October 2nd and 3rd

First Course

Mushroom Tapas with Goat Cheese on Crostini

Main Course

Glazed Cornish Game Hen under Garlic and Leek sauce

Manicotti Formaggio

Dessert Course

Homemade Bread Pudding with fresh Vanilla Ice Cream

Wine Pairings: Fall brings me back to intensely warm flavors, which is why I wanted to accent some earthy notes throughout the menu. Chardonnay will play across the menu nicely, but bring a pinot grigio with you to lighten some of the flavors and bring out the sweetness in the sherried mushrooms, caramelized onions and tomatoes in the manicotti, and the cinnamon and caramel in the bread pudding.

Beer Pairings: Stella Artois or a similar Belgian offering would be a wonderful pairing with this menu, but something with a hoppy kick to it will pair especially well with the sherry and lemon zest used in the first course. Check out Boddington's Pub Ale for a lovely beer that will go will with everything here. Don't bring anything overly-roasted as the garlic-leek sauce will clash with it for the main course, but something with plenty of maltiness (i.e. Smithwick's or a caramel bock in most any incarnation) is a sure bet for this meal.

September 25th and 26th

First Course

Garden Minestrone

Main Course

Baked Pork Loin under Candied Walnuts on Orzo

Steamed Vegetable Medley

Dessert Course

Homemade Bread Pudding with fresh Vanilla Ice Cream

Wine Pairings: The candied walnuts in this dish will be forward enough to demand some taming, and a chardonnay with malic (apple) and vanilla qualities in accent to the smokey dryness will do very nicely. I might suggest Markham or Fat Bastard for good starting points, but go crazy. If you're a red drinker, go chianti (Ruffino) or give that zinfandel on the shelf some attention - both will do very well, especially in compliment to the cinnamon in the bread pudding.

Beer Pairings: Stout, porter - which one to choose? Darker roasted beers tend to intensify sweetness, and with the candied walnuts and natural sugars in the vegetables, they will be great companions to this menu. Save some for dessert, too. . . that ice cream is killer with a great stout like Guiness or Young's.

September 18th and 19th

First Course
Mixed greens with Cider Vinaigrette, fresh Gala Apples, Crumbled Feta, and toasted Pine Nuts

Main Course
Smoked Pork Roast with a Mango-Ginger Barbecue Sauce on Herb Focaccia

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Pan-fried Brussel Sprouts with a Garlic-Leek Sauce

Dessert Course
Homemade Bread Pudding

Wine Pairings: Wine will be primarily white, and, unlike last week, you might stay away from intense smokey flavors - stick to something like a pinot noir or a merlot to really bounce the flavor about on the pallate. The mango-ginger barbecue sauce might be a bit sweet to enjoy with a riesling, but movement toward a sauvignon blanc or a sparkling prosecco could make for a delightful experience!

Beer Pairings: I hate to sound redundant, but the "Marzen" (Octoberfest) style is here to stay for a couple of weeks! It's just so good. . . if you didn't try some last weekend, put yourself to the test and get some QUICK! Many brewers make it in March (thus the "Marzen" designation in German) and let it sit until this time of year, so they are usually brewed in limited quantities.

If you can't find any around here, opt for something with some nice caramel notes like the Tommyknocker Maple Nut Brown Ale (http://www.tommyknocker.com/ourBeer.html) - you won't regret it, and you can get it right here in the area. Prost!

Saturday, September 12th

First Course
Mixed greens with Cider Vinaigrette, crumbled Dimoc Cheddar, and toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Main Course
Baked Sirloin under Champagne Caramelized Onions

Rosemary Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Broiled Stuffed Tomato

Dessert Course
Homemade Bread Pudding

Wine Pairings: The flavors of autumn are upon us, and so, in the spirit of the season, I have included my favorite fall flavors, making this week's menu very easy to pair!

I am increasingly a fan of the malbec, and it's slight tartness will pair very well with the cider vinaigrette in the salad, and be offset quite nicely by the cheddar. If you're not sure, go smokey (i.e. cabernet) or peppery (shiraz), though I might still stay with a nice light white (gewurtztraminer or pinot grigio) for this one. A chardonnay will do very well with this menu, too, especially one with pronounced vanilla notes to compliment the caramelized onions.

Beer Pairings: Oh, man, it's my favorite beer season! So many beers were produced for celebrations at this time of year, and "mein lieblings" (my favorite) is the Oktoberfest style. Toasty, nutty, passing hints of hoppiness. . . it's magical sometimes. Try any Oktoberfest offering at this time of year and you can be assured of a decent experience, but make special note of the August Schell Brewing Company' offering; it's a sure-fire hit http://www.schellsbrewery.com/home.php. Anyway you find it, grab some and enjoy around a nice campfire or a table with some fresh-baked bread.