Gizelle at Was zum kochen und essen invited me to join the Food For Which My City is Known For. Her city of Vienna is the home of one of my favorite cakes, the world famous Sacher Torte. When I was working at the Asian Development Bank in their old building at Roxas Blvd, my co-workers and I went to The Holiday Inn Hotel regularly to have their Sacher Torte. I believe the hotel's pastry chef at the time was a native of Austria and Sacher Torte was his specialty.
I knew it would be tough to find any food that is associated with my city of Ashburn, Virginia located 30 miles west of Washington D.C. It headquarters some well-known big technology companies such as AOL, Verizon, and MCI and the home base of the Washington Redskins is located here but food or some delicacy, there's nothing. Unless you consider beer a food, then we have the microbrewery Old Dominion Brewing Company which is semi-famous here in the Northeast. Yes, what we have here in Ashburn is the perfect pair of football and beer. Because I don't care much for both football and beer I thought of making something with beer that I will definitely love and maybe will make me start watching the Redskins' games this coming season. My daughter suggested beer peanut brittle, Virginia is a peanut producing state after all. I made beer peanut brittle once and loved it. This time I added chipotle powder for a little bit of spice. The brittle is very very good, slightly spicy and has the subtle taste of the beer. Sooo good for munching while watching football. I chose Dominion's Spring brew, a Belgian-style blonde ale that has honey, orange peels, and chamomile, very unmacho which is just right for a girl like me who does not drink beer. As expected I liked it, it is the very first beer I tasted that did not repulse me, ever. I don't think Ashburn's food renown can compare with Vienna's Sacher Torte but at least I tried to put it on the map and I hope y'all could come down to Ashburn and drink a bottle of Old Dominion beer or snack on beery peanut brittle with me.
Beery Peanut Brittle
1 cup toasted peanuts
½ teaspoon flaked sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cold butter, diced
1 cup sugar
¼ cup light corn syrup
1 cup Old Dominion Spring Brew beer
1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder
- Butter a large baking pan or line with silpat, set aside. Mix first 4 ingredients, set aside.
- In a large saucepan, mix the beer, sugar, corn syrup, and chipotle powder. Boil over moderate heat for 12 minutes until golden in color. Stir in the peanut mixture and quickly spread on the prepared pan.
- Let cool and break into small pieces. Store in an airtight jar.
pub and brewery looks like a warehouse, an old brewing thingie the pub/restaurant, a small part of brewing machine
the old brewing machine
9 comments:
Wow Oggi! I learned a lot from you! I never though beer could be used as ingredient for peanut brittle...you really are one cookI look up to for these genius recipes and creations. I don't drink beer either but I'd surely have the beery peanut brittle!!!
I'll try to track down the chef when I come home to Pinas...=) Thanks! You'd be in the top of the list come June ;-)
Thanks g, and thanks for inviting me to join.
We love the beer peanut brittle...I'm making Sacher Torte next, most probably next week...I haven't had for sooo long.:)
Kainggit ka talaga, galing mo sa lahat ng food! You're a great foodie talaga! I haven't done any of the recipes so I don't know which is better, some people say kasi that Sacher torte tastes like sawdust daw...but I know you'd make it good, I'll look at your photos na lang with envy lol. Have a nice week!
If I can find a decent Sacher Torte here I'll just buy. The last time I had was from a French-style cafe and it was so-so. Wish me luck in my baking attempt!:)
Next, on I Can Do That: homemade beer!!!
Kidding, kidding! (Sort of.)
Gitta, yes!!!..not.:)
Beer making is easy to make pala and you can add any flavoring, Belgian style...but I don't like drinking beer...watermelonade na lang.:)
this is the first time i heard of this..beer flavored peanut brittle.;sounds something to taste :-)
Wonderful use of beer, oggi! I never knew you could use it for brittle, but beer is deceptively versatile isn't it? ;)
Dhanggit, I also thought it is strange when I first came across the recipe but using the right kind of beer gives the candy a different taste.:)
Marvin, oh yes, beer is versatile in cooking, just like wine. My Texas border chili recipe has an option to use beer in place of some of the liquid. I also add it together with 7-UP or Sprite to water when braising or boiling our very salty Virginia ham.
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