November 6th and 7th

First Course

Grilled Stuffed Focaccia

Mixed Greens with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Main Course

Grilled Pork Loin Chops under a White Wine and Fig Sauce

Rosemary Potato Cakes

Marinated Asparagus

Dessert Course

Stonecutter Bread Pudding

Wine Pairings: Warm, smoky flavors will occur regularly throughout this menu, so a dry, smoked chardonnay or cabernet sauvignon will bring those flavors out wonderfully. I am growing increasingly fond of the meritage, as well, and the spicy middle to this interesting style will put an added spark in these dishes that will warm you up nicely.

Beer Pairings: Framboise is a lovely style, though many would boil it down to "fruit beer". In reality, the balance in these great offerings bespeaks a great artistry in brewing, and they are wonderfully enjoyable, especially when enjoyed with savories like the potato cakes and pork chops. If you can't find one, travel to the other end of the spectrum and find a winter ale (like 2 Below from New Belgium Brewery - what a beer!) to keep your temperature up on cold days like these.

October 30th and 31st

First Course

Potato and Leek Soup

Main Course

Smoked Pork Roast under a Honey-Ginger Sauce

Savory Squash

Smashed Garlic Cauliflower

Dessert Course

Stonecutter Bread Pudding

Wine Pairings: White wines are preferably here as they, when light enough, will cleanse the palate and accompany the fall flavors extremely well. Make sure the wine you pick is not too sweet, however, as the honey-ginger sauce will become overwhelming after awhile. Search out the pinot grigio or semillon chardonnay to round out your experience, but for you red lovers, a classic merlot or zinfandel are great choices.

Beer Pairings: American-style lagers will go extremely well with this menu, so check out Grain Belt Premium (to some, this is a "cheap" beer, but the recipe is true to style and the flavors are genuinely delightful) for a good pairing, but for a richer offering, pull some oatmeal stout off the shelves of your local beer store and enjoy!

October 23rd and 24th

First Course

Papas Bravas

Mixed Greens under Lemon-Leek Dressing

Main Course

Baked Sirloin on a Rosemary Potato Cake

Broiled Stuffed Tomatoes

Dessert Course

Stonecutter Bread Pudding

Wine Pairings: The shiraz was what I had in mind when I was designing this menu - the characteristic pepperiness will brighten many of the flavors and enhance the beef course beautifully. If you're not necessarily a shiraz fan, come packing a chianti - the balanced character of this classic red is timeless, and it will pair very well across this menu. For you white wine drinkers, a nice sauvignon blanc will be perfect - just make sure what you bring isn't overly dry - the thyme and rosemary in the main course are dry enough, so semi-sweets will even pair very well here.

Beer Pairings: The bock seems to be the king of beer selections this time of year, but I like to lean more into the porters and stouts, especially when the temperature starts to drop. If you can find offerings from the folks at Sammy Smith, anything you find will do very well here, as will most everything from the Young's brewery in Great Britain. The nice thing - the dessert tastes even more incredible with a nice caramel-flavored beer. Yum.

October 16th and 17th

First Course

Papas Bravas

Main Course

Seafood Paella with Shrimp and Scallops

Stuffed Tomatoes

Mixed Greens with a Lemon Leek Dressing

Dessert Course

Stonecutter Bread Pudding with fresh Vanilla Ice Cream

Wine Pairings: If you're a red drinker, nab yourself a Rioja to round out the Spanish influence of this menu, but for alternatives, try out some of the Chilean offerings, especially the cabernet sauvignons out there - they have a spunky disposition that will really make flavors pop on this menu. Otherwise, get a white, and make sure it is cold. I would grab a riesling (Chateau St. Michelle comes to mind) or a sauvignon blanc if I were at the wine shop, but each white will bring something different to the table. Grab your favorite and be ready to enjoy!

Beer Pairings: As with the white wines, bring a favorite and bring it cold. I would stick to the lager style, as its crispness and slight hoppiness in the finish will cool down the palate from the papas bravas and bring out the subtle herbs used to flavor the paella. Dos Equis and Tecate are two natural selections, but for something daring, pick out a Belgian witbier (Blue Moon is a decent example) to add a whole new layer of flavor to the experience.

October 9th and 10th

First Course

Potato and Leek Soup

Irish Soda Bread

Main Course

Shepherd's Pie

Braised Caraway Cabbage

Dessert Course

Homemade Bread Pudding with fresh Vanilla Ice Cream

Wine Pairings: A brisk white will do very nicely here, so aim for semi-sweet to semi-dry (too dry, and the caraway seeds will overpower - too sweet, and the cabbage may become too sweet). Santa Margherita makes a delightful pinot grigio that would be very nice, though the intrepid might even bring a brut champagne or prosecco to lighten the palate between the savory courses offered here. For red lovers out there, bring a cabernet sauvignon with subtle berry notes to make the caramelized flavors of the shepherd's pie pop.

Beer Pairings: Mmmm. . . bring on the Belgians. Trapist Ale is delightful, though if you can't find any readily available, just check out the New Belgium homepage (www.newbelgium.com) for some great offerings that would do quite well. Oktoberfest (Marzen) beers are all the rage right now, as well, and their subtle complexity of maltiness and brisk hoppiness are perfect suitors for this menu. Whatever you bring, be ready to enjoy!