Christening the New Place!

First off I'd like to apologize for the lack of interesting content lately, my girlfriend and I are in the process of moving in together and it has been a lot of work.  My brewing program has been put on hold and my time has been more valuable than gold it seems.  We're finally settled into the new place and life can go back to normal.

I recently upgraded my brewing setup to contain a stir plate so I can do efficient yeast starters for every batch.  As far as my research tells me, under-pitching is the number one culprit for making homebrew taste less superior than commercially produced craft beer.  I shall no longer fall victim to this!  I set up a batch of 'wort' to cultivate some Wyeast London Ale III for an old ale I'll be putting together later this week; check out my Instagram feed to see the beast in action.  My mini-barrel is also re-hydrating and closing up holes. It's been soaking in water for over a day now and is barely leaking anymore.  Five liters of the old ale will age in here for two weeks and then be blended back into the original batch before bottling.

Nonsense aside, Maegan and I finally have a place that we can call our own!  We decided we should Christen our first fully unpacked night in our own apartment with a bottle of fine champagne and some soul food.  Enter unexpected match made in heaven: Barons de Rothschild Blanc de Blancs and Arroz con Pollo.

This is a very serious bottle of house Champagne.  'House' refers to the non-vintage, staple offering that a Champagne producer will make in order to generate the funds to make specialty bottles and vintage wines.  This by no means says it is their lowest quality product.  The house wine will be the most produced, and it's flavor should be reflected in a houses premium offerings.  Barons de Rothschilds Blanc de Blancs is made from only white grapes, and pours a clear straw color with a tight mousse.  The bubbles stream continuously and the nose offers up notes of apple, lemon, biscuit, yeasty spice, a hint of oak and vanilla and a touch of butter.  A slight sweetness here and a long lingering finish; finely carbonated and a creamy body.

Arroz con Pollo strikes a chord with me for all kinds of reasons. It's a beautifully rustic, traditional dish that we ate once a week for staff lunch while I staged in Spain.  It showcases how simple, cheap ingredients can interact with one another to create a superlative dish.  Here's a quick recipe for my household version; feel free to adapt it as you please, garnishing it with peas, calamari, fried eggs, or chopped parsley can make a world of difference.

Arroz Con Pollo (Serves 3-4)

1/4 cup olive oil

2 large chicken thighs, deboned and sliced (leave the skin on)

6 slices jamon (prosciutto if you have to) or 1 piece of semi-dry chorizo, diced

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1 small red onion, minced

1 small red pepper, minced

1 tbsp pimenton (or Hungarian smoked paprika if you're in a bind)

2 bay leaves

2 cups Spanish Calasparra or Bomba rice (this can be difficult to find, an Italian risotto rice such as Arborio or Carnaroli can make a good substitution)

1 oz Spanish (or otherwise) brandy

1 large red tomato, diced

1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed

500 mL chicken stock

salt and pepper

In a large all metal frying pan over high heat, warm the olive oil and add the chicken pieces.  Season with salt and pepper and sear until browned, then remove the chicken, leaving the oil behind (don't throw it away!).

Lower the heat to medium and add your jamon or chorizo to the pan. Render until slightly crispy then add the garlic, onion and red pepper.  Add a pinch more salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are browned and tender.

Add the spices to the pan and toast gently, then add the rice and do the same.  Deglaze with the brandy and quickly add the tomatoes, chick peas and chicken stock.  Season generously again and bring to a simmer.  Once your pan is simmering, transfer to a pre-heated 400F oven and cook until the liquid is evaporated and the rice caramelizes slightly to the edges and bottom of the pan (at this point the rice should be almost al dente but ever so slightly under cooked.  Remove from the oven, cover with a towel and allow to stand for 10 minutes.

Serve in a bowl or on a plate, ideally with utensils (remember this is peasant food).

These two work quite well together, but in lieu of expensive Champagne, one could substitute a quality bottle of inexpensive Cava or Cremant, or even a good sparkler from the USA or Australia.  The acidity and bubbles in the wine contrast the richness of the pork, beans and paprika and the creamy, bready notes complement the rice and hint of brandy.

As a side note, the one year anniversary of the blog will be on Wednesday, September 4th.  You've probably already noticed the face lift and I will be commemorating the date with a long awaited review of our Belgian Tripel, which has been mellowing in bottles for 7 weeks now.  Stay tuned!