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The Beer Cheese Fondue was a big hit during "Cooking with your Concierge". Wow guests at your next event with the recipe below.
Beer Cheese FondueIngredients:
For Dipping: Be creative and have fun! We selected the following...
Directions:
Combine cheeses in a bowl with flour. Add beer to a heavy bottomed pot and bring up to a bubble over medium heat. Reduce the heat to simmer and add cheese in handfuls. Stir constantly, melting the cheese in batches. Stir in a figure-eight pattern with wooden spoon. When the cheese has been incorporated fully, stir in the mustard, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Transfer fondue to warm fondue pot.
By Ana Zimmer, Pastry Chef
In the wee hours of the morning, way before the sun is up and the cows milked, the pastry team is in the kitchen at the Pelican Pub & Brewery baking breads and pastries from scratch. One of these delicious treats is the Pelican's Spent Grain Bread. This artisan bread is made from the Pelican's award-winning beer, which is brewed on site, along with the spent grain.
Spent grain is a byproduct of the brewing process. The grain is made up of malt and grain that remains in the mash kettle after the mashing process. By mass, spent grain consists of about half carbohydrates and the rest being mostly proteins and lignin, the organic substance in plants that makes them rigid.
After the brewers hand over the hot spent grain to the kitchen, the pastry team can get started on making the bread. Combining flour, beer from the brewery, salt, yeast, honey and the spent grain, they form wonderful smelling dough. The dough is then chilled in the cooler overnight for easy forming.
The next morning the dough is formed and proofed. When the bread is finally pulled from the oven it fills the air with a tantalizing malt smell, making it difficult to refrain from tasting one of the piping hot loaves.
The brewers, pastry team, and baristas at Stimulus all take pride in this bread and do their best to provide a wonderful culinary treat. Whether you eat it plain, toasted, or as a sanwich built fresh by the Stimulus baristas, you will be in heaven.
Some pairing suggestions:
The MacPelican Scottish Style Ale Spent Grain Bread is the most versatile and a crowd favorite - perfect for a deli sandwich or with French onion soup or leg of lamb.
I recommend pairing the Doryman's Dark Spent Grain Bread with a pasta dish such as lasagna or stroganoff, or perhaps with barb-b-que.
And finally, consider picking up some Tsunami Stout Spent Grain Bread to go with your hearty stew or savory Reuben sandwich on these blustery winter days.
Enjoy a fun week in Pacific City during the Oregon State Parks' sponsored whale watching week which officially begins December 26, 2011.
The southward migration of the gray whales goes on for these 7 days and continues into mid-January. The slower whales can be seen as late as the last weeks in January; it’s usually moms and babies (who are born in January 2011) that bring up the rear of the crowd. Gray whales travel in smaller groups of two and three and make the trek of about 6,000 miles to warm waters off of Mexico (with no food) at the speed of 3 to 6 miles per hour.
The north tip of Cape Kiwanda is one of 24 state sponsored whale watching sites and volunteers will be at Cape Kiwanda every day helping locals and visitors alike spotting these magnificent animals. Whales use the shoreline and sounds of surf to navigate from the coast at Cape Lookout right down to Haystack Rock in Pacific City, so expecting to see them just a mile off shore is possible.
Gray whales are best spotted on clear sunny days from 10am-1pm; try to make sure that the morning light is behind you. Watch for spouts in the water, there is an entry buoy in a great location at Cape Kiwanda, looking at that buoy normally shows you some activity and you may be able to spot several at one time. Who knows you may see some backs or flukes popping out of the water or even a jumper! At Cape Kiwanda you can see up to 30 whales per day and visitors can number up to 100-120 on a nice day!!
Don’t miss this, they won’t be back again until springtime when they migrate northward to waters off of Alaska. Please see www.whalespoken.org for additional details.
Join us to celebrate the beginning of 2012 at the Pelican Pub & Brewery with a special 3-course dinner, live entertainment by The Ted Vaughn Blues Band, and a Pelican beer toast at midnight. 6pm until midnight. $50 per person. Reservations required. Purchase tickets online, or contact Courtney at 503-965-3674.
Appetizer:
Oysters with Saison du Pelican Mignonette
Four Goose Point oysters on the half shell, served raw or broiled with a Saison du Pelican mignonette
Choice of one entree:
Pacific Snapper with Saffron Sauce
Pan seared local Pacific Snapper served with a fingerling potato, fennel, leek and blood orange hash, finished with a saffron butter sauce
Airline Chicken with Romesco Sauce
Oven roasted airline chicken breast with sauteed mushrooms, shallots, sweet potaotes, and fennel served with Spanish romesco sauce
Butternut Squash and Mushroom Lasagna
Hearty lasagna filled with butternut squash, mushrooms, spinach, hazelnuts and a goat cheese cream cheese sauce
And for dessert:
Tsunami Stout and Hazelnut Chocolate Tart
A rich chocolate ganache tart with Tsunami Stout and hazelnuts served with a Stormwatcher's Ale whipped cream.
Cost is $25 per adult and $15 per child*. Please call to make reservations, 503-965-7007.
Prime Rib au Jus
Smoked Salmon Cannelloni
with alfredo sauce, ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese
Roasted Duck
Wild Mushroom Pie
chanterelle mushrooms, crimini mushrooms and fresh herbs
Mixed Green Salad
hazelnuts, tomato, cucumber and carrots
Spinach Gratin
Oven Roasted Spaghetti Squash
with red chard, mustard greens, bacon and shallots
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
with gravy
Smoked Salmon Chowder
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
with fresh herbs, onions and garlic
Fresh Baked Rolls
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Assorted Cookies
Chocolate Mint Cheesecake
Fresh Fruit
*Price does not include beverage or gratuity.
18% gratuity applied for parties of 8 or more.
Fresh baked spent grain bread arrives at Stimulus this Tuesday!
Since the Pelican Pub & Brewery opened many years ago, we have given away the left over "spent" grain from the brewing process (which has lots of nutrients and residual proteins) to a local dairy farmer for use as an excellent dietary supplement for his dairy cows.
Not long ago, we realized that we could be using at least a portion of our spent grain for a much higher purpose (although we're pretty sure the cows will NOT agree with that opinion). With a little recipe experimentation by one of the Pelican owners, Mary Jones, and further refinement by our pastry chef team, we discovered that the addition of spent grain makes an absolutely delicious rustic bread!
Try it as toast - it's heavenly!
Spiced Rum Sweet Potato Pie
Ingredients:
1 single layer pastry shell from your favorite recipe
15 oz sweet potatoes, pureed
1 c heavy cream
1/3 c sour cream
2 ea eggs, large
3/4 c sugar
3-1/2 T spiced rum
1 t cinnamon, ground
3/4 t ginger, ground
1/4 t allspice, ground
1/4 t salt
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F with rack in the middle
Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes, or until set. Carefully remove foil and weights. Bake shell until golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Cool shell.
Whisk together the rest of the ingredients and pour into cooled pie shell. Bake until edge of filling is set but it still jiggles slightly, about 45 minutes. Filling will continue to set as it cools. Cool completely and serve with sweetened whipped cream.
You can enjoy other delicious creations this Thanksgiving holiday. The oceanfront Pelican Pub & Brewery invites you to enjoy a special Thanksgiving Day buffet Thursday, November 24th from Noon to 6pm. Cost is $25 per adult and $15 per child*. Please call Courtney at 503-965-3674 to make reservations. View menu. *price does not include beverages or gratuity. 15% gratuity applied to bill for parties of 8 or more.
The Inn at Cape Kiwanda holiday package comes complete with a two-night stay in a Kiwanda Guest Room, two tickets to the Thanksgiving holiday buffet dinner at the Pelican Pub & Brewery, and a $10 Stimulus gift card. Based on availability. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Book Now or call toll-free 888-965-7001.
Love cooking, but not the headache of shopping for the supplies? Did you know the Cottages at Cape Kiwanda offers a grocery shopping service? Enjoy two nights in an ultra-luxurious oceanfront cottage and receive a $50 grocery bill credit. Let the Concierge team help take the stress out of your Thanksgiving holiday. Just provide a shopping list, and they'll deliver right to your cottage door. For new reservations and completed by 12/1/2011. 2 days advance notice required for grocery shopping service. Book Now or call toll-free 866-571-0605.
Stay with Shorepine Vacation Rentals and enjoy a furnished home with plenty of space for the whole family and all the cookware needed to create a Thanksgiving feast of your own. Stay 4 nights and receive a freshly baked, gourmet pie provided by the Pelican Pub & Brewery; choose from mouth watering pecan, warm gooey apple, or the classic favorite, pumpkin! For new reservations and completed by 12/1/2011. 4 days advance notice required for pie type and arrival time. Book Now or call toll-free 877-549-2632.
By Dan Ressegger, General Manager, Stimulus Espresso Cafe
Like many people, when I first started drinking quality coffee, I had no idea that it came from trees, just like apples and oranges. And just like apples and oranges, coffee trees produce their fruit during certain seasons depending on where in the world your favorite coffee is grown. Some of my favorite coffees are just ripening right now. I feel like a kid at Christmas, waiting for them to show up to roasters to work their magic, and just like Christmas, each year is different. The Guatemala Antigua that I had last year and the year before will never be the same. Each harvest will yield a slightly different perspective of subtle notes that master roasters will manipulate, to bring you a perfect cup of coffee from that region.
Green coffee beans from Columbia will arrive at your favorite local roaster soon. Coffees from Columbia are generally very clean on your palate, with a high level of bright acidity that dances on your tongue. Did you know that Columbia is the only South American country with ports on both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, making it a key exporter to both Asia and Europe for its prized Columbia Supremo?
Guatemalan coffees generally have a medium body and low acidity. Hints of cocoa, apples, and hazelnuts dominate these smooth beans. These beans are my personal favorite for serving with dessert. The flavor notes and aromas tend to enhance those traditonal favorites like tiramisu or cheesecakes.
Kenya coffee beans will be available during one of their two growing seasons. The shorter rain season will produce smaller crops with an emphasis on quality rather than quantity. Beans that are air dried will have the opportunity to pick up exotic flavor notes from the elements. These full bodied, highly distinctive flavor beans will showcase notes of tart citrus or berries, or you might find wild flower notes like jasmine or rose hips. Unfortunately, due to a recent bad growing season, finding cups of this highly prized coffee will be hard this year.
Stop by Stimulus Espresso Cafe to see what new coffees (and pastries) the changing season brings.
Crab and Tillamook Cheddar Sandwiches
4 slices sourdough bread or English muffins
12 oz crabmeat
2 cups grated Tillamook cheddar cheese (8 oz)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
4 to 5 tablespoons mayonnaise
Preheat the broiler. Toast the bread slices until lightly browned on one side. Set aside on a wire rack to cool. Keep the broiler on. Pick over the crabmeat to remove any bits of shell or cartilage, and put in a medium bowl with cheese and green onion. Toss to mix, and then add just enough mayonnaise to hold the crab and cheese together; if you add too much, the sandwiches will be soft and soggy. Stir the ingredients until well blended. Spread the crab mixture on the untoasted side of the bread slices and place them on a baking sheet. Broil the sandwiches until the cheese is melted and top is bubbly, 3 to 4 minutes. Makes 4 servings.
Photo of junior dory fisherman Lane Olson holding a Dungeness crab caught off the shore of Cape Kiwanda.
Have you ever explored the tide pools at the north end of the beach at Cape Kiwanda in Pacific City? If you have, you may have encountered beds of large, purplish-black California mussels, the favorite food of the orange, brown or purple sea stars clinging to the rocks below them. In the pools left behind by the outgoing tide, sculpin swim around green anemones, snails graze on the algae and hermit crabs scurry along. The closer you look, the more you see. Three species of chitons, six or more kinds of crabs, barnacles, seaweeds, sponges and nudibranchs (aka sea slugs) all live in the tide pools at Pacific City.
We have a Marine Garden in our “front-yard!” The rocky shore at the foot of our sandstone headland, Cape Kiwanda, is one of seven intertidal areas on the Oregon coast protected by the Marine Garden designation. This means that collection or disturbance of the animals and plants that live there is prohibited. Do come and visit the wonderful inhabitants of this dynamic intertidal world and please be careful where you step!
