Boffo Brown Sweet Cheddar Bread Pudding with Apple Butter & Boffo Brown Caramel Sauce

I have a confession.  I have been holding out on you.  I made this bread pudding recipe almost three weeks ago, and I'm not sharing it with you until now.  I've been trying to figure out how I can convince you that you should make this now...seriously, right now.. but I’m having a hard time.  It’s still January, after all, the month of absolving (oneself of having eaten a lot sweets) and resolving (to stop eating so many sweets), and I suspect that the last thing people want to be taunted with is delicious homemade bread pudding -- say, one with a sweet, creamy beer custard base and a gooey, melty sharp cheddar center;...

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Bottled Michigan: Short's The Woodmaster

A few years ago, in a fit of insanity mixed with naivete, my wife and I attempted the Master Cleanse diet. I linked to it, but for the lazy, here's the rundown: you survive on nothing but a mixture of maple syrup, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and water for a number of days. You also take a daily salt enema, where you drink a salt solution designed to scrub your insides and clean you out.  We lasted 4 days, and it was absolute hell. Additionally, it permanently moved the flavor of “maple syrup” into the unpleasant category, right next to old milk and the breath of a rabid dog. All that posed a problem for me as I look at Short's new brown...

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Bottled Michigan: Short's The Wizard Barley Wine

I wanted to write this description of beer as a tongue-in-cheek nod to the 1989 movie where Fred Savage kidnaps his brother and gets him to win a Super Mario Brothers 3 competition. I wanted to pepper this with images of a pre teen Savage with questionably appropriate references to his later career as director of Daddy Day Care and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. It's in the contract.  Charlie blows DeVito, and I watch. Unfortunately, the beer had other ideas, and without wailing 80s guitars and the power glove, I didn't stand a chance. Far from being a fun riff on terrible 80 movies, Short's The Wizard is more of a fun riff on terrible...

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Pandemonium Pale Ale Cornbread

As promised yesterday, here is the recipe for the cornbread I made to go along with our Mole Ocho Chili last weekend.  Seth told me his mom used to make a pretty mean cornbread recipe when he was younger, so I knew the recipe I came up with was going to have to be pretty darn good.  With so much at stake, I felt I could not face this challenge alone, so I turned to The Wench for a little help. The verdict?  He told me it's the best cornbread he's ever had.  I'd have to say I agree.  Although, I have to admit that I'm a little nervous saying that, because I know a lot of variations exist when it comes to cornbread...

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Mole Ocho Chili

I'll be the first to admit that I’m not really much of a football fan, but all of this talk about the upcoming Super Bowl has been making me crave a big bowl of chili.  Since I almost always have ingredients on hand to throw together a quick pot of chili, it was very easy to satisfy my craving this past weekend. Even though I usually prefer to to use as many fresh ingredients in my cooking as possible, I always have a variety of canned beans and canned tomatoes on hand.  Pair those two ingredients with some ground beef (or just skip the meat altogether), chopped fresh veggies, and some good quality chili powder and you’ve got an easy,...

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Michigan Beer Cellar

In the cloud covered malaise that is Michigan's winter, Sparta is not a pretty town. It's a good 25 minutes north of Grand Rapids, and it's not much to look at when the weather isn't cooperating. In fact, while this shot is in black and white, it's just about as dreary as it was in color. image courtesy Eric Krause Actually, I can prove it: My complaints about the weather aside, this little town is where Dan Humphrey, owner of the Michigan Beer Cellar, decided to set up shop. Truth be told, I find myself most at home in bars that have just a hint of “VFW Building” lineage in them. Others may find the Michigan Beer Cellar slightly...

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Bell's Porter Welsh Rarebit

Welsh What?? I know, the name tells you nothing about the dish, but it’s really just cheese fondue, simplified; a creamy cheese sauce, spiked with beer, rounded out with mustard, and poured over toast.  The dish, referred to as 'Welsh rabbit’ by some (don't worry, I'll explain later), gets its name quite literally from the words rare (meaning very lightly cooked) and bit (a small piece or portion). No matter what you call it, it makes for an ideal savory snack. Try it for Sunday morning brunch with some freshly brewed coffee, then use the leftover Welsh rarebit  later on poached eggs, baked potatoes, cauliflower, or asparagus. Here...

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Founders Breakfast Stout Pudding

Pudding: the ultimate kids' dessert.  I can't open a Snack Pack without having instant flashbacks of my childhood. (Yes, I do still eat Snack Packs from time to time.  Don't judge.)  There's just something about the cold, creamy texture and sweet, rich flavor that unfailingly makes kids (and me!) happy. Something that is so deliciously comforting should not just be for kids.  They aren't the only ones that need comforting.  After all, when is the last time you saw a child worrying about job security?  Rising gas prices?  Their 401Ks tanking? As delicious as pudding is, it probably won't be enough to assuage...

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