Daily Loaf

Get squashed at Publix Apron's cooking class.

Wednesday, November 4: Snookers Grill
Champagne and Sushi. It seems like the words I’m reading are too good to be true, but unless my senses are deceiving me, it appears that Snookers is offering unlimited — yes, like, all you could ever imbibe — champagne and chef-selected sushi. Those just happen to be two of my favorite delicacies, and though I admit to never having tried them together, it sounds like a damn fine idea. $15. 7-9 p.m., 606 N. Pinellas Ave., Tarpon Springs. (727-937-6665)

Wednesday, November 4: Toasted Pheasant
Autumn Wine Dinner. Fall has finally come to Florida, and although that may not mean a changing of the leaves, it does mean that it’s cooling down at last — and we can swap our cooling whites for a sumptuous selection of warming reds at this wine tasting and dinner, with a menu that includes: autumn sausage and sage corn chowder paired with Shug Pinot Noir Sonoma; grilled asparagus and swiss strudel with a duet of tomato and asparagus coulis paired with Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc; a quail and beef short rib  duo of roasted quail filled with chestnut and sage with rich beef roast, paired with Mettler Zinfandel; and caramel apple ginger snap with cinnamon ice cream paired with Santa Alicia Late Harvest Muscatel. $45. 6:30-8:30 p.m., 14445 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa (813-265-6700)

Wednesday, November 4: World of Wines
Holiday Wine Tasting. Warm up with toasty wines to heat the cockles of your heart, including: Kenwood Yulupa Cuvee, Piper Sonoma Brut, Caposaldo Prosecco, Cristalino Brut and New Age White Wine, accompanied by hand-selected, catered hors d’oeuvres. $10. 6-8 p.m., 3431 S. West Shore Blvd., Tampa (813-835-9463)

Thursday, November 5: Publix Apron’s Cooking School
Get Squashed. Learn to make the most of this seasonal staple with a menu that includes: butternut squash with curried shrimp; baked acorn squash filled with chorizo sausage; hubbard squash cheese soufflé; zucchini and yellow squash chutney; and a classic pumpkin pie. $35. 6:30 p.m., 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa (813-926-4465)

Many more events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

With 15 years in the beer making game and distribution in several Southern states, Atlanta Brewing Company is the oldest operating brewery in Georgia. It all began with the malty brown Red Brick Ale – which won a gold medal at the 1998 World Beer Cup. In addition to Red Brick, the flagship brews include Peach Tree Pale Ale and a Blonde that took first place in the golden/ blonde ale category at the 2007 Great American Beer Fest. The 7.7% ABV Double Chocolate Oatmeal Porter, my favorite from the brewery’s lineup, started as a seasonal offering whose popularity eventually warranted year-round production. Read the rest of this entry »

Terrapin Beer brews its magical potions in the hip college town of Athens, Georgia. The brewery’s legacy began with a kickass Rye Pale Ale and, a mere six months after its commercial debut in 2002, that sole effort won a gold medal in the American Pale Ale category at the Great American Beer Festival.

In 2004, Golden Ale was introduced, winning a silver medal at the World Beer Cup. India Brown Ale and Sunray Wheat Ale have since been added to the brewery’s standard repertoire, as well as the Monster Beer Tour – a seasonal collection with bolder character (and more alcohol), including Rye Squared, Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout, All American Pilsner, and Big Hoppy Monster. The most recent addition to the seasonal Monster Beer rotation is Gamma Ray, an 11% ABV wheat wine that was initially brewed as a one-time release. Read the rest of this entry »

X Bash is the ninth annual clothing-optional event that features indie artists, musicians and performers who showcase their talents while they showcase their, um, goods. But what would a naked party be without a foam pit, hot tub, sauna and fire eater? X Bash has that, too. What began as an adventurous young woman’s birthday party has become a much-anticipated networking event for the local arts community — but with more booze and less clothing than your run-of-the-mill mixer. Featured musicians include David “Scary” Perry, Dreddy John, Global Decay, DJ Kaos and more, along with spoken word performances and visual arts displays. Visit xzanthia.com for more info and event schedule. (Pictured: Foam pit revelers at X Bash 2008, courtesy xzanthia.com) July 17-19, The River Boat Club, 6901 Caliente Blvd., Land O’ Lakes, $15 per day, $40 weekend pass in advance; $25 per day, $60 weekend pass at the gates.

Begun last year as an experiment, the Craft Beer Expo has quickly shouldered its way into the hearts and mouths of beer fans across the Bay area. Sure, it’s a benefit for the endangered Gamble Mansion State Park down in Ellenton, but that’s just a side note to the huge line-up of brews poured at the event by more than 25 breweries. Unlike most donate-and-sip charity tastings around town, the Expo also takes the time to educate via a slew of beery seminars that are best enjoyed before you fill your tasting cup 30 or 40 times. Learn the ins-and-outs of beer and food pairing, beer judging, and tips for home brewing. Then, taste away. But remember: it’s a marathon, not a sprint. July 18, 2-7 p.m., Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S., St. Petersburg, $30 (tasting)/$50 (tasting and seminars), 727-892-5798, mahaffeytheater.com. —Brian Ries

If your idea of a special day includes big hair and a big dress, the Evolution of Drag is for you. More than 25 dressed-up, down ‘n’ dirty divas take over GaYbor to dance, sing, and swing their way through this fundraiser to send the local queen bee of drag, Daphne Ferraro, to the National Entertainer of the Year Pageant in Louisville, KY. Expect cameos from cross-dressing characters like Cher, Marilyn Monroe, Dionne Warwick, Wynona Judd and many others, who take audiences on a trip through the “Evolution of Drag,” complete with a Big Ole Gay finale. The lovely ladies’ creative stage names may be the highlight of the evening — they range from the demure April Fresh to feisty Chi Chi La Lique and the naughty nun-ishness of Divinity Everlasting. (Pictured: Daphne Ferraro, the creator and star of Evolution of Drag) Sun., July 19, 4 p.m., Honey Pot, 1507 E. Seventh Ave., Tampa, $10 in advance/$12 at the door, myspace.com/evolutionofdrag. —Franki Weddington

More naughty and nice weekend events, like the Tampa Bay Bridal Show and Elvis Fest, after the break:

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House of Beer, Dunedin’s newest beer bar reaches out to brew fanatics by hosting a Grand Opening shindig that lasts all weekend. Starting Friday, the event will feature special drink prices that continue through the weekend, a ribbon cutting ceremony with Dunedin mayor Dave Eggers Saturday at 6:30pm, followed by a mayoral guest bartending stint. All tips received by Mayor Eggers will be donated to local charities Dunedin Doggie Rescue and Raising Hope. Read the rest of this entry »

Since I’ve been all over Cigar City Brewing’s happenings over the past few weeks, it seemed appropriate to broaden my local beer love and highlight another hometown superstar in the tiny Scottish heritage town of Dunedin.

With almost 13 years of local beer-making under their kilt, Dunedin Brewery consistently crafts award winning gems. In 2003, one of their flagship brews, Pipers Pale Ale, took top honors as the most stylistically perfect brew commercially produced in Florida at the Best Florida Beer Championships. At the 2009 BFBC, brewers Norman Dixon and Trace Caley did their thing, winning awards for the brewery like it was their job. Redhead American Red Ale was named the top beer in its category, with second place nods going to Pipers Pale Ale, Beach Tale Brown Ale, Nitro Stout, Brewmaster’s Reserve Rye Pale Ale, Brewmaster’s Reserve Belgian Tripel, Brewmaster’s Reserve Barleywine, and the seasonal Biere de Café. Read the rest of this entry »

What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this past week:

Cool-N-Save: An eco-friendly energy saver for your air conditioning unit (Video): Jennifer Meier writes about how the Cool-n-SaveTM system affixes to the top of most home air conditioning units, resulting in a substantial drop in ambient temperature of up to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. The Cool-N-Save(TM) system has also been rated by the US Department of Energy and EPA as an Energy Star Partner.

Signs of hope: are our environmental efforts making a difference?: Linda Taylor shows us an example of how environmental efforts can make a difference, even if they take years to come to fruition.
Read the rest of this entry »

For the past few years, Pete Slosberg of Pete’s Brewing Company (as in Pete’s Wicked this-and-that) has been teaming up with Alan Shapiro, president of SBS Imports, and Daniel Del Grande from Bison Brewing to craft a limited special release beer that benefits a good cause. The Reunion collaboration was inspired by the late Virginia McLean, a former coworker of Slosberg and Shapiro. The trio worked together when Pete’s Brewing Company was in its early stages, at the forefront of the American craft brewing movement that took place in the mid 1980’s. With 100% of Reunion proceeds benefiting the Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research, almost $100,000 has been raised as of early 2008.

The Reunion fundraising effort began in 2007 with a 7.5% ABV imperial brown ale brewed with 6 organic malts, hopped and dry hopped with 3 different varieties.

Reunion ‘08 Red Rye Ale is also made from all organic ingredients — barley, flaked rye, hops, caraway seeds, water, and yeast. It is essentially a chemical fertilizer, pesticide, and additive- free version of Pete’s Wicked Red with a rye and caraway seed injection. Read the rest of this entry »

Pairing beer and food has always been a major fascination, but lately I have become preoccupied and unable to focus. All I can think about is a variety of fine brews accompanied by little plates of delectable fare. After much persuading, five of my friends agreed to skip dinner and embark upon a beer and snack paring marathon.

Read the rest of this entry »

This Earth Day, express your support of green farming and healthy living by drinking organic brews. There’s a decent size selection available locally, all of which have been produced without preservatives, and when cultivating the grain and hops, natural techniques are applied to encourage growth, rather than chemical fertilizers or pesticides.

I’ll start with one of my favorite breweries — North Coast, a Fort Bragg, California beer sensation that produces a diverse line of impeccable beer, including two superb organics. Read the rest of this entry »

If you love beer — or even moderatly enjoy it — and haven’t been to the Oldsmar Tap House, you’re doing yourself a massive disservice. The beer-intensive, yet laid back, environment and a constantly rotating tap list make OTH one of the local centers of the beer geek universe. Coming up on the event calendar – April 23rd is Chimay Night. Explore the palatable product line from one of the world’s seven beer producing trappist monasteries, where brewing is conducted or overseen by Cistercian monks. Get a free gold-rimmed Chimay goblet with your first Chimay Premiere, Cinq Cents, or Grande Reserve (while supplies last). You can also explore another 30+ taps along with a wide selection of craft and import bottles. Live music by OTH All Stars. 300 State Street East #107. Oldsmar (813) 855-9181

The excellent folks at Datz Deli in Tampa have invited me to conduct weekday beer tastings and special beer and food pairing events. So here’s the agenda:

March 30th : 11am-2pm. Free samples of Lindeman’s Framboise and Young’s Double Chocolate Stout, with plenty of beer available to go. This is the first time Datz will be open on Monday.

April 1st : 6pm-7:30pm. Free beer and food samples hosted by Tampa Bay Metro.
Featuring Southampton Brewing’s Double White, Altbier, and IPA.

April 9th : 11am-2pm. Free beer samples. Specific brands coming soon.

April 11th : 4pm-7pm. Datz presents All Hail the Ale. Featuring 8 of the world’s best beers paired with gourmet food: Ayinger Dunkel Weiss, Westmalle Trappist Dubbel, Orval Trappist, Brooklyn Local 1, Brooklyn Local 2, Dogfish Head Fort, Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard, Lindemans Gueuze Cuvee Rene. $35 per person includes beer, food, and commemorative glassware. Reservations required. (813) 831- 7000

Cigar City Brewing Launch Party
Oldsmar Tap House
Saturday, March 28. Starts at 2pm
I am really excited about this event, not only because I will be serving as a guest bartender for the day, but I will also be surrounded by a mountain of Cigar City’s brewed delights. I’ve sampled these joyous concoctions several times at trade shows and beer nerd events, but not a collection this extensive and drool-worthy.

As far as the beer lineup, 16 ounce pints of Maduro Oatmeal Brown Ale and Jai Alai IPA will be available all day. Limited edition beers will be tapped on a schedule until the keg or cask runs dry.

Schedule and more info after the break:

Read the rest of this entry »

As I walked the dusty path toward the front entrance of Skipper’s Smokehouse, the festive sounds of Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes mingled with the heavy aromas of cigar smoke and Cajun spices.

The occasion is the 10th Annual Best Florida Beer Championships Brewer’s Ball. It’s kind of a big deal in the beer community, like a twisted version of prom for brew aficionados. This IS the most important day of my life. After being outfitted with hand stamps, food tickets, and plastic cups, myself and the rest of the eager crowd was set free to graze among the taps, filling when necessary. Yes, that’s right; a beer fest where you pour your own beer — one of the few shared fantasy worlds of beer nerds and kegger meatheads. No separation from the tap; just walk right up there and give it a pull. Pour a little splash or overflow the cup. It’s your world, champ; everyone else is just living in it.

For this glorious occasion, all cups were filled with beer that was brewed in Florida — 24 works of genius in total, all gold medal creations chosen by Beer Judge Certification Program judges and members of the professional brewing community, during blind taste tests that were held weeks prior to the event. With the exception of a home brew variety, all the beers offered are also commercially available in Florida. But I am getting ahead of myself.

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Think about the massive amount of performance pressure within an industry such as beer. Certain recipes mark milestones in the evolution of brewing, like Pilsner Urquell,  which defined a new style of beer and took its name from the region where it originated. You’ve got experimental breweries like Dogfish Head, partnering with university archaeology departments to analyze residue found on ancient pottery, crafting a modern brew from these ingredients so that we can appreciate beer as it might have tasted in its more ancient forms. That’s a hard act to follow. How about this — currently operating European commercial breweries date as far back as the year 1040. Serious beer intimidation.

And then there’s Terrapin Beer Company from a tiny college town in Georgia. In 2002 their only beer, a Rye Pale Ale totally unknown except for the few places in the vicinity of Athens, GA where you could find it on tap, took first place in the American Pale Ale category at the Great American Beer Festival. I’d say that’s strong performance in the face of pressure.

Today, Terrapin produces a great number of kick ass beers. Read the rest of this entry »

Sociologists note that festivals, including events like parades, involve the temporary suspension of societal norms. In these liminal settings, the individual is permitted to conduct themselves outside the conventions of acceptable behavior. This includes being loud, overeating, becoming drunk, dancing — or some wicked hedonistic combination of all the aforementioned. The activities associated with Mardi Gras exemplify festival-centered norm suspension, even Mardi Gras as it occurs in PG rated format on the main drag of a charming little town in Pinellas County with a high concentration of Scottish residents.

Last night, myself and roughly 30,000 other people descended into downtown Dunedin, some trampling flower beds and littering profusely. As an avid fan of outdoor drinking events, people watching opportunities, and yummy things like kettle corn and funnel cakes, I usually have a riotously enjoyable time at Dunedin Mardi Gras. The plan is always something like: grab a few brews from the Dunedin Brewery tent and wander the crowded streets looking at this strange swarm of people, making sure to peer into the window of the pet grooming shop to say hi to the kitties that live there.

This was the tentative agenda for last night. Little did I know, I was about to face epic disappointment. Read the rest of this entry »

Scrimshaw, North Coast Brewing, California
Pilsner, 4.4%

Those who know me as a beer drinker know, first and foremost, that I’m a dark beer girl. It’s nut browns at baseball games and schwarzbiers on the beach for me, please. I also require a healthy dose of hops here and there, along with the terrible brettanomyces funkiness of sour ales.

Although I gravitate toward big, bold, deep, dark, extreme beer, there are certain occasions when a girl needs the refreshing goodness of a clean pilsner. In those times I turn away from my muddy brew fixation, yet I am not afraid. North Coast Scrimshaw fulfills the need for a light bodied, European-style pilsner without leaving me wanting for flavor.

Scrimshaw pours into a tapered pilsner glass with exuberant and rapid carbonation. Yet, after half a minute, the bubbling brew has subsided and the two inch crown of head has reduced to a thin white ring.

A brilliant orange body gives off earthy aromas of fresh cut grass with the slightest traces of baking bread. The initial flavors are fresh and unaltered, like healthy organic cereal. Read the rest of this entry »