Rogue Spirits Rum Balls -- recipe ideas

I've been making Rum Balls with Rogue Spirits White Rum and served them at Rogue events this year. Long story short each batch is different--variety is the spice of life. Here are some of my recipes and suggestions.
Base: vanilla wafers or gingersnaps, cocoa powder.
Sweeteners: agave, honey, sorghum, molasses.
Texture: bacon, coconut, roasted hazelnuts, ovaltine,
Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue cheese, chilis ...
Coating (optional): smoked sea salt, tempered dark chocolate. roasted crushed hazelnuts.
Booze: Rogue Spirits White Rum, Hazelnut Spice Rum, Dark Rum, Dead Guy Whiskey... Spruce GinBall anyone? I'm game, stay tuned!

having your cake and eating it too

One of my favorite beer cookbooks is Bruce Aidell's Real Beer and Good Eats. So imagine how thrilled I was to hear about the October 2009 issue of Bon Appetite Magazine and a chocolate layer cake recipe that recommends Rogue Chocolate Stout, written by Chef Bruce!

Forget milk—stout is the perfect pairing for this cake.
Serve glasses of the same brew you used in the cake batter.
Take it up a notch by adding a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream to the beer for a grown-up float.

Bravo! The photo of a wedge of cake with a glass of stout in the backgroud is irresistable! Thanks to Diane for calling Rogue Ales HQ, asking where to buy a bottle of RCS in Potomac, MD in order to bake this cake, which was passed onto me for followup. I hope your cake was delicious! The recipe calls for strong coffee, my pick is Stumptown HairBender.

Another chef who uses Rogue Chocolate Stout in a cake and frosting recipe is Chef Michael Wagner from Lola's on Harrison in Hollywood, FL!

Rogue Chocolate Stout marinated steak scores a Red Ribbon at TX Reds Steakoff

Rob Bane's Team Cruel and Unusual took 10th Place at Third Annual Texas Reds Steak Cook-off in Bryan, TX. for their Rogue Chocolate Stout marinade!

I marinated the the steak for 6 hours in
chocolate stout then seasoned with a rub
of salt pepper garlic and chipotle.  I then
sauced the steak with chimichurri and habanero
& purple haze goat cheese sauce.
I took  my rogue bottle up to the stage hoping
to get it in the paper or on the steakoff website.  

Rob has used Rogue Chiopotle Ale in his marinade for some time, and contacted the brewery when he could not find a supply for the TX Steak Cookoff finals a few years ago. Rogue Ales hooked him up and we've kept in touch about his steakoff endeavours & competitions ever since.

The Texas Steak Cookoff in Hico was held this past weekend and this year we used Rogue Chocolate Stout as a marinade and made our own rub consisting of chipotle, salt, pepper and garlic. There were 82 teams attending this year so they split us up in three heats of 27 teams each with 8 teams advancing from each heat. Unfortunately we had a tough heat consisting of the top ten from last years competition and 17 other teams and we didn’t make it out of the 1^st round. However on a good note, we cooked a lot of steaks for the public and we received a lot of comments that our steak was the best they tried even after trying some from those who made the final round.

My next competition will be held in Bryan Texas on June 20 at the Texas Reds Festival

Brooklyn's Chocolate Room and Chocolate Beer

As the smell of chocolate manages to make its way outside from “The Chocolate Room,” located on 86 Fifth Avenue in Brooklyn, it’s obvious.

You know you’re in for a special experience.

Sitting in the middle of an area finishing up a demographic shift that is quickly becoming a trendy epicenter for new businesses, “The Chocolate Room,” which has been in business for a few years now, fits right in with a soft-lighted dessert palace that is sure to hook anyone looking for something different.

Billed as a dessert cafe, “The Chocolate Room” is so much more, offering a wide selection of flavored coffees, hot chocolates, confections, cakes, chocolate-flavored beer from the Brooklyn Brewery such Black Chocolate Stout, Young’s Double Chocolate Stout, Rogue Chocolate Stout and wine, making it a destination for those looking to relax with a drink as well.

Thanks to Patrick Henry for this post above, and to the folks at The Chocolate Room -- Jon, Naomi and Chef Fritz!

The Chocolate Room, 86 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217 // (718) 783-2900

The Chocolate Room, 269 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231 // 718-246-2600

Rogue Creamery takes a Red Ribbon for Chocolate Stout Cheddar and wins Best of Show for Rogue River Blue

Rogue Chocolate Stout Cheddar won a Red Ribbon (2nd place in its category) for a second year in a row at the American Cheese Society conference held in Austin Aug 5-8, 2009. My beer is infused into this cheese, how surreal! It was exciting sitting next to Rod from Willamette Valley Cheese Co during the awards, he won several for his Dutch-style cheeses (love the Perrydale), and witness the multiple awards for Rogue Creamery, including Best of Show for their Rogue River Blue and to be able to congratulate and share the moment with Cary and David! If you are anywhere close to Portland, OR - The Wedge is October 3rd, an Oregon Cheese Guild event hosted at the Green Dragon.

Boho Braises with Rogue Chocolate Stout

I love reading about chefs who cook with beer, and pair beer with their food--and diners who enjoy these meals and share their dining experiences and photos. I mailed Chef a postcard thanking him for using my beer in his braise -- cannot wait to visit SoCal and make my own pilgrimage to Boho in LA. Thanks to foodshethought for the shout out.

HM ordered the short ribs, and luckily for me she loves to share. Braised in Rogue chocolate stout and guajillo chiles, this had just a trace of sweetness, much less than the oxtails. I loved the pearl onions and carrots. In the back of the photo you can see the buttered spaetzle making an appearance. Yum.

http://foodshethought.blogspot.com/2009/05/second-chances-at-boho-hots-misses-but.html

Sommelier Smackdown in Gotham... Beer vs Emily Wine!

I received an unexpected invitation that I could not refuse...would I consider challenging Emily Wines, a master sommelier, to a smackdown in NYC--her beverages against mine, paired with a three course meal. Odds are I'll learn a thing or ten, being a beer advocate with no bartending experience. I've been known to blend my beers and infuse my cocktails, and considering the host is Chef Patricia Williams at Nios, we will eat well too! So join me on Tuesday July 28th at Nios Restaurant inside The Hotel Muse for Round 2 of the Sommelier Smackdown in Gotham, and see whose beverages reign surpreme!

Where were the beer drinkers? One more vote for the barley would have ensured a victory over the grape... I lost by a few points--it was really close, so I challenged Emily to a rematch, with cheese. She has retained her title and belt, but not for long!!


Nice shout out in a SeroiousEats interview!
Q: What have been some of your favorite pairings from the smackdowns you've hosted so far, either yours or someone else's?
A: I loved the dark beer spritzed with hazelnut liquor that Sebbie Buhler from Rogue Ales did with the chocolate peanut butter crepes.
Toche'' I spritz’d each glass before serving the Chocolate Stout & Hazelnut Brown Ale beer blend at the table. Then I spritz'd the glasses individually which added lovely nutty aromas and foam! Emily & I spritz’d her pairing, a classic Port, which was seriously good with Rogue Spirits Hazelnut Rum!