RobStagis

They're all a touch pricey, and the SO, whilst browsing the weird-beer racks, came across a Russian wheat beer which, to my taste, was also good - and cheap. It's called Baltika Whear Ale and was 1/3 the price o the others. No, it isn't a 'name' (obviously) but it tasted great; much better than tha American versions.

How's about making your own.....a gallon of cider, a pack of yeast (brewer's, not bread) and thou........

A bottle of Rodenbach and some Hoegaarden - it was a Belgian day.

An update. First, my um, '1.6' Gravity should've been 1.16. Bailiff - slap his peepee. That batch took 10 months (!) to finish, came out still, sweet (sweet mead yeast, eh?) and brilliantly clear. It has gotten better as it's aged. I made a raspberry mead (melomel?) that was bone-dry, also with with sweet mead yeast...huh. I blended some of that with some of the sweet stuff with great results. I'm in!!

Well, I found some Ommegang Rare Vos in the 'bargain' section (really, a shopping cart pushed to the side) in my local package store. I liked it a lot - and it totally changed characcter as it warmed in my glass. THEN I read an article where Ommegang's brewmaster called it their flagship product - how difficult it was to get right and how 'spensive it was. Heh - I remembered that the bargain cart held more - so I went back and bought 'em out - for less than a buck apiece!

Heh - being poverty-syticken means I didn't buy 'spensive ingredients. My sis had a jug of crystallized cheap honey. I put 3.5 pounds (eyeball-estimate) into it with Wyeast Sweet Mead yeast. It burbled for a while on the top shelf of my closet, then stopped. I waited for a while (this was in December), then got ready to bottle it. Erk - when checked, its gravity was 1.6!!!!! Not 1.06 - 1.6! Sheesh - so, I added a pint of water, thinking that maybe the alcohol had killed the yeast. Another 1/2 tsp of acid blend and a tsp of yeast nutrient and stuck it back in the jug, leaving it on the counter next to the stove for warmth.. Lo and behold, it started bubbling again. THEN I put the jug on top of my water heater. Yep - it's alive! Out of sheer impatience, I'm also moving it, occasionally, into the sun for an hour or so. Can't wait!!!

I just found this thread. Being a homebrewer, I tried a 1-gallon batch, putting it the jug/fermenter Oct. 16. It's still bubbling - I racked it of most of the sediment in December. I guess this will teach me patience, eh? I've brewed (and drunk) 3 batches of beer in that same timeframe. :)

One word - roasts :)

I know the Belgians don't use kits, but being lazy and curious, I was just wonderin', y'know? Thanks for the tip about separatin' it from my other batches. I haven't gone all-grain yet - I've started collecting gear, though. Soon.......

Beer - and more oysters :)

OK - Do I'm at the Beer and Wine MAkers' Warehous on Murphy Road in Hartford, CT today. The SO knows I wanna make some lambic, and I'm girding my loins for a brewing battle. You know, finding the right yeasts, buying (or planning to buy) a gazillion pounds of raspberries or cherries, etc... And she finds a kit named Framboos. Has anybody tried this yet? It looks like hopped malt syrup and raspberry juice.....is it a shortcut to something approaching lambic? Thanks in advance - Rob

Mine is Pampered Chef. Yeah, the home party people. It's about 1/2 thick, I guess. I do my bagels on it, putting the stone, loaded with bagel fetuses into the hot (450) oven, but the stone's cold. Works great. The bagels brown well without burning on the bottom. Using it preheated for pizza also works well.

I agree with the 'staying away from expensive fish' statement. Poke around on the Web for roll recipes. Buy some cucumbers and scallions. Buy some fake fish. Nobody's asked me about the steak and onion roll, but I'll volunteer it anyway: Marinate a nice piece of beef, grill it rare, slice it thin and roll it with a scallion. :) All your ingredients for the inside of a roll, basically, have to be turned into thin strips. Try making cucumber rolls. Cuke strips, scallion strips and a thin smear of plum jelly (or what-have-you jelly) :). Tradition stops at my kitchen door when the budget doesn't allow it :)

My first shot at Parker House rolls didn't work. They were rolls, but weren't Parker House rolls. For gifts this year, we gave away candy. That, with the exception of peanut brittle and taffy, was all new to me. I only destroyed one recipe. But my English toffee and Sea Glass (plain lollipop candy, broken up) were huge hits.

The SO says,"How dare you have leftover prime rib?" I say,"mail it to me!" Be that as it may. You'd have a luxurious hash but you'd have to be careful to not lose the character of those ingredients. How's about grilling 'em to reheat them? The grill would change the character of the meat ever so slightly - make it an event :)