Bill Spurr - idiot or incompetent

[benwedge]

Come to think of it, he was dining at an upscale spot, and came away from it thinking the beer was pretentious? Not the people around him? Not the entire menu? Not the staff? Just the beer, which is probably cheaper per glass than any of the wines?

[brufrog]

We need to get to a point where drinking flavourful beer, like eating flavourful food and drinking flavourful wine, is the norm. It is that way in other parts of North America, and it will be here soon, too.

[pet lion]

We need to get to a point where drinking flavourful beer, like eating flavourful food and drinking flavourful wine, is the norm. It is that way in other parts of North America, and it will be here soon, too.

It would be great to have more food and beer pairings events available to the public. Especially ones that aren't too hard on the wallet. What is available currently? Propeller cask nights. Ratinaud Charcuterie has had MEET YOUR LOCAL - Beer Pairing. Foggy Google stopped doing their 3 course pairings with Propeller, right?

Maybe we could make a list of the best food and beer pairings in Halifax/Maritimes to help promote this movement?

[benwedge]

We need to get to a point where drinking flavourful beer, like eating flavourful food and drinking flavourful wine, is the norm. It is that way in other parts of North America, and it will be here soon, too.

It would be great to have more food and beer pairings events available to the public. Especially ones that aren't too hard on the wallet. What is available currently? Propeller cask nights. Ratinaud Charcuterie has had MEET YOUR LOCAL - Beer Pairing. Foggy Google stopped doing their 3 course pairings with Propeller, right?

Maybe we could make a list of the best food and beer pairings in Halifax/Maritimes to help promote this movement?

It's too bad we didn't have a spring lagerfest or similar this year. Some of the best food and beer we can get our hands on, and usually less than $10/head, thanks to the wonderful community (dare I say "social network"?) we have on here.

[mr x]

Yeah, unfortunately, I didn't have the scheduling to do anything this year. On the op subject, I may very well complain to the Herald about that article. It's pretty crappy afaiac.

Sent from Tapatalk 2, a prick of a company.

[mr x]

More hilarious 'journalism' from today's Herald:

...Speaking of the bar, now might be a good time to address the wine issue. I’ve crossed swords with the owners (Bertossi's) in the past over their refusal to include Nova Scotia products on their wine lists...

Seriously? lmfao...for a change it's the message that's right, and the messenger needs to be shot hahahahahahahaaa

http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/1 ... tery-s-din" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[benwedge]

Three things you can count on at a Bertossi restaurant: It’ll be visually interesting, it’ll feed you well and it’ll be loud.

In fact, by the time I’m finished my gelato, I’m usually ready for an Aspirino.

I particularly enjoyed this opening line.

[mr x]

Well, the herald has wisened up and taken away some of liquor reviewing.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/1 ... paper-wrap" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

At our house, fish on the barbecue is a fairly rare occurrence, usually reserved for visitors from Ontario or if we’re entertaining lots of ladies.

And every time I make it, I always think, “I should do that more often.”

For a long time, barbecued fish meant one of two things to me: either a big mess and a tough cleanup or food cooked in foil that turned out bland and seemed to defeat the purpose of using the barbecue.

But then an editor sent me to Folly Mountain Hardwood in the Wentworth Valley and I discovered grilling papers. Essentially wood cut paper-thin, grilling paper works like grilling planks, except better, because they completely surround the fish, so they impart more flavour.

You can get the Folly Mountain brand of grilling papers at Masstown Market, Acadian Maple Products, Fisherman’s Market and at Pete’s. They also manufacture the Compliments brand sold in Sobeys stores. They come in maple or cedar, and the cedar is best for fish.

To avoid a moderate pain in the butt, I recommend getting the guy at the fish counter to open a package of grilling papers, and cut your fish to fit them. There are six papers in a package, so to add variety to supper, I get two pieces each of three kinds of fish. For a normal appetite, two pieces should serve one person.

After soaking the papers in water — or juice or wine — put a piece of fish in the middle. Wrap the paper around it, tying it with the enclosed string, or, for a nicer presentation, with long chives if you have access to an herb garden.

Grill over medium heat for 10 minutes or so, depending on how thick the fish is. Since you’ve soaked the paper, it shouldn’t catch fire but it’s best to stay close just in case.

Salmon and cedar go together well, so if you want to use just one kind of fish, that would be a natural. Brush the salmon with good olive oil, season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and, if you have it, tuck a sprig of parsley or sage in with the fish before you wrap the paper around it.

Many people consider halibut the fish that does best on the grill. For halibut, add some granulated garlic and paprika to the salt and pepper. Rub it in, adding a couple of sprigs of thyme before cooking.

And if you want to catch your own fish, trout also works great with this method. For trout, brush with lemon juice and a little bit of melted butter, season with salt and pepper and add a sprig of dill.

Serve immediately, still wrapped in the paper, with rice and steamed broccoli (see above re: cooking for ladies).

To jazz up the plate even more, garnish with mango salsa. Finely chop an Ataulfo mango, half of a red and yellow pepper, and a quarter cup of sweet onion. Combine, then stir in a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and season with salt, pepper and coriander.

bspurr@herald.ca

PINHEY’S PAIRINGS

CRAIG PINHEY

brufrog@gmail.com

When choosing beer with fish it is important to remember that you need fresh, crisp flavours in the beer to cleanse the palate after each bite, in the same way as you would choose a fairly acidic wine for that purpose. You can achieve this by picking a somewhat acidic beer, such as a traditional Belgian witbier, but it is easier to do it with hop bitterness. Although they work well with fish and chips, I don't enjoy strong, malty and very bitter beers with freshly BBQ'd fish. I would lean more to a hoppy pale ale or pilsner, served cold but not “too cold to taste.” You can go for a straightforward local Pale Ale, like Garrison Hop Yard or Propeller Pale Ale, but my favourite beer for fish prepared in this manner is Czech Pils, specifically Pilsner Urquell, widely available at the NSLC.

WOOD ON WINE

SEAN WOOD

swood@woodonwine.com

Successfully pairing wine with this delicious recipe will depend on which fish you choose. The grilling papers will impart a subtle additional character, but the essential flavour of each fish will be intact.

If you use salmon, a lighter Pinot Noir can be ideal. Good rose makes an interesting alternative. At all costs, avoid tannic red wine with oily fish. The combination produces a ghastly metallic flavour that will ruin your entire dish. If you prefer whites, good Chardonnay is also a very good match.

Trout, too, is somewhat oily; I would stay away from any red wine, including Pinot Noir, which does not do well with trout. Delicate whites such as German Riesling, especially from the Mosel, Alsace Pinot Blanc or Sylvaner work best. Halibut, considered by many the king of table fish, deserves a fine pairing. Best choices are White Burgundy from the Cote de Beaune or top California or Australian Chardonnay.

It has often been said that the one wine correct to serve throughout a meal is Champagne. Most of us cannot afford that luxury, but there are many inexpensive and enjoyable alternatives on the local list.In hot summer weather around the barbecue, this might be just the thing. Some suggestions:

Cono Sur Pinot Noir, Chile, $12.99

Mirassou Pinot Noir, California, $14.99

La Crema Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, California, $33.99

J. Drouhin Chablis, Burgundy, $29.99

Pierre André Pouilly Fuissé, Burgundy, $37.49

Bend in the River Riesling, Germany, $13.49

Dr. Loosen Riesling, Germany, $15.99

[mr x]

http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/1 ... rendy-edna" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Benjamin Bridge, L’Acadie, Blomidon and Luckett are included in the wine list, and there are five local beers, plus Bulwark cider.

Is there no editing done of these articles? It's things like this that made me stop buying newspapers.....

[Brewnoser]

Trying to decide whether Spurr is an idiot it incompetent is like trying to decide why your beer has spoiled. Either way it's not drinkable.

[LeafMan66_67]

I was hoping to find out how he liked my ribs in Fall River - just so I could tell him my sauce had some of the "pretentious" craft brew in it.

[benwedge]

A small wine list includes offerings from Luckett, Blomidon and Avondale Sky, and the beers are mainly local as well, so I had a Hunky Dory pale ale made in Shelburne.

Points for trying something new, but would it kill him to name the brewery that came from? All-in-all that was a mind-blowingly good article from Spurr. He ate vegan food and tried a new beer. That's a lot for one day. I thought it was one of his better reviews, until the concluding paragraph, where, instead of summarizing his good and bad points, he just dissed the idea of vegan eating altogether.
For the lazy.

[mr x]

Yeah, read that earlier. Somebody obviously had kicked his ass about his previous beer dissing articles, as this is a few in a row that have shown improvement. The last comment was funny, but honest I guess.

[benwedge]

…conventional wisdom wouldn’t have you expecting a heavily tattooed woman to run a company with 25 employees.

It's surprising that that made it past his editor. The piece is pretty bad purely from a sexism/tattoo=thug perspective, let alone his regular faults.
Give him some page views.

[mr x]

Whining on wine again today.

http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/artsli ... ounger-set" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Read any one of the several definitions of hipster available online, and if you don’t recognize yourself there, it’s possible Field Guide won’t become your favourite new restaurant.

There’s a great deal of sincerity apparent in the menu, the list of cocktails and the industrial decor, which includes a plywood half wall and yellow metal chairs that seem to be recycled lawn furniture.

But I felt old from the moment I walked in and wished they’d turn down the music. And a mission statement on their website lists some of the restaurant’s goals, such as supporting “local farmers and producers,” yet the list of 12 wines includes only two Nova Scotia bottles.

Our server was excellent, explaining that all the dishes are made for sharing. On her advice, I had a house-made lemon lime soda that was light and very tart, and at $3, good value.

We started our meal with a small charcuterie plate, with all five meats coming from Ratinaud, which is next door. We most liked the fennel salami, which is made especially for Field Guide.

The menu is on a blackboard and changes frequently. One item that’s been on there since the place opened a couple of months ago is donair steam buns. With high expectations, we ordered those, along with a beet and blue cheese salad, sausage, squash and kale and beef cheek and potatoes.

The small kitchen is open, and the dishes arrive at the table one at a time. Every plate was presented beautifully, but the food was consistently inconsistent.

You can define local several ways, but no matter your definition I was puzzled by the decision to have blue cheese from New Brunswick in the salad instead of the wonderful Dragon’s Breath produced on That Dutchman’s Farm. Of course, when the cheese is this skimpy, it’s hard to tell the difference.

It would be easy for Field Guide to buy sausages from next door, so I respect the effort that goes into making their own pork sausage flavoured with garlic and rosemary. The sausage is great, and a smooth, sweet squash puree is among the best squash I’ve had, with roasted squash seeds lending an interesting texture, but the kale was very tough and suffered from a lack of dressing.

We thought the donair steam buns would be like the incredible steam buns at 9 + Nine, except with donair in the middle, but they’re more like a gourmet donair, with a fold of bun substituting for the pita. The sauce resembles a traditional donair sauce, with the garlic tamed to make it less harsh. And instead of spiced beef, the meat is a pork-lamb combination that tasted gamey to me.

The beef cheek and potatoes came close to being incredible. The cheek, an underutilized cut, had been braised and served in a bowl over roasted fingerling potatoes with a pool of the braising sauce in the bottom. The potatoes needed salt, an easy fix, but the sauce had somehow been scorched and had a burned taste. If not for that mistake, this dish would be a comforting winner.

Two whimsical desserts included a variety of elements, one garnished with dust of pop rocks. Pierogies stuffed with blueberries and cream cheese were nice, but we most liked a house-made candy bar better, with an ingredient list that included caramel and, bravely, miso.

Dinner for three, including tax and a 20 per cent tip, was $114.

[Brewnoser]

He has no taste buds. No taste. Should not be allowed out of Herald building. An embarrassment to the food biz in town.

[mr x]

BOURGEOIS GOURMET: Grown-up Stillwell is my new fave

http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/1 ... y-new-fave" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A spate of Halifax restaurant openings recently has given the impression that feel, atmosphere, vibe — whatever you want to call it — is more important than food and drink.

Not so at Stillwell. This 46-seat space used to be home to a Captain Sub, where the woman in charge ran a very tight ship. Gutted and converted, it now has an industrial decor, with tables made from the planks that the contractor who worked here used as scaffolding. All it took was lots of resin and lots of sanding to give a unique look. Much of the seating is on stools, which I was prepared to hate, but a foot rail at the proper height makes the seating comfortable.

Stillwell is devoted to craft beers and ciders, chiefly from the Maritimes, and has 12 taps protruding from the wall. From left to right, the taps go from light to dark in colour, to represent the colour and weight of the beers they hold. After a short tutorial from the waiter-bartender-proprietor, we opted for four five-ounce samples, selecting the four lightest drinks, all from N.S.: Bulwark cider, Propeller Pilsener, Bridge Brewing saison and Granite Ringwood. Surprising myself, I liked the Granite the best, while Kath was most enthused about Bridge’s saison.

The menu here changes frequently, and paper copies are left on each table. This week, the entire menu — apps, mains and a dessert — includes just eight items. You order at the bar and are given a number on a sign to take back to your table, and then the food is delivered from the kitchen. The clientele here, at least during our visit, was mainly male, and the menu reflects that.

A snack of mixed nuts has peanuts roasted with fish sauce, almonds with chili and cashews with honey. All had big flavours, and we found the two spicy nuts a better complement to beer than the sweet ones.

I don’t think I’ve ever had anything like Speerville popcorn before, sprinkled with pepper and super-finely grated Parmesan, which seems to float above the dish like a cloud. Interesting.

Kitchens that take their burgers seriously are getting ground beef either from Getaway Farm or Oulton’s. Stillwell is using Oulton’s very lean beef brilliantly, topping burgers, either single or double, with bocconcini and a thick paste made from rosemary and mushrooms called a duxelle.

“Very hot, very good,” BJ said after two bites of his double burger.

Fries are liberally doused with Tokyo steak spice, and served with Atari mayo, the name for which, I’m told, is a salute to both an ingredient in the mayo and to the video games on the downstairs level of the restaurant.

The fries come in a very large portion and are so delicious they’re a contender for best fries in town, non-frites division.

Southern fried chicken is a whole leg, drumstick and thigh joined, that’s been brined in buttermilk and Sriracha, and comes to the table piping hot and drizzled with honey infused with arbol pepper. The chicken is further testament to the fact that this kitchen is devoted to providing flavours that are both bold and layered, and we grew more enthused with each dish we tried.

The success of the savoury dishes encouraged me to order a dessert called French toast, with its listed ingredients of sour cherry, star anise, miso and butterscotch. An unusual combination, I think you’ll agree, but the bitterness of the anise, sweetness of the butterscotch and sour of the cherry all played together well.

A colleague had told me to be sure to visit the bathroom. The steps downstairs have been made to look like the entrance to a subway station, and downstairs, next to a few vintage games, are some seats that look like they’ve been recycled from a city bus.

Stillwell is a grown-up, efficient bar-restaurant. The music was loud enough that we could hear it, but no so loud that it impaired conversation. Service is professional, but not in your face. Food arrived hot, and supper for three, including beer, tax and a 20 per cent tip, was an extraordinarily reasonable $80.

This is my favourite new restaurant in Halifax.

[chalmers]

Oh gawd, are we going to have to wade between the lumberjacks AND foodies now just to get our beer?

Certainly glad he liked the food, I've certainly loved everything I'd tried. Calling Stillwell a restaurant is a stretch, as it's proudly a beer bar. Oh well, if the exposure drives more beer- and food-loving people through the door, it's all good!

[jtmwhyte]

I'm surprised the beer selection wasn't too pretentious for him,lol


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[BBrianBoogie]

"The clientele here, at least during our visit, was mainly male, and the menu reflects that." Huh?

This guy is quickly becoming my favorite moron, non-crétin division.

[LeafMan66_67]

"The clientele here, at least during our visit, was mainly male, and the menu reflects that." Huh?

This guy is quickly becoming my favorite moron, non-crétin division.

I think there would be plenty of females offended by that remark!

[HPhunter]

I'm dropping off kegs at Stillwell tonight. Hopefully the 2 Ladies that are accompanying me won't mind the male orientated menu!

[Jimmy]

I'm dropping off kegs at Stillwell tonight. Hopefully the 2 Ladies that are accompanying me won't mind the male orientated menu!

Unce Unce Unce! We're heading down tomorrow night - it better be on tap!

[GAM]

Jeff, do tell more.

Sandy

[HPhunter]

May be on Tap for Sat. Definitely won't be up Friday.
An IPA that the folks from Stillwell came down and help brew!