Joe's Trip to New York City
for the
2006 Cooking With Beer Challenge
Great beer, great food, great place...and, most of all,
great people made this trip one to remember!

The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) sponsored the
2006 Cooking With Beer Challenge.
There were several hundred entries received for a chance to compete in the final Cook-Off in New York City. Joe's Oatmeal Stout Brownies recipe was one of the 10 finalists. Wow, what a trip!

I'm a beer guy. I like beer. I like the flavor, aroma, texture, taste....well, I like beer. I like all kinds of beer, from the lightest of Light American Lagers to the darkest of Dry Stouts, the hoppiness of IPA's to the sweet malty goodness of a Mild....I like beer. I've lived in various parts of the world, traveled a bunch more, and I've tried the local brew everywhere I've been (except for those places that had none, in which case, often made my own.)

So how'd I end up in a cooking competition? Good question....I'm a food guy, too. I love food. All kinds, don't really have any one particular favorite (too many interests to pick just one). Well, last year the NBWA was running this Cooking With Beer Challenge....I don't remember how I found out about it, but I do remember entering on the final day it was open. I sent in a recipe I developed to go with a Bride Ale (the origin of the word we know as 'Bridal' and all that goes with it) my BrewMaster friend Travis Scheidecker and I created for T-Bag (Tonya) and Hermie's (Lukkers) then-forthcoming nuptials. A psychotic rendition (using the term so loosely it'd sleep 6) of a Framboise Lambid/Mead/Wheatbeer hybred, the Pink Vail Bride Ale, all 7 gallons of it, sold out in under an hour, and got the lovely couple a few hundred bucks. The brownies were a hit, too, as the sweet/sour honey raspberry flavors are balanced by the chocolate-ey, malty, silky oatmeal stout and cream cheese marbling.

So anyway, I get a call in mid September from the NBWA folks telling me I'm one of the ten finalists and I'm going to NYC to cook these things. This recipe got selected from among the several hundred entries nationwide. Kewl! I'm from Upstate NY, and have always enjoyed visiting one of the most fantastic cities on the planet...and I love to travel...so, in my mind, it's an expense-paid beer trip! Well, a few mini-adventures (getting a job, being a passenger in a car wreck, losing a job, knee surgery, a few weeks of heavily-medicated-gimped-up-no-stairs-stuck-on-couch-cabin-fever recovery, a TV spot, and Thanksgiving) later and long story short, it's road trip to NY.

Jay Clark, a beer geek (more 'geek' than 'beer', but he's a great guy (despite him still living with his mom.)) buddy of mine  "volunteered" to head east with me as I had just been through knee surgery a few weeks prior (don't drink and drive, kids). Jazz the WonderMutt came along for the ride, and hung out at my mom's house Upstate while Jay and I were  South of the Tappan zee. What a trip! (see the pics and random commentary below)

Slainte Mhath! to Craig and the NBWA Staff, Nancy, Pam, , Steve & Steve, Raphael and the ICE crew, Lucy, Heartland, Ken, Saranac, Mark, Gilded Otter, Darren, New Beer, Mom, Dad, my Bro's, Jazz, and everyone who made this trip possible and wonderful!
Proste! to Travis, Tom, Fred, T-Bag and Hermie, Ashley and the Girls, Mikey, and all the crew (staff, patrons, etc.) at Cedar who inspire passion for all things brewed and food.
Most of all, Cheers! to all my fellow contestants and their traveling companions, to Linda (and her Hubby (my bad...clue?)),, Emil (and Beer Babe Melissa), Deb, Jim, Veronica (and her Hubby (little help?)), Mike (and NY pal Jon), Renata, Trish, and Emily (and pal (umm...?)).
Apologies to any I've thus far left out. (I'll try to add all y'all else's names as I remember them/find your card, note, etc/you remind me/etc.)

Best,
     Joe

As a matter of fact, I like beer.
      Tom T. Hall

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