Reviving this blog...

Dear all,

It is quite sad for me to see how this blog flat-lined after few months of inactivity, and the fault is entirely mine. Much has happened since the last post in our lives, and I should have kept up with it on this blog. Well, at least with the writing on the food-related happenings, and there were plenty of those - few more brewery dinners, Denver Burger Battle, Great American Beer Festival just to mention the big ones. I will try to have a few post about those and they will be back-dated.

For those who are curious about the overall happenings in our life and the cause of the inactivity on this blog, here it goes. Summer season came, and with it we just go outdoors and while kitchen is still gets actively used (we do need to eat!), I just couldn't find any time to actually write about it. Shyam's cricket season went well, although unlike last year, this year CCB did not win. We also started running much more and participated in several races - we both completed our first half-marathon (Slacker Half), did couple of 5K (Colfax in Denver, Keystone trail race) races, I also did some trail races - 10K (copper Mountain trail race) and a half (Glenwood Springs trail race), while Shyam was cheering for me at the finish line. While getting this active, we learned quite a bit more on nutrition specifically for runners, and it is definitely worth a post on this blog about what we discovered. We also went hiking and camping and added a few more 14ers to our list of accomplishments (Pikes Peak, Mt. Shavano, and Mount of the Holy Cross).

But days are getting shorter, weather - colder, cricket season - over, so hang on tight, for this blog is coming back to life, and better than ever! Stay tuned for few posts on events this summer and much more of the happenings out of our new kitchen.

Cheers!

TAG Brewery Dinner #4

Tonight was the fourth brewery dinner at TAG, featuring Avery Brewing Company and game birds presented by Strasburg Game Birds. Unlike previous dinners, it took awhile to release menu to the public, and we were guessing until close to the dinner about what was expecting us this time. Menu didn't disappoint, and moreover it included a twist - instead of a single beer with each course, we were presented with "a daring invitation to challenge your palate" with two beers with each course. For the first time, brewery dinner was sold out.

Back to blogging...

Hi All,

Sorry for a long gap (almost a month) in my writings here, but I think I am getting back into the right groove and right schedule to fit blogging back in my busy life. So stay tuned - TAG brewery dinner #4 coming up very soon.

Cheers!

Pasta With Meat Sauce

Braising is such an amazing technique - not only you get most delicious and tender meat, but leftovers - that liquid with vegetables and herbs and drippings of fat and flavor from the meat - are amazing too! After braising chicken for tacos (read here), it is now turn to deal with that wonderful sauce. What I had left in the pan was white wine, chicken drippings and onions.

Simple Dinner - Chicken Tacos

Nothing fancy tonight - just tacos. Can't say that it is fast though. I am braising chicken and that takes time. But it certainly is simple. I have half a whole chicken breast (bones in). I slice half an onion and line a bottom of a small braising pan with it. Place seasoned (salt and pepper) chicken on top, and add white wine - just enough to cover the onions, but not the chicken.