San Diego: BLAH and TIGER!TIGER! Nose to Tail Beer Pairing Dinner

Event: Nose to Tail Beer Pairing Dinner, April 29, 2013

Tiger! Tiger! 3025 El Cajon Blvd. San Diego CA 92104
www.tigertigertavern.com 

Blind Lady Ale House 3416 Adams Ave. San Diego, CA 92116
www.blindladyalehouse.com


I think I can still taste the savory pork lingering on my lips... It's been two days since I went head to head with the exquisite Berkshire pig who sacrificed his life for my gain. He was of a fine breed, that of which was marbled, juicy, tender, and delectably meaty. I guess I should say I went head to "nose to tail" with that pig, and he didn't stand a chance against me or many of the other 50 pork enthusiasts that came ready to fight for our lives and our arteries that evening. This battle that I speak of was the Nose to Tail dinner held at Tiger! Tiger! North Park this past Monday, April 29. The culinary teams of Chefs Todd Renner (BLAH) and Sharon Wilson (Tiger!Tiger!) collaborated with their beer brewing and pouring counterparts to present their first Nose to Tail beer dinner featuring 5 solid courses of swine each presented with a thoughtful beer pairing.

When I first caught glimpse of this event in my inbox, it took me all of 2 minutes to determine that I needed to be a part of this. Okay fine, for those that know me better I'll admit that they had me at "nose to tail", so I read on. Being rather familiar with the culinary stylings of both Blind Lady and Tiger! Tiger! I started to daydream about all the delicious things that would potentially come out of these kitchens as they celebrated the time-honored heritage pig. I knew that their menu would be down to earth, the ingredients would be locally seasonal, the flavors would be bold, the evening's sentiment would be light-hearted, and without a doubt there would be plenty of good beer to be had by all.

I wasn't disappointed. Upon a 15 minute fashionably late arrival (may I blame the accidental run in with the new Belching Beaver tasting room around the corner? Yes, they are now open), the set up was exactly as I had hoped. The restaurant looked as warm and inviting as always, but this time much to my delight the counters were lined with crunchy, lightly dusted Pork Cracklin's, tables were set and ready to host a feast, and an intimate sized crowd of happy, hungry, guests were all mentally preparing themselves and giddy in anticipation for what was to come. We were greeted immediately upon arrival with a friendly pint of Craftsman 1903 in hand which kicked off the 3 tray passed appetizers which technically embodied the first course.

First/Tray Pass Course (s) 
Sausage with Manchego served with Mustard: Sausage was good, but the herb mustard that came with it was out of this world.

Currywurst Corn Dogs with housemade Ketchup: Light, airy, with just enough curry to taste. I'll say it again though.. that mustard was out of this world. I wished I had saved some for my currywurst.

"Bruschetta" with Bacon: This menu item was the result of a last minute ingredient change up, a common and appreciated practice of all seasonal and market-dependent restaurants. It was supposed to be a BLT triangle but what they produced would kick that sad little BLT to the curb. This "bruschetta" was topped with fresh local avocado slices, thick slabs of deeply marinated and caramelized bacon, and tangerine supremes. Creamy, salty, and finished with acid. A perfect bite (or 2).

Beer: Craftsman 1903


With a welcome introduction from the culinary team, it was from there that the nose to tail battle begun as we firmly rooted down and took our positions for the next 4 hours of indulgence. Communal-style seating enhanced the evening and played a part in imparting a genuineness and honesty of character to this event to make it memorable. It wasn't just because of the generous 4 courses that were to come, but because of the sense of community and comaraderie that takes place organically when you put strangers and neighbors together at a table to share in a feast. This dining experience created a great precedent for what was to come from the first course to the last bite.

First Course
Head Cheese Terrine with Lemon Verbena: This was my favorite dish of the evening. The head cheese was rich in mouthfeel with a great proportion of meat to toothful collagen,while still maintaining a lightness in texture and seasoned with subtle hints of deep earthy anise and allspice. It was served with chewy, thinly prepared fried pig ear atop of a Suzie's Farm lettuce and radish salad. The salad was overdressed, but the main star made up for it, and the slightly oaky wheat beer was a great match. Note: I am a sinner to think of muddy-ing the water, but I did find myself wishing that I had more of that mustard from earlier to enjoy with this dish.

Beer: Automatic Sub Agrestic


Second Course
Wood-Fired Porchetta with Rosemary Agrodulce Mustarda with Lard Wood Fired Vegetables and Pigs Feet Baked Beans
The Porchetta was definitely the love child of a lot of labor and time. The pork loin had been slowly brined and stuffed with a variety of pungent mixed herbs and seasonings, then rolled in pork belly to be wood-fired and smoked for days using the same wood from the avocado farm that produced the "bruschetta" in the first course. The result was a juicy, intensely flavorful porchetta with a crisp, sweet, crackly skin that you could bite off like candy. The Brown Ale stood up nicely against the intensity of this course and rounded out the fat content.

Beer: Port Board Meeting Brown Ale

Third Course

Housemade Goat Cheese with Lardo: This was nice young fresh goat cheese with a mild tang that made it a good option as a palate cleanser. This dish was a good effort, however it did conjur a few questions of practicality as the thin layer of lardo didn't seem to enhance the dish in terms of texture, nor did the piece of nougatine brittle that was served as an accompaniment which was too soft to crack. The cider pairing also left the palate a bit flat, as the flavor nuances of the goat cheese and cider were too similar.

Beer: Tieton Apricot Cider

Final Course
Local Strawberry Pie with Lard and Butter Crust and Vanilla Gelato: A good, friendly and safe way to finish the meal, for those that made it this far. What got my attention for this dish was actually not the pie, but the Naughty Sauce beer that was paired with it. This undercover beer appears golden blonde in color, but greets you with a highly caffeinated and pleasantly surprising nose of sweet, dark roasted coffee. This milky golden stout is beyond intriguing.
Now I know where I'm going next time I need a pick-me-up (and it won't be the coffee shop.)

Beer: Noble Ale Works' Naughty Sauce