Pub Chat: Episode 20 - Aphrodisiaque

And that handsome 007 guy

In this episode we drink martinis, shaken not stirred.  No wait.  No we don't.  We drank Dieu Du Ciel's Aphrodisiaque.  As we enjoy the 6.5% stout with our favourite guest Brett , we talked about the James Bond films.  Not quite all of them but the most recent ones, where I try and plead my case for Quantum of Solace being terrible. Adrian and Brett don't agree with me.  Let me know what you think.

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Movember Mafia

Lets raise some funds!

It is time for Movember .  Yes we all know we look stupid for the entire month.  But we are doing it charity.  So it is acceptable.

Fellow CreComm folks I urge you to join the CreComm Movember team and help us raise some funds!

CreComm's signing up to the team will be eligible to win some prizes for raising the most money total and having the highest single donation.

Please sign up to join the CreComm team here .  Or donate to our team here .

About Movember:

"During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces, in Canada and around the world. With their “Mo’s”, these men raise vital funds and awareness for men's health, specifically prostate cancer and male mental health initiatives.

On Movember 1st, guys register at Movember.com with a clean-shaven face. For the rest of the month, these selfless and generous men, known as Mo Bros, groom, trim and wax their way into the annals of fine moustachery. Supported by the women in their lives, Mo Sistas, Movember Mo Bros raise funds by seeking out sponsorship for their Mo-growing efforts.

Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November. Through their actions and words, they raise awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health.

At the end of the month, Mo Bros and Mo Sistas celebrate their gallantry and valor by either throwing their own Movember party or attending one of the infamous Gala Partés held around the world by Movember, for Movember." - Movember.com

Again.  Please sign up to join the CreComm team here .  Or donate to our team here .

Smoktoberfest

The first smoked beer I ever tried

Beer : Smoktoberfest

Brewery : Half Pints Brewing

Brewed In : Manitoba, Canada

Style : Rauchbier

ABV : 6.2%

Price : I can’t recall how much it was when I bought this but I think it was around $6 a bottle.

Notes : Brewed twice so far! (second release is the 15th!)

Story : To say I was disappointed when I heard Half Pints was not making their Oktoberfest beer or Punk N’ Fest beer last year would be an understatement.  But I have always been curious about smoked beers and I don’t come by them often so I was okay with this.

Appearance : Smoktoberfest pours a hazy light golden amber with a creamy head.

Smell : The smoke is subtle and charcoal like but is hidden behind the more prominent aroma of…. smoked salmon.  Everyone seems to tell me they smell smoky pork or bacon but all I get is smoked salmon.

Taste : It is not overwhelming but the smoke is well balanced within a little bit of sweetness and malty finish.  Not much of a salmon flavour thankfully but it is there.

Mouthfeel : Medium bodied and average carbonation.

Drinkability :  This beer pairs really well with barbequed food and salmon (obviously).  My first impression of this beer changed quite a bit over a couple tastings of it.  Now I rather enjoy it and will be happy with more Smoktoberfest from Half Pints, even though I am getting spoiled as they are brewing Oktoberfest, Punk N Fest, and Smoktoberfest this year.

Green Apple and Walnut Grilled Cheese

On Russian rye!

Today I have an assignment on a fictional grilled cheese business.  Well I love grilled cheese and was craving some grilled cheese after we talked about it.

I have blogged about grilled cheese before .  Way back when I started the blog.  It was asparagus and bacon grilled cheese – one of my favourites.  Of course I make grilled cheese quite often.  Brie and pear, prosciutto and provolone, artichoke and asiago, and bacon and well anything, makes for awesome grilled cheese.

So here is what I made and how I made it.

Green apple and walnut grilled cheese on Russian rye :

2 slices of Russian rye

4 thin slices of cheddar cheese

10 thin slices of green apple

10 walnuts finely chopped

basil

butter

First off I cut all the ingredients into however I suggested.

Fire up your pan, (on high) or Panini grill, and slap some butter in it.  I’d suggest buttering the bread itself if you are using a Panini grill.  As the butter begins to melt sprinkle some basil into it.

Turn the heat down to medium and place one piece of bread into the pan.  Add two slices of cheese first then top with 5 slices of green apple and sprinkle about 5 walnuts worth on top.  Add the last 2 pieces of cheese and the last piece of bread.

Cook for a bit.  I never time it.  Just keep an eye on it.  A t least 5ish minutes.  Then flip.  Arrange the rest of the green apple and most of the walnuts on the plate.  You know, to make it fancy and shit.

When the grilled cheese is done cut in half and sprinkle a bit of walnuts on top.  EAT!

Great Lakes Pumpkin Ale

Better than pumpkin spice lattes

Beer : Pumpkin Ale

Brewery : Great Lakes Brewing Company

PHOTO BY BRETT ENQUIST

Brewed In : Ontario, Canada

Style : Pumpkin Ale

ABV : 5.5%

Price : $6.73 (plus tax)

Notes : Available in the fall.

Story : This is my favourite time of year.  Pumpkin beer season.  Luckily a few pumpkin beers are available in Winnipeg.  Make sure you check this one out for sure.

Appearance : Great Lakes Pumpkin Ale pours an amberish orange with a bit of head.  Leaves some decent lacing.

Smell : Allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and a hint of cinnamon.

Taste : Very nutty, a bit of pumpkin, with nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice being the prominent flavours.  I think I notice a bit of orange in the finish.

Mouthfeel : Medium bodied.

Drinkability : I drank quite a few of these last October.  And I have already had a few bottles of it this October.  So it’s safe to say it is worth purchasing.

Pub Chat: Episode 19 - Ommegang

A tasty tasting

The Brits over run this episode, as Adrian and his sister Ella out number me.  We taste three beers, from big bottles, from the New York estate brewery - Ommegang.  While we drank the three beers we talked about Halloween, when we stayed on topic.  Near the end of the episode we may be a little sloshsed.  Damn high ABV% beers.

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Pub Chat: Episode 18 - Granville Island False Creek Raspberry Ale

A surprise

In this episode Adrian and I discuss our love affair with the new HBO show - The Newsroom.  We also drank Granville Island's False Creek Raspberry Ale and talked about how good it was.

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The Great Burger Hunt - White Star Diner

A place you need to eat

White Star Diner is tucked away on Albert St.  Surprisingly most people don't know it exists, or brush it off as another hole in the wall that serves food.

The little building may not be much to look at but hole in the wall is a stretch and they serve very delicious food.  This place is one of those hidden gems in Winnipeg.  White Star Diner is just a little place, with four chairs inside total, and if it's nice another eight outside.  The hours are limited too, so you're lucky to get there if you don't work or live in a relatively close distance.  White Star Diner is open from 10:30-4:30 Monday to Friday and 11:30-3:30 Saturday.

The menu is actually pretty big considering it is such a tiny place.  They serve dozens of kinds of sandwiches, like the Grilled Cheese Pulled Pork and The Screecing Chihuahua (I assume Screeching but that’s how it’s written on their menu), plus they have a few vegetarian options too.  White Star Diner also has a good variety of poutine.

Of course - the burger selection is great, with eleven different burgers., none of them vegetarian friendly though.

Kieran and I stopped in at White Star Diner last week, for, well breakfast, but really it was noon, and lunch.  We both ordered the special, with no hesitation: bacon and blue cheese burger with fries and a pop for $13.

It was pretty busy since it was lunchtime but we still had our meals within 10 minutes.   While we waited we admired and debated the milkshake selection - specifically the more obscure PB & J and Mexican Vanilla flavours.  Which we may or may not return to try.

We didn't eat in White Star Diner.  Rather we made our way back to Red River College with our bags of greasy food.

Along with the blue cheese and bacon, the burger had lettuce and tomato on a very fresh bun.  Lots of flavor from the blue cheese, which was the most prominent, but the bacon and burger had enough flavour to compete with the blue cheese’s strong flavour.  The burger was homemade, not very juicy or greasy, but thick and cooked with a nice charcoal tinge on the outside but not too dry on the inside.

The fries were more then good, they kind of blew me away.  They were already salted but with a bit of vinegar.  I got to dip the fries in blue cheese after it dropped all over the wrapper. That definitely made my day.

Kieran said "I would totally make sensual love to their delicious burger with my mouth, over and over again. Blue cheese is my new aphrodisiac."

Well… if that doesn’t sell you on White Star Diner I don’t know what will.

If you've never been.  Please check out White Star Diner.  You won’t, nor will your mouth, regret it.

What I got : blue cheese and bacon burger with fries and a pop - $13 (before tax)

Burger Taste : 5/5

Fries Taste : 5/5

Menu Selection : 4/5

Price Value : 4/5

Overall : 4.5 out 5

White Star Diner

58 Albert Street

Winnipeg, MB R3B 1E7

204-947-6930