Flavors 518

This is exciting news for local craft beer aficionados.   The Allen Street Pub near St. Peters is essentially becoming the new home of Mahar's , including the beer tour.  Here's the note on their website: WE ARE PROUD TO CONTINUE THE TRADITION ESTABLISHED AT MAHAR'S PUBLIC BAR IN ALBANY NY. AT THE ALLEN STREET PUB WE ARE BEGINNIG OUR TRANSITION INTO OFFERING CASK CONDITIONED ALES, A MULTITUDE OF BOTTLED BEER FROM AROUND THE WORLD AND WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, WILL EXPAND OUR DRAUGHT VARIETY BY ADDING 24 NEW LINES.  WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE, WE WILL OFFER 28 DIFFERENT DRAUGHT BEERS ALONG WITH TWO BEER ENGINES.   ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 9TH AT 5:00 PM WE INVITE YOU DOWN TO THE PUB TO MEET US ALONG WITH A FEW OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS.  THERE WILL BE SOME CASK BEER ON TAP FEATURING A SESSION IPA FROM WANDERING STAR CRAFT BREWERY IN PITTSFIELD MA CALLED "SECOND BREAKFAST".  ADDITIONALLY WE WILL BE  SERVING SIX DIFFERENT BEERS ON TAP ALONG WITH ...

My in-laws bought me a gift certificate to the Arts Center of the Capital Region for Christmas last year, and last week I used the certificate on a cooking class. It was so fun. Have you seen the Dancing Ewe Farm at the Troy Farmer's Market? They usually have a line of admiring onlookers and really attractive looking charcuterie. Dancing Ewe Farm is a farm in Washington County ran by Louisa and Jody Somers. They have 150 sheep , spend part of the year in Italy harvesting olives to make olive oil, and are all around really impressive, laid-back people. The class that I took was about how to make things with ricotta. I personally love ricotta, but I don't ever really know what to do with it. First, Jody explained to us the whole history of making ricotta in Italy and what it is used for over there (hint: its not globbed into lasagna the way it is here, its more likely to be served with an appetizer plate and some bread slices). Then, we made a dessert. It was a really deli...

A couple weeks ago I was at The Berry Patch in Stephentown looking at produce. They had 18 different kinds of delicious looking squash, and the nice farmer lady, Dale, told me I should try them all and blog about my comparisons between all the different types. Well, that was a great idea, but I have to say I'm not sure I can eat enough to keep up. I bought this beautiful Blue Hubbard from them at the farm store and then went on to buy an acorn and a butternut from them at the Troy Farmer's Market a couple weeks later, and just this first one alone created 10 portions of soup. Isn't it a beautiful squash? I had never really heard of a Blue Hubbard before, and it is so delicious. It has a really unique flavor - not too sweet like some other ones. It took me like an entire Saturday night to carve it on up. I was talking on the phone to my mom for a very long time and at the end she said "That must be a whole lot of squash!" It was. I measured it - 6 po...