lemon juice, some sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper with a sprinkle of Old Bay right before its done! This can either be done on the grill or in the oven. For this recipe I used my cast iron stove top grill. I have found that this is great when served on a bed of grilled red peppers and Spanish onions and topped with fresh avocado and a side of grilled Old Bay & Butter Corn!

Grilling the Swordfish

Ingredients

• 1 - Swordfish Filet
• 1 - Ear of fresh Jersey White Corn
• 1 - Red Bell Pepper (local or domestic)
• 2 - 1/4" Slices of Spanish Onion
• 1 - Lemon
• 1/4 Teaspoon Paprika
• 1/4 Teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
• Butter To Taste

Directions

1.      Begin by wiping down the grill surface with a paper towel soaked with a bit of vegetable oil to keep the fish and vegetables from sticking and set your burner to medium-low. Although my grill covers the surface of two burners I like to just use one side and keep the other as a warming zone. 

2.    At this point, you should soak the corn in a baking dish or bowl of water with a sprinkle of sugar for 15-20 minutes. You can skip this step if you are in a hurry by peeling the corn, wrapping it tightly in a wet paper towel and microwaving it for 1.5 minutes or until semi soft.

3.     Next I cut all of my vegetables. Since we are grilling, I like to cut my peppers into 4 flat quarters so they lay evenly on the grill and cook throughout. For the onion I cut two 1/4" slices keeping the rings together while removing the outer skin. You can now throw those on grill!

Next Steps

1.      A fourth of a teaspoon of paprika per piece should be enough for the spiciness, also crack some fresh black pepper and sea salt and rub all dry ingredients into the fish thoroughly. 2.    By now your veggies should be getting a nice char and you should flip them over. You can also add the corn to the grill. Some people prefer to wrap it In foil, leave it in the husk or just put the peeled corn straight on, it all depends on personal preference and time frame. I was running short on time so I used the microwave trick to cut down on grill time. To season the corn I use a bit of butter, black pepper and old bay seasoning to give it a spicy and salty flavor that reminds me of crabs in the summer.  3.    Since the fish doesn't take long to cook (15-20 minutes) you want to save that for last. Just before it goes on I squeeze the juice from a quarter of a lemon on top while setting aside another half of a lemon to use throughout cooking.  Final Product! 4.    Cook for 7-10 minutes on each side or until grill marks have turned the swordfish golden-brown.  5.     Remove Peppers from grill and slice into strips and lay on plate with onions.  6.    Finish cooking corn and swordfish and lay on top of peppers and onions.  7.     Top with a few slices of fresh avocado and salt. Enjoy!

Restaurant Review Number One

Derek's Restaurant - Along Main Street of Manayunk, PA lies Derek's, a very modern and stylish restaurant unlike the rest of the college bars and pubs along Main Street. The restaurant features outdoor seating and a beautiful indoor decor. We were seated in the "skybar" which features a view of Main St and I-76 (definitely a nice place for a date!) The service was pretty quick and they had a good selection of beer and wine. Our waiter was very knowledgeable on the menu and beer list; he suggested a SlyFox Dunkel Lager, which is a pretty tasty local brew. 

Appetizers -  We decided on two appetizers. One was a baked Lancaster goat cheese spinach dip with caramelized shallots and brioche toast points, and the other was the vine-ripened tomato and mozzarella salad with micro greens, pesto reduction and twelve year balsamic. Let me start by saying that I am a huge tomato lover and even bigger lover of Caprese Salad. The goat cheese dip was very tasty, somewhat reminiscent of a thick creamy potato soup. The crunchy outside and super soft inside of the brioche toast points made for the perfect vehicle for this delicious dip! I would highly recommend this dish for anyone that is a fan of goat cheese and creamy soups! Now, to the tomato and mozzarella - Best I've ever had! Beautiful thick slabs  of juicy vine ripe tomato sandwiched between layers of fresh mozzarella cheese, tenderly topped with micro greens and a light pesto reduction with accents of aged Balsamic. This could have been enough be my whole dinner, a five star appetizer for sure.

Lancaster Goat Cheese Dip and Caprese Salad

Entrees- As my main entree, I ordered the braised pork shoulder, which was the winner of Philadelphia Magazine's Entree of the Year. The entree consisted of smoked Berkshire pork, sweet corn basil grits, and crispy hominy in a Pinot Noir sauce. My girlfriend ordered the jumbo lump crab cake with avocado corn relish and cilantro lime butter along with a side of Asparagus Risotto! The waiter highly recommended the pork and said it's a customer favorite. Normally, I order a nice filet or some sort of seafood but I figured if the dish won Entree of the Year, it must be pretty damn good.

When our food arrived, I was kind of put off by the appearance. When I imagined the braised pork shoulder I envisioned a large hunk of meat on my plate smothered with the Pinot Noir Sauce. However, what I got was what looked like pulled pork on a bed of cous cous. I was ready to count this entree out, but once I took my first bite of pork I was amazed. Not only did it not taste like barbecue pulled pork, it had the taste, consistency and juiciness of  a beautiful ribeye. I was intrigued, confused and amazed at the complexity of this pile of pork in front of me. The basil corn grits were nothing special; they reminded me of under cooked cous cous. The combination of corn, basil and honey works well in a lot of dishes but this one, not so much! The crabcake was plated very well... somewhat "Iron Chef" like along with the asparagus risotto. According to my girlfriend, the crabcake and avocado corn relish was spot on, but the cilantro lime butter ruined the dish. She has high expectations for crabcakes, but I would have to agree; the sauce was over powering and tasted like grass. 

Final Opinion -  Derek's  is a great place for a date night out. The entrees are hit or miss but the appetizers and appearance of the restaurant make up for it. Service was pretty standard, no interruptions or noisiness and the restaurant was very clean! I would recommend trying Derek's and letting me know what you think!

Ratings

• Appetizers   -  4/5
• Drinks  -  5/5
• Entrees  - 3/5
• Appearance  - 4/5
• Service - 3/5
• Overall   - 3.8/5