Its been a while and Im not sorry!

Please forgive the brashness of my title but Ive been a busy busy man trying to do my job and balance my home life. Tis a tricky thing to do when helping to promote a more than successful new bar in the booming and vibrant Leeds city centre. As my last post was almost a month ago and some of you've read it and some of you haven't but this new bar is Friends of Ham and business is good.
We have just launched the Season on Saison and Claire has picked some crackers to continue the season all the way until the end of Autumn. We started this week with a very well known gypsy brewer Mikkeller with his Saison Solstice a very refreshing saison brewed with elderflower and elderberries giving it almost a complete red colour and taste divine , there isn't much left so i figure you should get down there and get you some. We are following this with a plethora of great saisons including Saison Dupont, another one from Mikkeller and a couple of surprises that will soon reveal itself. We have a couple of exciting events line up for you lucky folks as well a tap take-over by Ilkley and possible MTB with the boys over at Magic Rock(details will be released sooner rather than later.)


Taken from Brewdog.

These are exciting time to be a person of beer in Leeds with the ever so awesome North Bar and all there cool staff, the laid back atmosphere of Mr. Foleys, the greatness that has become Friends of Ham and a very diamonds in the rough like Dock Street and a new place called 26 Aire Street that pour Brewdog over a deers' head I'm sure this is something the crazies at Brewdog would love.
Speaking of those crazy Scots  they have been granted permission to open their bar in the city of Leeds and I for one think is a wonderful idea. The more exposure Leeds can get for great beer the better, for all of us and the more breweries from the south, the states and hell even The Aussies and Kiwis will send there beer over here so we all can enjoy what everyone else is.

Speaking of people doing good things with beer, how about Mr. David Bishop (@broadfordbrewer) winning yet another homebrew contest. Some people are grumbling that things might be fixed but I for one can assure the man loves brewing and makes fanfuckingtastic beer. If you don't believe me come see for yourself when we help launch the beer to the Leeds market that he and @brauker1 made for the Ilkley Brewery competition on the 10th of October.  The man himself should be there and I'm sure he will be more than happy to talk about it and shake hands with anyone that might have any questions for him. (Breweries take note of this man and give him a job). I've been given almost all of his homebrews and I think there has been only one that I haven't been absolutely blown away by so given this fact and my high expectations he has a pretty good track record.
Lastly lets say a big thank you for the organisers of the first International Beer Festival that was held at the Town Hall in Leeds, were there hitches and glitches that made the festival not run as smoothly as hoped yes, but the vast amount of people that showed up made it an instant success. There are plans afoot for next year and it should be bigger, better, and more organised than this year so if you had a bad experience they are promising to make it better. With the likes of Kernel, Hardknott, Magic Rock, Buxton, Quantum, Vertical Drinks and many more all slated to have an even bigger presence next year than this past year I can only assume that this will be a beer festival that you wont want to miss.


So that's my update and what the hell has been going on in my hectic life and the things I've enjoyed over the past few months, so remember get out there and enjoy this fair county(I almost put our fair county I'm sure Leigh from the Good Stuff will get a laugh from that ) and all the beery greatness in it.

A bittersweet goodbye but an enthusiastic Hello!!!!

Now then for those of you that might have missed it, I have left the place that gave me my start in the wonderful world of beery goodness Mr Foley's Cask Ale House on the Headrow in Leeds. I was given the opportunity to cook and attempt to make my mark while cooking some good US themed food and possibly start a cool little theme on the menu by cooking most things with the beer on the bar. I started out slow with just adding beer to simple things like gravy and adding more and exciting beers to the freshly made beer batter for our fish, adding what every pub should do home cut chips that were pretty good if I do say so myself. Time goes on and people move on and I almost did that towards the beginning of this year but circumstances came up and things got in the way so I was offered a position within the company that didn't involve being around the kitchen and involved me getting behind the bar this wasn't before the Brooklyn Lunch that I attempted to give a special group of people from in and around Leeds a taste of my home paired with some pretty awesome beers. Fast forward a couple of months and a couple came into the bar and started speaking about a new bar that they were interested in opening in Leeds and I saw an opportunity that I couldn't pass up, I asked them if they were interested in taking a chance on someone that had a passion for great beer and it seems to get the ball rolling. Enter stage right a relationship was formed and greatness was born in the new "craft beer" bar in Leeds which is known as Friends of Ham. Now this place gives a whole new meaning to different. A bar that combines hand carved meat, fantastic cheese, superb wine and a beer selection that can please more people than it will disappoint. So July came and I left Foley's and started with F.O.H and its been a helluva a ride since we started. With passionate owners and a great team we are looking to bring you something new and hopefully open some eyes to the fact that beer is more than just your everyday lager and boring cask ales. So come on down to 4 New Station Street have some pig we will have a place for you.




Sometimes you just know its going to be alright

So this past weekend was Leeds Loves Food when a lot of independent and bigger food and beverage type people takeover Millennium Square and get the locals excited about sunshine and good products and even better food.
My lovefest is coming to a close with this great festival but only after I wondered up to Kirkstall Brewery's stand and saw somethings that I know would make a match made in food heaven. Sierra Nevada's mustard were on show now if you haven't got a chance to sample any of the three mustard and are a mustard lover I suggest you get you ass in gear and find some of these beauties. They make 3 that I know of and here is a picture. Now on my initial wander up to the stall I spied the Stout and Stoneground but my i know that a porter would compliment a certain NY Style Deli sandwich that I have been wanting for a while so I bought the Porter and Spicy Brown. While I chatted away I noticed the Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale now this might be an ale reserved for the Winter months but I remember drinking it and I thought it was lovely so I made it mine and I was pretty damn excited about my food and beer matching. My sandwich consisted of a rustic knot bread, the porter mustard, pastrami, gherkins and a little bit of Philadelphia Cheese. Now this was an epic sandwich and one my taste buds just salivated over. So if you are in the market for a sandwich of epic tastiness and a beer to match this is your pairing.

Red Willow You need and want it in your BELLY!!!!

                                                                                  Now Ive been drinking Red Willow beers for the better part of a year now, since they hit the pumps at Mr. Foleys at first I didn't know what to think I wasn't a fan of IPA's and a DIPA known as Ageless hit the pumps and I was very skeptical, now to be completely honest the first time I had this beer I didnt like it but this was due to my inexperience of the greatness that is the brilliance of the IPA. Over the past few months of my full blown hophead graduation Ive come not only to like this beer but actually put it in the top beers that I actually look for in the pub. Now on to the second brew I tried to which is known as Smokeless a smoked porter that doesn't actually smell like sausages and has a smooth but a spicy aftertaste, probably due to the chilies that are added. These both hit the bar right around the same time and instantly created a stir with people wanting to know more about the brewery and more about the brewer, when we were going to get more in and how could they get there stomachs full of it again. Thankfully the reputation of the beers were stretched and other bars and bottle shops started to carry the beers that people were craving.

Ive seemed to fast forward a bit with the last couple of sentences but its hard to contain the greatness that has become Red Willow the brewery brews a wide range of beers from your standard session ale which is known as Headless a 3.9% fruity, bitter, but refreshingly smooth pale ale to the monster that is known as Ageless which I raved enough about. Some of the beers really push the boat out things like Fathomless a true oyster stout that uses all the greatness of 300 or more oysters to brew and chocolate stout known as Heartless a 4.9% Chocolate Stout that is almost guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth and make them submit is chocolaty goodness.

Experimental brews galore put their heads in with the Faithless Series things from a Thai Wheat beer or a Gin & Tonic Saison that just dance on your taste buds not quite pounding them into submission but making them think what the hell was that. The Faithless Series is something that can get a little silly but also make you think that you want more. The Faithless XI was stunning when drank fresh a big bad Black IPA coming in a hefty 7.2% but tasting like something weaker which puts it into the category of "Sneaky Ninja Beer" hopefully this beer will become a seasonal special but if it doesn't I'm glad I got a taste out of cask and bottle.

I got to make a small trip to the brewery the other day with a friend that also likes ham for a meet and greet/introduction to possibly supply a new bar with the superb brews. While there I was handed an unlabeled bottle that was one of 2 things it was a young version of Wreckless or superb sample of Ageless. Proud to say Toby it was a superb version of Ageless and Ive had nothing but this to drink while writing this blog so thanks for doing an awesome job at such a young age in brewery terms you are just a toddler, congratulations on the upcoming 200th brew looking forward to being a launch of it or just getting to pour the epic beer into a pint glass and throw it down my neck.


You can check out the Brewery Website at RedWillowBrewery.com
Or follow them on twitter @tobymckenzie

Johnny Fontanes

I was invited to a Bloggers Dinner at a new and upcoming restaurant in Leeds just off Great George Street. Now I'm a man of high standards when it comes to my burgers seeing that it is an American staple and something I have built a reputation on at my job. We will start with the positives the place is what you would expect big open dining area, red and white checkered table cloths, and condiments in the middle of the table that I would like to see spin a lot smoother for an authentic feel. Prices are fantastic as well the main selling point is the burger, side, and drink deal they have on all day every day. A good selling point for the beer drinker in all of us is a decent selection of beer that they do for a great price of £2.99 the list includes favourites and memories of easy drinking American beers such as PBR, Anchor Steam and Brooklyn Lager. Now Ghostdrinker and I were admiring the Bourbon selection which was simple yet impressive with your better known bourbons but they have some impressive tipples like a 1998 Evan Williams Vintage and a 18 year old whisky. 

Now this is where I point out some of the negatives and I'm sorry for doing it as this place has a great promise but some of the things need a bit more polishing. I don't know if the way that we ordered is going to be standard but I think a wait service on the tables would be a bit more sufficient even if its just taking your order, but the buzzer things for your table is a very nice touch felt like I was in a restaurant at home. The menu states that all burgers are going to be served medium now this I have no issues with because I prefer my burger with a little bit of colour on the inside but if stated that its going to be a medium burger that is what I expect not well done not medium rare but medium and with the company I was with we had 4 very differently cooked burgers to which is no good. Consistency is a must when cooking burgers, I did have an issue with the chips as well the menu states the chips are hand cut but the look and feel like they have been pressed out by a cutter if I'm wrong on any of the things that I've misread I don't mind to be corrected. So they have some kinks to work out and I'm confident that they will work things out I will be going back in a couple of months time and I have high hopes for this place.

A friend of mine has written a review on this dinner as well and here is his take. @EisntCNeil

A side note I was impressed that they had a veggie option as sometimes Vegetarians get over looked in this day and age but I gave up meat to live a Veggies lifestyle for lent and it refreshing to see the veggies get a look see on the menu so they don't feel left out.

Brooklyn and the Pain that came with it.......

A little over six weeks ago my boss came to me and told me that I would be cooking for a very intimate but informal bloggers lunch. It was being put together by the fine people of James Clay Distribution and us at Mr Foley's in Leeds. I tried to prepare a menu in the best of my ability and hopefully I delivered a meal people liked and will hopefully remember.
Thank you to a buddy of mine Rick Furzer for helping me put together some of the menu sadly some didn't get used but I did use the starter he came up with my special fried then baked chicken wings in a spicy yet fruity sauce to pair with an exceptional DIPA Brooklyn Blast.

http://beerprole.wordpress.com/

I also served a side salad put together by my assistant on the day it  was served with a ranch dressing, a mayonnaise and milk based dressing with a smothering of different herbs and spices to give the heat from the chicken wings a bit of a cool down so the taste buds of my guests didn't get too over worked in the beginning of the meal.

http://yfrog.com/esrmczhj @Ol_Foz

Next I went with a real crowd pleaser a 38 hour marinated pork shoulder that was sold to us by Mr. Meats in the Leeds Market if you need some meat and are in pinch the guys at Mr Meats will try and accommodate anything you can throw at them, I marinated it in a special dry rub and a maple syrup and bourbon glaze and then roasted it in a very low oven at 120'C for what seemed like forever but in reality was about 14 hours. I choose to served this with a very special beer that was a pleasure to drink and very rare on these shores. Mary's Maple Porter was the beer of choice and I think it paired well seeming that all the plates came back quite clean. I also made a couple of sauces with the sandwich a Mutha Sauce and a spicy mustard based sauce, some might think this a sacrilegious act but since most people don't know BBQ in the UK I thought I was safe but did get called out by Mr. Oliver but if I had a choice I'm a Tomato and Molasses based sauce which gives out a real smokiness to the pork. I believe it went down well with the amount of clean plates that came back.

http://goodfoodgoodbeer.wordpress.com/

For dessert I went with a very special Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Float. Now I knew this was a firm favourite of the guest of honour and I hope I did it justice but Leigh from the Good Stuff might tell a better tale than me about it seeing that I'm quite biased.  Overall I hope I delivered a meal that people enjoyed and maybe a meal people might try to recreate or seek out again. Loads thought and planning went into the meal and I hope it showed through the food that I served. So all in all I consider this a personal success seeing that I have never ever done anything like this before and I just hope I didn't make a fool of myself talking to the group of great bloggers, food writers, radio presenters, peers, friends, and local business people and I hope I truly delivered something that you all enjoyed on the day. A special Thank you goes out to Mr. Garrett Oliver and Ben Hodgkinson for coming and enjoying and dealing with my rambling and self doubt on the event. So I hope everyone enjoyed the food as much as I did cooking it even though I didn't get to taste any of it the empty plates confirmed my thoughts on it being a crowd pleasing lunch.

Thanks to all those that blogged about the lunch as well;
Broadford Brewer David Bishop
The Good Stuff Leigh Linley
The Beer Prole Nick Mitchell
Ghostdrinker Wont reveal the name.

Vegetarianism...........

Over the next 40 days I will be taking a challenge that I didn't think would ever happen but it was set-up by my wife so what the hell I figured I could do it and I do love a bit of a challenge. This is going to be eye opening and in my honest opinion quite difficult to come up with meat free recipes and try to not run to the local Greggs and get a pastry to try and subdue my cravings for flesh. So what do I hope to learn over the next five and a half weeks, I hope to work on my flavour combinations and just try new things seeing that I just realized that I actually don't like very many vegetables and might just starve myself over the next 40 days but hey I'm chubby I could just about lose a stone and no one would really notice. Just because I'm giving up meat doesn't mean that I'm going to be giving up beer no matter how many little fish they clear the beer with .