I have been in a German frame of mind recently. We are running a small Oktoberfest and we have brewed an Oktoberfest lager and our annual rauchbock . These two food recipes both are inspired by Schlenkerla who amazingly post recipes to some of the dishes in the tavern on their website, you can find…
Author: southstarbrew
Beer : Pub, waiting for a curry
I step into the pub. The ambience is warm, cosy and alive. Three small dogs followed by a toddler tear around at my ankles. Young bar staff with colourful hair and elaborate eyebrows herd the dogs and children with beaming smiles. I order an imported Welsh bitter.A character in a cape comes in. Buys a…
Food : Black Country Faggots
“Faggots remind me of the less-comfortable pubs that are better for it: hard, dark-wood bench seating, whitewashed walls and a low ceiling, a small crackling fire and the low murmur of locals leaning against the bar. I come alone and like a corner table and a pint of bitter with a pickled egg. The faggots…
Cider : Wassail
Every year on the first or second Saturday of July I celebrate wassail. What the hell is wassail? Well it is a couple of things. There are broadly two traditions of wassail both of which would occur on either the eve of the feast of epiphany or on the old pre Georgian calendar Twelvey Night….
Food : Cabbage Rolls
Lahanodolmades, Töltött káposzta , Szárma, Balandėliai , Halubcy , Golubtsy ,Gołąbki, Holubtsi , Kāpostu tīteņi , Holubky , Holishkes , Prakas , Krouv Memula , Kåldolmar, Kaalikääryle , Kapsarull, Japrak , Sarma, Сарма , Japrak , Јапрак , Punjeni kupus , Arambašići, Сарми, Sarmale , Lahana dolması, sarması, Kələm dolması, Kaghambi tolma (կաղամբի տոլմա) ,…
Food : Scotch Eggs
A descendent of the Mughal Nargesi kebab of Lucknow? The creation of the Fortum and Mason Department Store in London? Originally made with minced fish in Whitby ? There are many theories about the origin of the Scotch Egg. Personally I choose the Nargesi origin, hard to look at these Indian kofta with boiled eggs…
Food : Baechu-kimchi
This my basic Kimchi recipe. I make large batches as I have extensive fridge space and I make for a friend as well as for myself. You can of course scale it down. For me the game changer to fermented veg method has been topping the ferments with water. Most recipes say you have to…
Beer : The State We Are In
Jeff Alworth’s piece here makes for grim reading. He is in my opinion absolutely correct. Craft beer has over the last decade experienced massive growth but in doing so has I feel lost its way. Jeff explores the generational aspects of beer drinking which I think is definitely a major factor, one he is much…
Travel : Came on Holiday by Mistake – Beautiful Day Above the Grave
“ And slowly you begin to discern the queer outline of what’s to come: the bend in the river beyond which, moving steadily, head up (you hope), you will simply vanish from sight.” Lauris Edmond In Position 2003 A wind gets up in the night. The southerly gusts rattle all the old windows in the hotel…
Travel : Came on Holiday by Mistake – Geometry, Fire, Iron and Whisky
“There are very few things I can say about my work that are better than saying nothing.” – Ralph Hotere I breakfast at a vibrant bakery that also does café service. A dome of scrambled eggs , sausage patty , confit mushrooms and glazed ham all spiked with Szechuan crispy chilli oil. A family dressed…
Raise the Dawn 