6 Classy Beers, 6 Delicious Courses…

Pachamama’s is hosting a beer dinner tonight. The beer list and the paired courses are carefully crafted by chef Ken Baker, and they are not only clever in a culinary sense; the dishes are full of verbal wit, too. Thanks to Ken, you can belly-laugh and fill your belly all at once.

Take the pairing of Great Divide’s “Hoss” Rye Lager (from Denver, Colo.) — Ken paired this malty, earthy, spicy beer with a German rabbit stew called hassenpfeffer, traditionally made with beer. In this case, Ken uses the “Hoss” lager in the stew – so of course, the dish is titled “hoss-enpfeffer” on the menu.

Or how about maple-roast pork jowl with “red-eye gravy”? Why the quotes, you ask? Well, red-eye gravy is usually made by frying pork and deglazing the pan with coffee to make a pan-sauce. Instead of coffee, Ken’s red-eye gravy uses Mikkeller’s “Beer Geek Breakfast” from Denmark to deglaze the pan — fitting, because the dark-brown, almost black beer has intense coffee notes.

Puns aside, these dishes are innovative and perfectly matched to their beer-mates. Pumpernickel-crusted sausage, garnished with dill, fennel, and cocoa nibs, is served alongside Beer Here’s “Morke Pumpernickle Porter” (Denmark.)

And for dessert, double chocolate pudding and an “Aphrodite float.” Yes, float, as in vanilla ice cream doused with Brasserie Dieu du Ciel’s “Aphrodite” stout (Canada), lending its vanilla, dark chocolate, and bourbon flavors.

Pachamama’s: serving up food for thought!