Recent Beers: Stillwater Of Love & Regret and Oude Gueuze Tilquin

Christmas Beer Haul

Stillwater - Of Love and Regret - a little too floral/spicey for me, did not love it

Oude Gueze Tilquin - dry and sour, great gueuze $11.99 though :/

ATL Essentials 2012 Winter Edition

Let me begin by pointing out the new ATL Essentials page on the top of the blog.  These posts are some of my favorite on the site, and I really hope that people who read my blog will chime in with comments.

1) Merino Wool.  My favorite brand is Ibex, but I also like Smartwool and Icebreaker.  Merino wool is the best material you can buy.  It is good for the planet, sustainable, great for performance, and looks great too.  I stay warm in a variety of base and mid-layers.  My favorite piece is the Ibex Shak.

2) LL Bean Boots of varying size and color.  Great for slushy weather, and they look cool.

3) Arc'teryx Goretex Shells.  The best piece of outerwear money can buy.  Also, some of the most expensive.  Alpha SV is the highest end, and is on top of my wish list right now.  I would settle for an Alpha LT though!

4) Bloody Marys.  Use sriracha. I also like eggnog, and if you are going to drink craft beers, avoid the winter warmers and pick a nice stout or porter.  I don't have a problem, honest!

5) Reading.  I always love to read, but this is the best season to read indoors, by the fire, with a drink in hand.  I really don't have a problem.

6) Salmon.  Wild. Sockeye.  Here is How I Cook Salmon.

That's all til Spring folks.  Check out the other ATL Essentials post from Summer and Autumn!

How I Cook Steaks

I enjoyed writing my last post on how I cook salmon, so I decided to follow up with how I cook steaks.  As usual, you want to start with good ingredients.  I prefer, but can't always afford grass fed beef.  This is just a nice sirloin from Whole Foods.  You will also need some frying oil, I generally use coconut, but olive works in a pinch.  Mushrooms and onions were what I had on hand, but you can go with just one or the other, or add pepper into the mix.

Turn the burner to medium high and put the coconut oil in

5 minutes to a side

If it starts to brown, not a problem at all. 

I started to take a couple of bites before snapping a pic.  The other steak is in the fridge, packed with some more frozen vegetables.  More kale and broccoli.  Lunch tomorrow!

How I Cook Salmon

This is not really a recipe, as my method of cooking is far too simple to be called a recipe.  The most important step is getting high quality salmon.  I generally prefer Coho and Sockeye, both are delicious.  Must be wild-caught.  Watch out for when you see the sign says "color added," who wants color added to their food?

The other necessary ingredients are coconut oil, my preferred method of sauteeing, along with salt and pepper for seasoning.

I sliced the salmon into four pieces, as it was a rather large fillet

Put a couple scoops of coconut oil into the frying pan and turn it onto medium.  I like non-stick, but its mostly because I am lazy.

Throw those steaks in there and let em cook

When one side looks like this, you flip em over.  Usually takes about 5 minutes or less.  You don't want to over cook salmon.  I prefer to eat skin on, but thats your preference!

Warm up some veggies for a side, I went with kale and broccoli.  A couple tabs of butter and some salt and pepper when they are cooked

Voila, healthy paleo-friendly dinner!

Pair with red wine, seltzer water, or an IPA

Frank Pepe's Pizza and Beer

Frank Pepe's is a New Haven Pizzeria that makes in my opinion some of the best pies in the world.  Thin sliced, cut in a ridiculous fashion, and cooked in a wood oven.  You can accompany this pizza with cheap red wine or beer.  I chose to go with an IPA on its last legs, given as a gift from my brother on Christmas.  He doesn't know that IPAs need to be super fresh to really be top notch, but I cant blame him.  The head is certainly wrong on this pour, but I let it cool down while digging into the pie.  Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest Wet Hop IPA and a Pie with Cheese, Bacon, and Mushrooms.

Christmas

Christmas is great, family, gift-giving, basketball, food, and drink.  Cold weather outside, warm clothing inside.  Everyone in good spirits.  College kids on break.  People returning to their hometowns.  Silent Night.

My wonderful wife gave me a bottle of De Proef x Hair of the Dog Flanders Fred and an Ibex Shak.  Looking forward to enjoying both of these great gifts!

Celtics won convincingly.

Bloody Maries were consumed, with sriracha.

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