Now here’s an Oprah moment for you —I LOVE BEER! However, unlike Oprah’s bread obsession, I don’t drink it every day. When I do drink beer I make sure it is an old favorite or about to become my newest one. And I am not the only one either. Beer is an international obsession, with brewers large and small creating magical ales, pilsners, stouts and more with their unique ingredients.
One of my favorite beers since I started tasting beer (nipping a couple of sips from my stepfather’s Heinekens that I was “happy” to fetch) is Blue Moon’s original Belgian White. Perhaps it was that little taste of Valencia orange sweetness in the beer and orange slice served with it that cut the bitter elements. Almost like a less sweet orange shandy (beer and lemonade mix).
So when one of my oldest and dearest friends invited me to a pop-up dinner on the Lower East Side hosted by Blue Moon Brewing Company’s (@BlueMoonBrewCo) brewmaster Keith Villa and one of my food-crushes, that dude Chef Roy Choi (@RidingShotgunLA), I didn’t miss a beat. Done!
We walked into the nondescript location on Bowery to a small group of 40 guests at two communal tables. Each setting was ready with a signature glass of the Belgian White. We settled in for what would be a truly special and unique New York City moment.
On this night, every dish Choi put before us used a pairing Blue Moon beer as one of the ingredients. And when Choi is cooking, you are eating every bite of his elevated, Korean-inspired, food-truck fare.
He started us with mixed vegetable tempura he entitled Temper. Broccoli and string beans coated in a White IPA beer batter came out family style with a light soy dipping sauce. I went in for a second helping before having to give the server the evil eye for taking it away. That crisp White IPA was the perfect pairing for this fried dish.
Next up was something I could definitely go crazy on —carne asada quesadillas. He marinated the meat in White IPA before its preparation and added melted cheese between two tortillas, cut into liberal wedges and finished with spicy sriracha, like the best spicy cheesesteak you have ever had. Thank goodness for the Blue Moon Belgian Table Pilsner for its refreshing and clean finish.
Like me, Choi is a hip-hop head so you need to click over to the blog at www.TalkingSCHOP.wordpress.com to find out what Dollar Dollar Bills Y’all, Just One Rib and Birthday Jam Jam, Rock Berry, Jam were and how sickeningly good they tasted. What an awesome memorable night!
Happy eating and thanks for reading!
Kysha Harris is a food writer, culinary producer, consultant and owner of SCHOP!, a personalized food service offering weekly and in-home entertaining packages. Questions? Comments? Requests? Feedback? Invitations! Email her at kysha@SCHOPnyc.com, follow her on Twitter and Instagram @SCHOPgirl or on Facebook www.facebook.com/SCHOPnyc. For even more recipes, tips and food musings subscribe to her blog at www.talkingSCHOP.wordpress.com. Follow AmNewsFOOD @NYAmNewsFOOD.