Monday, March 25, 2013

Amuste Increase My Buste

Not everything goes together as well as chocolate and peanut butter, I've found. Arabs and Israelis, for example. Don't bother asking me why that is- I'm still trying to figure out why the Coronado Mall has two "Treasures of the Orient" type stores. How many people in Albuquerque are decorating their houses to look like Ko Palace? Odell Brewing is trying out a beer that, on paper, combines ingredients that don't exactly sound harmonious: Porter and grape juice. That's right. Welch's stock isn't exactly going through the roof as a result of this combination, but let's look into this beer a little further. In Odell's own words, they mention the "primordial ooze". Hmmm. Let's look into this beer without Odell's own words for a minute. The "grape juice" added to the beer isn't exactly purple drank or even Four Loko; it's actually Tempranillo grapes grown in Colorado (Odell keeps with its tradition of using Colorado grown products). The Porter part is actually an Imperial Porter, which at 9.3% ABV can certainly withstand a grape addition. Might even benefit from it. The beer would certainly benefit from some aging in red wine barrels, don't you think? Odell did too, so they aged it and blended it and here you go: Amuste, packaged in caged and corked 750 ML bottles. Odell suggests you replace red wine with Amuste for your next pairing. I always suggest that. It doesn't take a Brut to drink a beer like this one- give it a shot. It's sure to be better than that bottle of Asti Spumanti in the back of your fridge.

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Why?

Why would I waste my time with a blog about the bastardization of the Philadelphia staple?

1. I have wasted more time with dumber ideas.

2. There are just too many of these bastardizations that I need to share with the world. You're welcome.

In my travels around this great nation, I have made it a point to pick up menus from every establishment I came across in every town I've visited. I have cringed at what unsuspecting people consider to be an authentic cheesesteak, and it is time to set the record straight. A REAL Philly (and real cheesesteak places do NOT call them Philly) cheesesteak consists of meat, cheese, and bread, with fried onions always a proper option. This blog will basically be a photo essay of menus offering so-called "cheesesteaks", "Cheese-Steaks", and dreaded "Philly Subs", and all the wrong toppings added to them. There will be the occasional photo of the actual mess a restaurant tries to pass off as the real thing, but only if I see another diner eating one. I refuse to waste my money on a fraud sandwich.

I welcome you to contribute your own nightmare menu description of the beloved sandwich. Send contributions to notacheesesteak@gmail.com