Tag Brews & Bites

What’s Brewing in Seattle

0 comments By The Kitchen Whisperer Filed in News & Events Tagged with , , , , , , , , , November 27th, 2012 @ 5:28 pm

For this insightful post, we’re bringing in our expert on the ground in Seattle, Carolyn Peters! She’s done her research, sipping, swirling, sniffing, but hopefully not spilling, these fine beverages – all to bring YOU the truth..

Sure, there’s coffee brewing in Seattle, but there’s also some great craft beer brewing. Let’s take a look at a relatively new brewery that’s off to a great start.

Just off the beaten path in Seattle’s hip neighborhood of Ballard, you’ll find Hilliard’s Beer serving some of the area’s best craft brews. Walking into Hilliard’s is a bit like coming home. You’re first welcomed by the sweet aroma of beer-making (a light yeasty smell). You then notice the tall windows and updated white interior bringing a much needed brightness in Seattle’s winter. These sensations are quickly followed by friendly greetings from the knowledgeable staff who are happy to provide tastings and let you know all about their beers. Hilliard’s delicious selection includes amber, IPA, stout, pilsner, Belgian ales and more. Hilliard’s beers are featured on the shelves at Trader Joe’s in Ballard, and served at the highly-acclaimed restaurant, The Walrus & TheCarpenter.

Hilliard’s also boasts a bright and airy taproom set inside their warehouse – once a car dealership! – where you and your friends can enjoy your beers while taking in the action of forklifts moving pallets and pondering the mysteries of large stainless steel tanks (hint: they contain beer in its early stages). The taproom is a great place to lounge, mingle, listen to live music on Thursday nights, or just kick off your evening at their happy hour. Still, I think my favorite component is the wall of Hilliard’s beer cans (filled with beer, of course) ready to be discovered, just past the taproom. Quite an impressive and stylish retro design!

Outside food is welcome, so bring your favorite bite, arrange to have a food cart pull up right outside, or join Parties That Cook chefs for a Brews & Bites cooking party! We’ll be hosting fun interactive cooking classes in Seattle where gourmet food is paired with a few of Hilliard’s beers. There will even be a tasting session during the class! Come learn how Hilliard’s brews their beers, brush up on some new cooking techniques, and fill your belly with delicious food and drink. Interested? Details to come!

Parties That Cook’s Summer Sweets Round-Up: Chicago’s Best Creameries

0 comments By The Kitchen Whisperer Filed in General, News & Events Tagged with , , , , , , , , , June 19th, 2012 @ 3:53 pm

San Francisco is cool, but right now, Chicago is HOT! We know it’s been a while, so we thought it’s time for another great guest post from Parties That Cook’s awesome Chicago team. City manager, Brandy, take it away:

It’s been one of the hottest Chicago June’s on record – so bring on the ice cream, gelato and custard! I polled our lead chefs to see where they go to cool off and enjoy some sweet treats.

When Chef David isn’t working at Girl & The Goat, he gets his fix at Black Dog Gelato. They offer a great selection of out-of-the-ordinary flavors like goat cheese+caramel+cashews or brown butter+bourbon. He also loves Black Dog because it’s truly a home grown Chicago business.

Chef Liz, our chef in the burbs, raves about All Chocolate Kitchen in Geneva. According to Liz, they have the best Gelato outside of Italy!  I don’t doubt her — All Chocolate Kitchen’s gelato is made fresh everyday using natural and artisan ingredients. Swing by for a taste of Stracciatella, vanilla with chocolate traces, Pistachio from the region of Bronte, or a sweet Passionfruit. Yum!

Chef Heidi’s favorite spot, Ollie’s Frozen Custard, is close to her hometown in DeKalb. She used to go with her parents and now brings her children! Heidi’s pick for the best menu item is Black Raspberry Custard, but you have to go on Saturday to get that famous flavor. If you’re a chocolate lover, the Turtle Sundae is TDF (high five for anyone who correctly guesses that acronym). All summer long, the custard is served up by local high school students to a long, winding line of dedicated patrons.  They tough it out even while being attacked by relentless mosquitoes! City dwellers who make the journey: If you can’t get enough of Ollie’s on the spot, they’ll pack a quart on ice to take home!

My favorite spot is the famous Margie’s Candies. My parents took me there as a kid after White Sox games, and the whole family would share one of their “Jumbo Creations”. Oh, memories of the Turtle Tummy Buster… Five scoops of Margie’s Famous Ice Cream and a Turtle on top. Over the top? Yes. Worth the 30 minutes wait? Yes. Delish? Oh, yes! I even hear the joint has been visited by Al Capone, and after performing at Comiskey Park, The Beatles dropped by with dates and enjoyed Margie’s Atomic Buster Sundaes – a fruit and fudge delight. Nice choice, fellas.

Here’s to a long summer of spooning up some of the best!

Thanks for that fun round-up, Brandy! I’m sure mouths are now watering and ice cream cravings have been sparked! Now I’m off to see if there’s some way to incorporate ice cream into our cooking classes in Chicago! Date Night, maybe? Brews & Bites?? Cupcake Wars?!