Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Advance notice: Beer dinner and Alsatian choucroute garnie at the Frenchman's.


This information is subject to change, but the probable date for the first-ever beer dinner at Louis Le Français (133 East Market Street in downtown New Albany) is Thursday, March 1 at 7:00 p.m.

I joined Tim Eads of Starlight Distribution LLC this morning for a chat with the Frenchman himself. Tim will be featuring a few Bieres de Garde ales from the Shelton portfolio, to which I'll add a couple of appropriate NABC beers. Apart from three or four other courses, the Frenchman revealed the beer dinner's projected pièce de résistance: Alsatian choucroute garnie.

The last time I had this dish was in Strasbourg, with Trois Monts ale handy to accompany. It is an understatement to say that I'm excited about this beer dinner, and we're not even close to the pairings yet. Put this on your calendars, and I'll be back soon with pricing and further information.

Meat of the Matter, by Beth Kracklauer at Saveur (photo credit to Saveur)

The first time I visited Alsace, the half-timbered houses and the window boxes filled with geraniums looked to me like something out of a Grimm fairy tale. In one of the cozy winstubs, or taverns, unique to this northeastern corner of France, I was introduced to authentic Alsatian choucroute garnie, a heaping platter of wine-braised sauerkraut (choucroute in French), "garnished" with Hansel and Gretel–worthy portions of cured pork and sausages.

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