Head Cheese - Your weekly ration

Not only is this week's edition of Head Cheese udderly amazing, it's a fitting complement to the weird picture one member of The Buzz staff snapped Monday on the highway to Detroit (see below). Will wonders never cease.

Head Cheese

by Mark Siciliano

Giant Cow

By Chris Siciliano

Find more Queso de la Cabeza by clicking here:

Mark Siciliano's Head Cheese.

When it grains, it pours

Spilling a full bag of grain, finding a pool of liquid malt on the floor, duets with singing fishes—all in day's work at Siciliano's Market.

Steve & the singing fish,
a don't-miss duet.

By Steve Siciliano

Sometimes you just have to laugh, and if you’re really lucky, a singing fish will serendipitously appear to help you chortle at the curve balls life throws at you.

On the Friday before the homebrew party the store immediately got busy as soon as I unlocked the door—a couple of fellows from Chicago looking for Michigan beers, a steady stream of customers coming in for cigarette tobacco, pipe tobacco and cigars, a nice lady from Rockford with a long list of beer making equipment and ingredients, a constantly ringing phone. I helped the Chicago fellows with their selections, tended the till, ran back to the warehouse for a carboy, answered the phone (yes, you can still purchase a ticket to the home brew party, credit card number please) ran to the cooler for hops and yeast, and answered the phone again.

With the Chicago customers patiently waiting, I finished ringing up the Rockford’s lady’s purchases, ran her credit card, answered the phone (yes, you can get a ticket to the home brew party, credit card number please), then ran into the west wing for her sack of two row. When I hefted the fifty pound sack on my shoulder it split in two and an avalanche of grain cascaded to the floor. I stood stunned for a few seconds then gingerly hoisted another bag to my shoulder and carried it to her car.

Now that's a mess

While I was totaling up the Chicagoans’ purchases the Rockford lady returned with a credit card receipt in her hand. Could I please explain what the $35.00 charge was for? In the process of trying to do three things at once, I mistakenly had her sign a receipt for a homebrew party ticket.

Liquid malt on the floor,
a sticky situation.

Katie came in at nine and I related the events of the last hour while we swept up the grain. Probably because I looked like I had just gone three rounds with Floyd Mayweather, she suggested that I take a break. On the way to the warehouse, I dug kernels of Briess two row out of my ear canal. I sat down in the warehouse, lit my pipe, then immediately let out a loud string of swear words. A beer ingredient kit on the top shelf was leaking liquid malt which had oozed over a number of kits below it and was expanding in a brown puddle on the floor. While I smoked my pipe I stared at the gooey mess and felt as if I was an ancient Greek who was being tormented by an angry Olympian god. It was when I was telling Katie about the mess in the warehouse that a customer walked in with the singing fish.

Let me assure you that it’s not every day that a customer walks into the store with a singing fish. The weird morning had just gotten weirder. I watched in disbelief while he plugged the cord into an outlet and it was then I laughed. The song that the tail slapping, mouth moving bass was singing? “Don’t worry, be happy.”

Disc golf: A primer

Basket, chains, disc, source.

By Doug Dorda

Attention seasoned disc golfer. I am pleased to announce that we are again selling a full compliment of golf discs at Siciliano's for you to peruse. For those you that have wandered the aisles of the store and wondered why we sell “frisbees,” I would like to offer some insight into what has become a favorite pastime of ours.

Disc golf was established as a sport sometime in the 1960's. Many think that the game was designed to be a more casual alternative to traditional golf (a sport for those who loved the outdoors, but didn’t want to pay green fees, or wait for tee times, etc). Much like traditional golf, the object of disc golf is to traverse a course and reach a target within a certain number of strokes per "hole." The major differences between disc and traditional golf are that there are baskets or "chains" instead of holes, and you play with a variety of discs as opposed to clubs.

Disc golf offers certain advantages over traditional golf, namely a small initial investment for starter equipment and the fact that 90% of courses in Michigan are free to play. Also, a disc golf course is designed to be walked, so 18 holes are easily played within an hour or two, and the course will not be bogged down by cart traffic. Personally, I find the game to be a wonderful way to spend time outdoors, and a great chance to discover some of the lesser-known recreation areas Michigan has to offer.

If you would like to get into the sport, I recommend you take to a course with at least three discs. You will need: a driver, a mid-range, and a putter. Just like the clubs used in traditional golf, each disc is designed to be used for specific purposes. A driver will be used off of a tee box or pad; its purpose is to make long shots or cover the majority of distance on a hole. A mid-range will be used for medium distance shots, and often for finesse throws required to get around trees or through tricky hazard situations. A putter will mostly be used for close range shots as you approach the basket. Putters are often made of a softer plastic in order to fall easily into the basket when you hit the chains. 

Each company that makes golf discs will offer a wide variety of discs to choose from. There are some more suited to beginners, as well as those designed for professionals. At Siciliano's you will notice that we carry a full array of discs from two companies—Innova and Discraft. The wonderful thing about both companies is that they are based in the US, Innova out of California and Discraft here in Michigan. Each company offers a wide variety of discs in varying degrees of construction that will affect the price per disc accordingly.

First-time disc golfers need only concern themselves with the discs that range in price from nine to ten dollars. This level of plastic is perfect for beginners and, if cared for properly, will offer many seasons of disc golf enjoyment. My suggestions for a beginner's bag: From Innova—a Beast (driver), a Roc (mid-range), and an Aviar putter. From Discraft—an XL (driver), a Buzz (mid-range), and a soft Magnet putter. In my experience, each of these discs has performed well, and each provides the most forgiving flight pattern to those learning how to play the sport (you will quickly discover that throwing a disc is not at all like throwing a frisbee). In order to make the sport as affordable as possible, at Siciliano's we also offer special discounts for buying in quantity. Buy two discs to receive ten percent off your purchase. Buy three discs and receive fifteen percent off your purchase. Buy four and receive a whopping twenty percent off your total!

Once you have your discs, you will no doubt be eager to hit the course and learn the trick of the trade. The courses I would suggest for beginners are as follows: Jaycee Park, located at the very end of Gentian Ave in Kentwood. The course is easy to follow and can be enjoyed by beginners and seasoned players alike. Jaycee also offers great amounts of shade, and is wonderful to play on those sweltering summer days. Garfield Park is a fantastic course for beginners, though more seasoned players may find it lacking complexity. The major difference between this course and others is that you aim to hit “posts” as opposed to baskets. The case is similar at Henry Johnson Park, a fun course but one I do not advise for beginners as it offers some fairly advanced challenges.

A great directory of Michigan and Grand Rapids area courses is available here. For those of you that prefer to have a hardcover directory, we also sell the book Disc Golf Michigan by Stephanai Myers which details all the courses in Michigan, their attributes, directions, and reviews.

As the weather continues to welcome us outdoors, we often struggle to think of the best way in which to enjoy the precious moments we are able to spend outside. It is my sincere hope that you consider this sport as a way to see Michigan’s woodlands in a way you may not have seen them before. For those of you that play already, you will surely encounter one of us from the store on the course. Don't hesitate to say hi, as we will probably ask if you’d like to play a round.

This year's discs, a bumper crop

2012 Homebrew Party - The boss' official recap

Best of Show winner Russ Smith
hoists the Siciliano Cup

By Steve Siciliano

Cool temperatures and intermittent rain did nothing to damper the enthusiasm of the 150+ folks who attended the 9th Annual Siciliano's Homebrew Party last Saturday at Johnson Park. The attendance for this year's party was the highest to date and I was again amazed at the quality of beer, ciders and meads that are being crafted by our good friends and customers. As usual Jimmie Stagger and his band rocked, the dinner prepared by Three Men and a Grill was great, and all the happy party goers went home with armloads of wonderful gifts.  

After dinner the medals for the Siciliano's Homebrew Competition were passed out and it was announced that Russ Smith, a member of the MOB (Muskegon Ottawa Brewers), was the winner of this year's Best of Show. Russ's winning entry, a Northern German Alt beer, not only entitled him to have his name etched on the prestigious Siciliano's Cup, it also granted him an all-expense-paid trip to a future Sierra Nevada Beer Camp in Chico, California. Congratulations Russ! 

Thanks to all who attended this year's festivities. We are already working on next year's party and will announce the date as soon as it's finalized.

One final note. Score sheets and medals can now be picked up at the store. Those who would like to know their scores sooner may call or shoot us an email. 

Russ with Jim Macielak, the rep
from Sierra Nevada

Six of who knows how many corny kegs in attendance.

A box full of medals

Jimmie Stagger

Thanks to everyone for coming out!

New Beer Friday - May 4 Edition

By Chris Siciliano

NBF, Avian Edition

What a weekend for beer fans. Not only is Saturday Cinco de Mayo and AHA Big Brew Day, it's finally time for the Siciliano's 9th Annual Homebrew Party, a celebration of all our favorite things—great beer, great people, great food, and great music, not to mention homebrew awards and who knows what kind of yard games. (Cornhole anyone?)

Remember too that tonight (May 4) is the night of our annual seminars. As in previous years, we've lined up a panel of interesting experts to speak on a variety of beer-related topics. Belgian and sour beers? Check. Michigan malt? Yes. Michigan hops? You bet. Sierra Nevada. That too. Michigan-made beer and cider? But of course.

Go here for all the pertinent seminar details including times, location and cost, and lest I forego my weekly duties, see below for a list of beers new this week to Siciliano's shelves.

New (and Returning) Beers

• Brewery Vivant Big Red Coq, $3.39/16oz - "Citrus with mango & pineapple notes give way to a big malty character. Made with our house Belgian yeast to give it that Vivant-ness you would expect" (source).
• Arcadia B-Craft Black Double IPA, $2.69/12oz - "Massive in every way, B-Craft delivers a complex bundle of flavors with a citrus hop aroma strong enough to make a billy goat shake his head. Moving past the huge hop aroma, rich and roasted malt flavors of chocolate and coffee move forward only to be checked by an impressive hop bitterness. Texture and flavor dance together so seamlessly that you may need to remind yourself that while this beer slides down like a session, it delivers like an assassin!” (source).
• Finch's Beer Company, Chicago - "Finch's Beer Co. is in the business of brewing great, craft beers locally in Chicago, Illinois. We use the best ingredients and take special care to make sure every batch is the best we can brew. While following in the footsteps of other local brewing companies, we intend on adding another brand of beer to Chicago's already growing selection and contributing to a new generation of microbreweries, taking a foothold in Chicago" (source, for all Finch descriptions).
• Threadless IPA, $2.69/16oz - "Our Threadless/Finch collaboration IPA is a balanced experience of both perceived hoppiness and true bitterness. It pours a darker amber color and finishes with a citrus flavor, and when combined, will require this to be the last IPA you ever drink! Well, maybe, we realize you will probably drink more, but the result of this recipe clearly evolves into a very balanced IPA. The grain bill on this big pale includes melanoidin and Victory malts. We hop it up before the boil starts with some Columbus first wort hopping, then add a bunch more for bittering."
• Golden Wing Blonde Ale, $2.59/16oz - "Finch's Blonde Ale is an easy drinking and approachable American craft beer. It has a moderately sweet malty aroma and is deep gold in color. We like to think of this particular one as more of a 'Dirty Blonde.' When you first pour it, a soft lacey foam clings to the glass as malty aromas fill your nose and linger to the final sip. Upon finish, this blonde turns heads with a smooth finish and a touch of bitterness in the aftertaste. Enjoy this medium-bodied craft beer anytime of year."
• Cut Throat Pale Ale, $2.59/16oz - "Finch's Pale Ale is a refreshing experience from the pop of the top. Its fresh and hoppy taste with just enough supporting malt makes it easy to kick back more than just one. Our late kettle additions of American hop varieties and dry hopping techniques make this beer one of our favorites. The citrus hop character balanced with a malty backbone creates a delicious, accessible pale ale that is sure to satisfy with every sip. Enjoy this pale with just about any pairing of your choice."
• Sam Adams Norse Legend Sahti, $6.19/22oz - "Legend has it that barrels of this ancient brew were found on sunken Viking ships. This Nordic ale took root in Finland becoming one of the oldest continuously brewed styles. This dark amber ale has juniper berries added into the brewing process and is aged on juniper berries giving this brew an earthy, woodsy aroma. The flavor is balanced by the addition of Hallertau Mittelfrueh Noble hops" (source).
• Sam Adams Verloren Gose, $6.19/22oz - "The style originated in Goselar, Germany in the 18th century. Gose became very popular the adjacent city of Leipzig, Germany due to a lot of local breweries brewing the style. Gose all but died out during WWII due to brewery closings. Expect this beer to have a touch of sourness, with notes of lemon & salt. A link to the ales of Saxony that had all but vanished, Gose is a peculiar yet captivating brew. With a base of an unfiltered wheat ale, it’s vivid and refreshing yet also has a softness to it. The flavor is brought to life by an unexpected touch of salt for a mineral quality, and coriander for a peppery spice. The result is an unusual and delicate brew that’s full of flavors to discover" (source).
• Boulder Brewing Flashback India-style Brown Ale, $1.89/12oz - "Citrusy with a prominent hop aroma, finishes clean, crisp and dry with dark roasted flavors from the biscuit and chocolate malts perfectly complimenting the bountiful cascades" (source).
• Boulder Brewing Kinda Blue Blueberry Wheat, $1.89/12oz - "An American wheat placed in perfect measure with muted tons of blueberry. Kinda Blue - a tasty and tasteful summer brew" (source).
• Buffalo Bill's Orange Blossom, $1.59/12oz - "Cream Ale brewed with honey and orange peel, with orange flower extract added" (source).
• Imperial, $1.59/12oz - "A Costa Rican brand of beer, manufactured by the Florida Ice & Farm Company. Imperial was first produced by the Ortega brewery in 1924, and is now produced in the Cerveceria Costa Rica. The lager is one of the most popular beer consumed in Costa Rica along with Pilsen and Rock Ice" (source).

Picture of the Week

Funny thing about mushrooms,
they just keep growing.

Cheers!

Highway 37 revisited

Traveling north to Irons, back through memory.

By Steve Siciliano

Before the US-131 freeway ran all the way to Cadillac, north on M-37 was just about the only way to get to our family’s cabin in the woods near Irons. My dad built the cabin long before I could drive and as a young passenger I never got bored during the countless hours that we spent traveling up and down that road. I liked its rolling hills and wide sweeping curves. I never tired of looking at the old stone farm houses and decrepit barns, the moss covered dilapidated shacks and the ramshackle house trailers. I liked passing through the scattering of tiny rural communities with their ancient town halls and their solitary, yellow blinking traffic lights. I didn’t mind the slow going through the sequence of small towns—Grant, Newaygo, White Cloud and Baldwin—while driving through their M-37 stretches of shops, gas stations, hardware stores and bars.

As I grew older the affection I had for M-37 gradually turned into something closer to disdain. The roadside sights that I enjoyed looking at as a kid gradually grew ugly as the—and I—aged; the hills, curves and constantly changing speed limits, unperturbing to the young, wide-eyed passenger, became irritating impediments to the older, impatient driver. When it became possible to take the freeway all the way to Highway 10, I didn’t hesitate making traveling up and down M-37 a bittersweet memory.

Last weekend my son Chris and I took another trip to the cabin. If I had been driving I wouldn’t have taken 37. I would have instead taken the freeway north to the Reed City exit then west eighteen miles to where 10 and 37 intersect just north of Baldwin. But then I wouldn’t have had the chance to subdue the bitter and rekindle the sweet. I wouldn’t have again seen that old wooden train trestle that spans the White River just south of White Cloud. I wouldn’t have remembered the billboard that was once on the left—White Cloud, where the north begins and clear waters flow. I wouldn’t have recalled stopping at Jonses’ for ice cream cones or for huge cinnamon rolls at the Hilltop Bakery.

If I had been driving I wouldn’t have remembered and then told Chris about all of the times stopping in all of the bars—about how my dad, his grandfather, once locked the owner of Government Lake in the basement and about how tough a joint Kalley’s was. Still trapped in memory would be the chain-smoking barmaid who told me I couldn’t smoke my pipe in her Baldwin tavern; same too for the regulars at Diamond Lake where my brother Mark and I spent a snowy afternoon drinking and playing pool. If I had been driving we wouldn’t have stopped in that run-down White Cloud tavern, would not have seen the sad-eyed barmaid or talked with the one-armed, scraggly-bearded fellow who was sitting by himself at the bar.

That night I thought about that sad-eyed barmaid and the one-armed drunk while we were sitting around the camp fire. Above us the sliver of a crescent moon peeked through the barren branches of the late blooming oaks and to the west a bright planet dazzled like a diamond in a blue-black sky. When Chris handed me the bottle of Bulliet Rye I took a long swig, thought about the drive up 37, and added to my collection of memories.

Treats from the wild

Okay, time for your obligatory disclaimer: never eat anything you find in the wild unless (a) you know exactly what you're doing; or (b) you're with somebody who does. Always, always, always consult an expert before ingesting tasty vittles from the forest floor.

Morels, king of spring edibles

By John Barecki

As we begin to see a consistent spring weather pattern in West Michigan—cool nights, rainfall, warmer days—we can start to keep our eyes peeled for the delicious wild edibles available to us in our lovely selection of forests and parks, namely, the wild leek, the fiddle head of the ostrich fern, and, grandest of all, the morel mushroom.

My girlfriend Rachael has been my teacher in the realm of wild edibles and this being my first year of true foraging I've been amazed at what we've found. We have been searching since that crazy heat wave back in March with no luck outside of the dryad's saddle, which some consider lowly in comparison to the prized morel. The dryad's saddle, also known as the pheasant back because it resembles the bird's feather pattern, is a shelf polypore that grows on dead logs. It has an uncanny scent of cucumber or watermelon rind. We learned to harvest the smaller 2-inch diameter ones for frying up and eating, and the larger ones for using dried in stocks and soups. A lot of foragers dismiss this one because they grow at the same time as the morels, but to Rachel and I, they are not just delicious but a heck of a lot easier to find.

A good day in the forest

Keeping that in mind we set out a few days back to find enough edibles to create a forager's pizza—fungi, leeks, and fiddle head ferns. Finding the Dryad's to be too old and dry I decided to climb some of the hills, because as most stories go "something caught my eye." As I got to the top of the hill, there it was, the first of the many yellow morels that we collected that day, thirty of them altogether. After a small freak out we gathered ourselves and the rest of the ingredients to make the most gourmet pie we have ever eaten. Homemade white sauce, Siberian elm samaras, morels that were fried first for ease of digestion, leeks, garlic, and fiddle heads created this tasty dinner. To top it off we used Phocas cheese from Cowslip Creamery, the cheese makers at Lubbers Family Farm.

After much hiking these last couple months I had just about given up on these delectable forest fruits, morels in particular. But in the end my patience paid off and the reward so far has been awesome. If you are one that is not inclined to look hard enough for these creatures, you can grow your own oyster mushrooms from the kits that we sell at Siciliano's. They take a little over a month to grow and will fruit at least three more times after first harvest (they are quite delicious too). I'll soon be writing about that as well if you're not convinced. Either way everyone should be out and about in the forests and parks we have. It's spring. Enjoy it while it's here!

The morel in its natural state

The morel in a state of transition

The morel in its preferred state,
with leeks and ferns