5 things: From The Shop + A Recipe!

Five Friday Fishmonger Favorites (by Reggie Asplund)

Unnecessary instances of alliteration for the offseason. 

With the madness of summer and the holiday season done our often busy deli has returned to the restful lull that is the winter offseason in Duluth. Though the cold can be a tad bit of a challenge, here are five things us fishmongers enjoy during the offseason.
 
1. Seasonal samplings of smoked savory sustenance.
We like to eat. You like to eat.Free food is pretty fantastic, which is why we're playing around with some pretty sweet sample plates in the shop. So if you're stopping by and see some up on the case, please help yourself! Need another? We won't judge. We've been sampling more than we'd care to admit.
5 things deli samples
2. Limited lines lead to lunacy and laughter.
The summer often yields to a somewhat serious full staff. Though we never take ourselves too seriously our game faces are most definitely on and ready for the never-ending crowds that often swarm our small storefront. When the crowd finally ends, we often find ourselves having, well, a bit of (read: potentially way to much) fun with the quietness this beautiful offseason provides. So please enjoy the banter, say hi, make a joke, laugh with us a bit, and enjoy the lack of a lengthy line with us. Let's all beat the winter blues together!
3. Creative cleaner creates clever creature capture. 
Ah yes. The dreaded deep clean. Or is it?Harrison, one or our beloved assistant managers, seasonally hides small animal figures around the shop to be scavenged for while we clean. This leads to some rather creative hiding but also a nice little reward while we clean every nook and cranny of our shop. So while you're passing through or waiting for a sandwich, take a look around and you might just spot a few little ones awaiting their discovery.

4. Whimsical wizard wails wordy wonder. 
It's been around for nearly three years, but it certainly deserves a replay.
 
5. Big bad bourbon breakfast beats blues. 
Yes. Bourbon for breakfast.
We aim to minimize waste (throwing food away is never enjoyable), and lately I've come to saving our leftover bread for a bountiful breakfast the following day. Recipe below: a modified bread pudding that'll warm the soul, stick to your bones, and probably clog the arteries. Nevertheless, enjoy!
Pudding
3-5 cups day-old ciabatta, sourdough, or french bread, cubed in 1 inch pieces
2 tbsp melted butter
2 cups milk
3 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1 apple
1/4-1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
Preheat over to 350º.
In a medium bowl beat together eggs, melted butter, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in sugar until dissolved, then mix in milk, set aside. Finely chop apple, set aside.
To prepare, arrange a single layer of bread pieces in a well seasoned 9 or 10 inch cast iron pan. Sometimes I'll lightly(!) coat it with melted butter, no more than a tablespoon. Top with a third of the apple and walnuts. Repeat. And again. Carefully pour the egg and milk mixture over the bread into the pan. This should get close to filling the pan but not quite. Feel free to top with extra cinnamon, apples or nuts... this is about winter survival right?
Bake for about 60-70 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the eggs and milk have set. I often place foil over the top for the last 15 minutes to prevent the top bread cubes from getting too dark, but keep an eye on it.
While that's going, go get your first round of dishes done. Do 'em quick, as we've got a little bit more to do.
Whiskey Sauce
Yes, I did say bourbon, though just about any whiskey will do.
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup whiskey (I use Jameson or Bullet Bourbon)
In a medium saucepan, on low heat, melt the butter and sugar together.Then add cream and whiskey. Gently mix and bring to a slow, rolling boil.
Let it slowly boil down for a good 15-20 minutes. We're looking for a nice heavy, caramelly sauce.
When the bread pudding is done carefully drizzle sauce over it.Let it cool for just a bit, then grab a big metal spoon and enjoy.
For extra winter warmth, serve with a batch of Northern Waters Breakfast Sausage and hot black coffee. Don't worry, you can ski this off in no time at all.
5 things reggies pudding
Blog post written by Reggie Asplund
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We're Going To The Super Bowl!

In a mere week and a half, our amazing catering crew are going to pack two vans, four coolers, our 6-foot-long Douglas fir serving board, and around 100 pounds of smoked goodness and head to Minneapolis to cater (along with several other folks) the Official Super Bowl Tailgate Party. It’s the biggest crowd we’ve ever catered, but we feel like all our years of catering have been great training for an event like the Superbowl.

We were thrilled to get an email from a company that organizes the Superbowl village vendors: it was a huge logistical challenge but in typical Smokehaus fashion we rapidly decided to do it and figure out how later. I filled out the application, answered some follow-up questions, and left it on the horizon for the better part of December. To participate, we would need to essentially staff a condensed version of our already-condensed deli in Duluth: sandwich coolers, prep areas, abridged menus, and (most troublingly) a staff who a) could find an affordable place to stay in the Twin Cities for a week during the Superbowl inundation and b) would not leave a hole in the schedule with their absence.

I was in the middle of loosely sorting this out and fielding plenty of interest from all corners of the Smokehaus when we got the congratulatory email, and above all the logistical concerns I knew we were in for a great adventure. About a half an hour after that the second email came in explaining that the first missive was sent by mistake – but congratulations, we were first on the waiting list. Annoyance was mixed with a splash of relief, but every time the Superbowl came up, I felt a little baby kick of rejection.

A few weeks later, Eric was contacted through an old friend from Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and was asked to participate in a different Superbowl event: as a caterer at the 2018 Players Tailgate Party. This was a BIG deal – 2,000 people – by far our largest headcount, kitty-corner to a major event in Minnesota, with plenty of opportunities to share our smoked fish, charcuterie, and years of food styling trial and error with a brand new group of customers. We once again assumed the formation, said yes, and figured it out. Staffed, condo’d (thanks to a staffer’s parents), prep listed, and fully stoked, we’re going to the Superbowl(!), and once again, we’re in for a great adventure.

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BEER AS I SEE IT- PILSNER RULES OR A REFUTATION OF BEER SNOB CULTURE

I’ve been tasked once again with telling you how things should be. If you’re a fan of this blog, you’ve probably already seen some of my posts regarding how things should be or how to make things the best that they can be.  The ‘things’ part changes each time I do this column, but you can be assured that it will always be the best ‘things’ or at least the best possible ‘thing’. Although the fact that I say something is the best is fairly meaningless. Don’t let snobs of any stripe tell you how to live your life, but especially don’t let snobs tell you what kind of beer you should like. That is up to you, dear reader.

I wanted to do a basic primer of breweries from our region of the Upper Midwest (kind of skewing North, I guess), but of course it is mainly centered around the styles of beer that I personally enjoy, so don’t take it too seriously. Living in a state (MN) that is at the forefront of the craft beer movement has made life easy, in terms of writing this blog and in cracking cold brews, so… OK. You know that I want to get into some suds. Let’s do.

FULTON- Minneapolis, MN

I know that a lot of my craft-beer snob friends would poo poo me putting Fulton on my ‘tops’ list, but hear me out! Fulton brought an inexpensive, delicious and well crafted lager (Fulton Standard) to the market. A lager that is actually a lager, not an IPA masquerading as one. That was a really big deal for folks like me who had been over-hopped to death for years. There are actually a lot of us out here who enjoy beers that are more nuanced, such as a lager or pilsner because they are of the easy drinking variety and also don’t kill your palate with a pine needle assault. Beer can actually be a friend to food, not just something that you had too much of that necessarily requires you to eat food. Fulton really does the range of what quality beer drinkers expect to a T; enjoy their Standard Lager for a bit of malty refreshment, Fulton Pils for a thirst quenching drink with a flavor that leaves you wanting another sip, and Fulton 300 for that very full flavored hit of mosaic hops that this version of a West Coast IPA delivers in spades.

SUMMIT- St. Paul, MN

Summit is that venerable Minnesota craft brewery of old, so I figured I would be remiss if I didn’t mention them. For many who grew up in Minnesota or Wisconsin, this would be their first foray into ‘good’ beer, before the craft beer explosion had happened and perhaps before that term was even coined. I’m guessing that a lot of people would feel that with the proliferation of breweries (some of them really good) in Minnesota, no ink or digital blips should even be wasted on Summit. I, too, was always pretty unimpressed by their offerings, although for different reasons than my beer-snob friends. Summit’s devotion to all things pale ale (their EPA had to have been one of the most popular beers in the state) had always left me wishing that they would do a good lager or pilsner. Most of the snobs felt as though Summit had gotten too pedestrian in their styles, as they are always seemingly longing for the latest barrel aged, sour or weird peanut butter and jelly beer to come out. Summit never really did a ton of that stuff other than in their taproom, but rather, as a really pretty large player in the craft production brewery world, Summit has always kind of focused on producing the stuff that moves bottles off of the shelf  (with great success).  In the spirit of that, Summit now hits the market with a couple of new pilsners. Keller Pils was a really popular one-off that Summit did  for a couple of summers before it became so popular that it had to go into regular rotation. Keller Pils (which is a cloudy, ‘young’ pils with less filtration) drinks crisp and refreshing with just enough salinity to keep you wanting more. They also sell this for around $15 a 12 pack (cans), which makes it a value for a very high quality beer. Summit has also recently released Dakota Soul,  a Czech style pilsner, noteworthy for using barley sourced from a single farm in North Dakota and in using a new American hop varietal called Loral. This cold-conditioned pilsner is complex but easily drinkable, making it what I would consider a go-to for warmer spring weather (although sub zero temperatures recently did not diminish my enjoyment of it). Summit does a lot of cool collaborations with other breweries (the Unchained series springs to mind) but is also really making a push to master the classic European styles. I’m not a huge fan of a lot of Summit’s other beers, but their English Pale Ale, Great Northern Porter, Oatmeal Stout and Saga beers are well crafted and highly rated by many.

NEW GLARUS- New Glarus, WI

This brewery has to be respected simply due to the absolutely ubiquitous nature of their beer in Wisconsin. It’s almost like you can’t tip over a cow in that state without finding reference to this brewery.  It could be due to the fact that it is only available in Wisconsin, but seriously, there isn’t a liquor store, gas station, bodega, fireworks stand or roadside gift shop in America’s Dairyland that you will not find at least their flagship beer, Spotted Cow. Spotted Cow always gets dogged by the beer snobs; too light, too sweet, and of course, not hoppy enough. Spotted Cow falls into the category of farmhouse ale, which is a cask-conditioned style of beer often referred to as ‘real ale’, aka beer brewed from traditional ingredients (or in a traditional style) and matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed. This is similar to the way homebrewers condition their beer in bottles with no secondary carbon dioxide added. The result in Spotted Cow is a beer that is cloudy, fruity, slightly tart and incredibly malty. Spotted Cow goes great with most food and is hard to beat on a hot summer day. The same goes for their Two Women brew, a smooth yet flavorful lager. New Glarus makes a beer for just about any type of beer lover, and their beers are highly coveted throughout the Great Lakes region and beyond.

UPPER HAND- Escanaba, MI

Michigan’s upper peninsula has proliferated more than a few great breweries and brew pubs in the last few years, and Upper Hand is one of my favorites. Having occasion a couple of times to travel through this breathtakingly beautiful part of the state in 2017, and always loving to drink local, I sampled plenty of the smooth beers made by Upper Hand. It’s pretty amazing to think that in one of the least populace parts of the state of Michigan, beers are being made at such a high level (not to mention high volume). For my taste, Upper Hand nails it on their Pale Ales and Lagers, but they truly have a beer for everyone.

UTEPILS- Minneapolis, MN

Ok, so if you’re from the Twin Cities area (and surely beyond) you no doubt are familiar with how cool NE Minneapolis has become. Great breweries, restaurants, bars… basically a young, party-centric person’s dream. But what about the neighborhoods that are emerging? What about Bryn Mawr ? Just kidding! Bryn Mawr is a beautiful neighborhood directly west of downtown Minneapolis with tons of hiking trails, proximity to lakes and so many other great amenities but is probably not considered cool or emerging at all. Until now! Utepils Brewing is a relatively new player in the Minneapolis beer scene, but one that has garnered an almost cult-like following, especially in the tragically underserved neighborhood of Bryn Mawr. The reason? The beer. Utepils has a strict commitment to doing classic beer styles the way the Europeans did them, and with great success. While a lot of Minnesota breweries that had heretofore been pushing the boundaries of all that is beer are now starting to come back to doing ‘classic’ beers, Utepils has never strayed from what has worked for centuries. I think that’s the reason that I like them so much. It takes guts to go up against major players in the beer world like Ayinger or G. Schneider & Sohn, but to brew beers that actually stand up to the breweries that have been producing these styles for hundreds of years is downright impressive. I’m personally a huge fan of their Pils and Keller Pils styles, but have been geeked to see them succeed with diverse styles such as Altbier or Kolsch. Ewald the Golden (hefeweizen) was their first flagship beer and one that I highly recommend even for those who are not fans of the style. Their version is revelatory; estery, bananna-ey and clovey yet extremely clean at the finish. It makes me want to smash every glass of Blue Moon with an orange wedge on the ground in protest. An even cleaner version can be found in their Kristalweizen, which is essentially a filtered version of Ewald the Golden, producing a crystal clear look and taste. I wouldn’t kid ya, kid. This brewery could be magically transplanted to Bavaria and no one would bat an eye.

YOUR LOCAL- Anytown, USA

I don’t know where you live. Why would I? But one thing is almost certain: whatever corner of the Upper Midwest you hail from there is probably a brewpub or brewery relatively close to you. If you live in any decent sized town here I could almost guarantee that you have one or the other or both. I think that one of the smartest components of the craft beer movement is the tie to local economies. It’s really not a hard sell when you think about it. you drink beer. Beer is produced in your town. Beer is produced by the people that live in your town. Beer is taxed in your town. The people who live in your town that work at the brewery spend money in your town. You spend money at the local brewery/brewpub and a lot of that money it stays in your town. What’s not to love about that process? If you can find a beer you love being produced locally it really behooves you to buy it often. In the city of Duluth, MN where I live, we have Lake Superior Brewing (Minnesota’s oldest craft brewery), Fitger’s Brewhouse,  Bent Paddle , Blacklist and new kids on the block Hoops Brewing to choose from. Just across the border in Superior, WI we have the Thirsty Pagan brewpub as well as the new Earth Rider production brewery and taproom and just up the shore in Two Harbors, MN Castle Danger brewing is gaining a rabid following both locally and statewide. It’s truly a great time to drink beer and to do so locally. Just think about the far reaching impact those beer dollars have so close to home!

So there you have it. My comprehensive guide to drinking the beers of my region that I enjoy. But, no matter where you live, there are bound to be some great suds to enjoy with your buds. Please do so!

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