2013 Field Of Beers Culinary Night, Jupiter, Fla.

What do you get when you mix beer and gourmet food on a ball field? Well if you are in Florida with 374 people at the Roger Dean Stadium and it's January, then you get the Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival's Field of Beers food pairing event. Fran Andrewelch, of the Tequesta Brewing Company, organized this tasty affair with help from ChefCorp.

Field of Beers food pairing night, Roger Dean
Stadium, Abacoa, Fla.

A scent of caramelized meat floated on the breeze. Conversations mingled with background music as people lined up to fill their glasses and their bellies.

There were brewers from all over but I was interested in the 12 from Florida. It was like a bubbly map of craft micro-brews stretching from Miami to Jacksonville.

SOUTH FLORIDA


Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant's pork shoulder,
2013 Field of Beers, Jupiter, Fla

Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant's Gordon Biersch Pale Ale (Miami), was served with slow roasted and smoked pork shoulder. It was marinated in mango chipotle “Rincon Heat” and served over a jicama apple slaw.

Big Bear Brewing Co.'s de-constructed chocolate
cheesecake, 2013 Field of Beers, Jupiter, Fla.

Big Bear Brewing Company's Decadence Chocolate Stout (Coral Springs), was served with de-constructed Belgian chocolate cheesecake. I fell in love with the flavors the Valrhona chocolate in the stout but it overpowered the Belgian chocolate of the cheesecake.

Brewzzi's wagu beef sliders, 2013 Field of Beers,
Jupiter, Fla.

Brewzzi’s Saint Reinaldo’s Ale, Belgium Dubble (West Palm Beach, Boca Raton), was served Wagu Beef sliders with fried Vidalia onions.

Inlet Brewing Co.'s Florida Heirloom tomato bisque,
2013 Field of Beers, Jupiter, Fla.

Inlet Brewing Company's Monk in the Trunk’s Belgian Amber Ale (Jupiter), was served Florida Heirloom Tomato bisque with artisan melted cheese. It went very well with the brew.

Tequesta Brewing Co.'s Oceano coffee rubbed pork,
2013 Field of Beers, Jupiter, Fla.

Tequesta Brewing Company’s Rushing Stout (Tequesta), was served with Oceano coffee rubbed braised pork rib served on polenta, and drizzled with gravy and breaded and fried onions.  

CENTRAL FLORIDA

Florida Brewing Co.'s beer batter cider beignets, 2013
Field of Beers, Jupiter, Fla.

Florida Brewing Company’s (Melbourne) Gaspar’s Porter served with delicate pillows of beer battered cider beignets and a salted apple caramel dip.

Barrel And Grain Local Taphouse, West Palm Beach, Fla., CLOSED

Local farm-to-table dining has come to West Palm Beach, Florida. The Barrel & Grain Local Taphouse opened March 22, 2013. “I think people are interested in where their food comes from. I believe in an open kitchen and openness in food. It is the new trend,” said Executive Chef Kevin Preble.

Executive Chef Kevin Preble of Barrel & Grain Local
Taphouse, W.P.B., Fla.

Preble was very chatty when I asked him why farm-to-table and why here?

“A few years ago the catch phrase was organic and it was huge,” Preble said stretching his arms out as wide as they would go, “Now it’s local.”

We were sitting inside at the pink granite bar.

“I like to talk to guests and educate them,” Preble said, “I like to educate young cooks. Many of them come from kitchens with bagged sauces.” He wants them to learn the skill of small batch cooking so they can carry the experience out into the industry and change it.

“I pride myself in balanced seasoning. I like bold flavors but from the product and not from salt,” said Preble.

Florida farmer sourced salad at Barrel & Grain Local
Taphouse, W.P.B., Fla

I agreed with his practice. My low-salt salad was alive with flavors. The ingredients were sourced from farmers at the Saturday morning West Palm Beach Green Market. There was Red Orach from Swank Specialty Produce, and heirloom tomatoes from Farmhouse Tomatoes. There were also delicious chunks of oversized croutons and crispy bacon bits made in-house.

Illinois born Prebel came to Florida at age one and so considers this home. He spent some time in the military, and then backpacked through Central and South America. He also cooked in Peru, France and Europe before settling in Miami to work at The W South Beach Hotel.

He moved to Palm Beach County to take care of his ailing mother, his biggest fan. Unfortunately she died. But he stayed on, and worked for Park Tavern (Delray), and RACKS Downtown Eatery & Tavern (Boca Raton) before opening the Barrel & Grain for owners Chase Woolard, Sam Abdelkader, and Mahmud Shihadeh.

He met them in Miami, “I never knew people so passionate about local and doing the best for customers," Preble said with a smile.

He really believes in buying products from many farmers. “The challenge of being a Florida chef is you have to be really creative because the climate is so extreme. It goes from freezing to heat waves,” said Preble.

He buys products from Swank Specialty Produce (Loxahatchee), Teena’s Pride CSA (Homestead), and Palmetto Creek Farms (Avon Park).

“Without these amazing farmers we would not be able to do what we do today,” Preble said.

The Barrel & Grain Local Taphouse also sells small batch wine and spirits, and over 250 varieties of craft beers.

“I think it is the right thing to do, bringing local food and beverage to people without cutting corners. It is long hours but it is worth it,” said Preble.
The Barrel & Grain Local Taphouse serves artisan fusion cuisine for lunch, dinner and brunch (weekends only) at 125 Datura Street, in downtown West Palm Beach, FL 33401,
Phone 561-833-2767

Flavors Of Wellington, 2013: Florida Ingredient Touches

Wellington, Fla.--The 10th Annual Flavors Of Wellington showcased western community restaurants. Organized by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, this wine and food event was held at The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center on April 5th. It attracted a whole table of food critic judges and a sea of foodies.

10th Annual Flavors of Wellington, Wellington, Fla.

Nestled between booths of restaurants, caterers, gourmet markets, and country clubs there were some standouts companies that sourced seasonal Florida-grown ingredients for their dishes.

Universal Living Sprouts booth, 10th Annual Flavors
of Wellington, Wellington, Fla.

Universal Living Sprouts, Inc., came served a freshly sprouted certified organic green salad. They grew their ingredients in West Palm Beach, Florida, just minutes from the event.

Sprouted salad from Universal Living Sprouts Inc.,
10th Annual Flavors of Wellington, Wellington, Fla.

They gave guests a choice of sprouted Aduzi beans, Mung beans, Garbonzo beans, lentils, or Fenugreek. They also had a selection of three dressings, I chose a creamy dill.

White Horse Catering booth, 10th Annual Flavors
of Wellington, Wellington, Fla.

Next was White Horse Catering LLC. The Executive chef said he really liked supporting local farmers.

He buys vegetables from Bedner's Farm (Boynton, Fla.) during the season and tomatoes from Teena's Pride CSA Farm (Homestead, Fla.) during the summer.


White Horse Tavern Catering Asian Duck dish,
10th Annual Flavors of Wellington, Wellington, Fla

He served an Asian duck breast over a sweet potato hash accompanied by blood orange sauced carrot ribbons, and shelled edamame beans. It was topped with fried noodles. I liked the dish but my noodles had not been fried long enough and were very hard.

Johnson's Custom Cakes and More's First Prize
winner dessert, 10th Annual Flavors of Wellington,
Wellington, Fla.

Johnson's Custom Cakes and More's owner Jennifer Johnson said her company uses Florida sugar, honey, strawberries, and key limes in their products. She won first place in the dessert category for her white sour cream almond cake topped with passion fruit mousse, and chocolate genache. It was served with a side of brandied tropical fruit salsa, and almond brittle.

Napolitano Cucina's Florida beet plate, 10th
Annual Flavors of Wellington, Wellington, Fla.

And finally, Napolitano Cucina restaurant had a Florida-grown roasted yellow beet slice topped with goat cheese, walnut, and balsamic brown butter. Unfortunately, the staff were not able to tell me which farm they sourced the beets from.

If you want to support restaurants, in the western Palm Beach County communities, that support Florida farmers, then contact these places and eat their food.

To find out more about the Wellington Chamber of Commerce you can go to www.wellingtonchamber.com