Edible mushroom growing kits now at Siciliano's

Siciliano's now carries three varieties of mushroom growing kits ($19.00 each). For details, just keep reading!

By John Barecki

As many Michigan natives know, we live in a state that produces a great variety of edible and medicinal mushrooms. To the untrained eye mushrooms can be though little things to find and identify. For this reason, we decided to offer our customers a chance to grow their own at home.

We now have mushroom growing kits available in the store that will allow you to grow your own edible mushrooms right in your own home. The kits are a fun glimpse into the world of fungi, showcasing how these organisms produce edible fruits from organic material and then recycle what's left back into the soil.

Our new mushroom kits consist of an organically recycled tissue paper roll for the fungi to use as food, a package of inoculated grain spawn that contains the fungi, and a breathable filter bag to store them in. Currently, there are three different kits available: grey dove, golden oyster, and Italian oyster.

In four weeks—about the same time it takes to make a pale ale—these kits will provide you with at least four "flushes" of mushrooms, which you can either cook and eat right away or process to be eaten at a later time. After the kit has gone through its growing cycle it can be broken up and tossed into your garden to inoculate the surrounding area.

Look for more Buzz posts soon explaining the different kits in detail and with pictures of the golden oyster kit in action.

Jeff Carlson's roasted garlic cheddar mushroom bread

Consumate DIYer and all around good guy Jeff Carlson is back with another bread recipe (see his others here and here). This one incorporates a culinary trinity sure to please—mushrooms, garlic, and cheddar cheese—which Jeff adds to the standard no-knead recipe in the following amounts.

• 454 grams white flour (1 lb)
• 340 grams water (12 oz)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 4 oz sharp cheddar, cubed
• 1/2 bulb garlic, par-baked and chopped
• 4 oz rehydrated Shitake mushrooms, chopped

Tips & Tricks

• To learn the no-knead method of bread baking, read this Buzz post - "No-Knead Bread: our take on a new classic" - or watch this video. For best results, do both.
• Rather than fold cheese, garlic, and mushrooms into prepared dough, add them to the dry ingredients (flour, salt, yeast) and mix until well incorporated. Add the water last. 
• To par-bake garlic first break the cloves out of the bulb and then spread them on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 for about 10 minutes. Garlic is ready when it's soft to the touch, but not mushy. The garlic will cook a great deal more when it bakes in the bread; the par-baking process makes the cloves easy to peel and chop, and also contributes flavor during the long fermentation. Let the garlic cool before mixing (it doesn't take long).
• Recommended uses for mushroom water leftover from the rehydration process include soups and stocks. We imagine it would also be a hearty substitute for the plain old H2O in the recipe above. If you try it, be sure to strain the water through a fine mesh screen to separate any sand or grit.
• Remember, Siciliano's Market now carries a wide selection of bread-making ingredients, including several kinds of flour and whole wheat berries, which you can grind free of charge in our flour mill.
• If at any stage in the process your dough/bread looks at all like Jeff's (see pictures below), then congratulations, you're right on track.

Three amigos

Add the water last

Sweet dough whisk

The crust

The crumb

Cheers!

Founders, Then & Now: A Meditation on Change

Having been a "regular" for much of Founders' existence, Steve has watched them go from struggling brewpub to major player in the craft beer scene.

Red's Rye,
Founder's taproom

By Steve Siciliano

Our group calls itself the “old regulars” because we were there from the beginning, before the acclaim and the well-deserved accolades. Before anyone had heard of Founders outside of Michigan and long before the taproom became a Mecca for beer aficionados from all across the country.

One time back in the early days Barb and I were the only people at the pub. Dave was behind the bar and there were only three beers on tap. I remember thinking—worrying—that maybe they wouldn't make it. Somehow they kept going.

Barb and I were among the regulars who kept going too. We kept going for the same reasons people have gone to their favorite taverns and pubs throughout the centuries—for the comfortable feel, the camaraderie, for the unspoken pleasure of being surrounded by familiar faces. For us, that was always enough. When a new brewer came on and introduced a chalkboard full of new, interesting beers—solid, push-the-envelope beers—it was, for us, an added bonus. For others, it was time to sit up and take notice.

Things are much different now than in the early days. Now there’s national recognition and a new location. There are times when Barb and I don’t recognize anyone in the massive taproom and others when it’s so busy we can’t find a seat. Recently a group of us "old regulars" sat scrunched around a table, some of us grumbling about how crowded it was and lamenting the fact that we had lost our pub. While I looked around at the unfamiliar faces, at the jam-packed bar, at the middle-aged men and women in business suits, at young folks with dyed hair, tattoos and piercings, at parents drinking their beer while eating dinner with their children, I had an epiphany: the change has been good.

Maybe in some ways us old regulars have lost the pub we once knew, but what the community has gained is so much greater—an immensely popular place that is exposing people to good beer, a business that has done as much as ArtPrize or the Medical Mile to put our city on the map, an example and an incentive for countless other aspiring entrepreneurs looking to realize their dreams. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the once struggling brewery has changed the beer culture in our city, the state, perhaps even beyond.

Founders, I raise my mug to you. Cheers.

Cartoon Caption Contest, March Edition

Editor's Note: This month's competition is officially closed. Look for the next to begin on April 2, 2012.

Welcome to the Siciliano's Cartoon Caption Contest, March Edition! The winner of this round will receive Kenneth Davids' book Home Coffee Roasting (read the boss' review here) as well as one pound of Panama Boquete Classico raw (green) coffee beans. The contest rules are simple, and as follows.

1. Study the caption-less illustration (below) provided by Mark Siciliano, creator of the über-funny comic strip Head Cheese.
2. Come up with a hilarious caption of your own. In fact, come up with several. Beer or brewing (or coffee) themed captions are not mandatory, but certainly won't hurt your chances of winning.
3. Include your caption in the comments section at the bottom of the post. Be sure to also include your full name. Note: captions left by "anonymous" users are fine, but for logistical reasons, they will not be considered for the prize.
4. Wait with bated breath for the winner to be announced right here on The Buzz on Monday, March 12th, 2012.

The March Cartoon

"Your hilarious caption here"

You can find more Head Cheese at thecartooniststudio.com, where Mark is currently doing battle with hundreds of other cartoonists in a contest of his own. Voting for Mark in that contest will not win you brownie points in this one (voting over there is anonymous). However, the universe takes note of such things and will no doubt dole out the karma accordingly.

Obligatory fine print: (1) Please use your best judgment when participating in this contest. Any caption the Buzz staff deems offensive will be deleted without warning or notice. (2) The winner will be selected by a panel of judges to be named later by The Buzz staff. (3) Siciliano's employees & family are not eligible to win this contest; they are nonetheless encouraged to participate by adding captions of their own, hopefully funny ones.

New Beer Friday - March 2 Edition

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot - Now in!

By Chris Siciliano

So February ends for another year. If you're like me, you're eyeing March suspiciously, wondering if it's this month that winter finally arrives in Michigan. Well I say let it come. No matter what happens now, the snow can't stick around for long.

Besides, even if the weather fluctuates wildly for the next six weeks, Siciliano's will have the perfect beer to suit you. We've added 21 new items to the suds department in recent days, and appearing this week on New Beer Friday is a full variety of styles, everything from Irish stout to barley wine to maibock to heather ale to summer shandy.

What better time to be a beer geek than during the transition of the seasons. Enjoy the selection!

New (and Returning) Beer

• Bell's Consecrator Doppelbock, $2.69/12oz - "Reddish brown in color with a mild hop profile,Consecrator Doppelbock is a well balanced, full bodied lager with hints of caramel and molasses in its smooth, malty finish. As with our other lager brands, Consecrator undergoes a lengthy lagering period. Unlike the 6 week profile of the other two brands, Consecrator experiences a full three months in the fermenting vessel, giving it an exceptionally smooth character" (source).
• Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Ale 2012, $2.59/12oz - "Our award-winning barleywine boasts a dense, fruity bouquet, an intense flavor palate and a deep reddish-brown color. Its big maltiness is superbly balanced by a wonderfully bittersweet hoppiness" (source).
• Short's Uncle Steve's Irish Stout, $1.69/12oz - "Short’s version of the classic Irish Stout, complete with a dark color, soft head, and smooth full flavor typical of this lighter bodied style. A simple grist formula provides a base of roasted malt flavors while the infusion of nitrogen adds the creamy drinkability everyone loves" (source).
• Jolly Pumpkin Madrugada Obscura Dark Dawn Stout, $13.79/750ml - "A Belgian inspired stout that is as dark as a moonless midnight, brimming of roasted malts and bitter hops" (source).
• Pyramid Apricot Ale, $1.59/12oz - "Apricot Ale perfectly combines the taste and aroma of fresh apricot with the smooth finish of a traditional wheat beer. It’s refreshingly unfiltered character and fruit flavor make it an ale worth savoring" (source).
• Pyramid Discord Dark IPA, $1.59/12oz - "Discord Dark IPA celebrates the marriage of two distinct styles, the Dark Ale and the IPA. The traditional bitterness of an IPA is juxtaposed against a black malt canvas, creating an ale that keeps your taste buds working to discover all the unique flavors imparted by the 5 different hops and 5 different malts" (source).
• Pyramid Thunderhead IPA, $1.59/12oz - "We heap the hops into each batch of our Thunderhead IPA. A golden nectar with a striking floral aroma, Thunderhead holds a harmonious balance between its bold hop bitterness and subtle malt backbone" (source).
• Point Brewing Three Kings Ale, $1.19/12oz - "Point Three Kings is a highly drinkable golden colored Kolsh-Style Ale inspired by the story of the three kings whose remains reside in the Koln Cathedral in Koln Germany. Koln is the birthplace of Kolsh ale, often referred to as the 'crown jewel of brewing art'. Elegant and well-balanced Three Kings is hand-crafted with a delicate fruity aroma, clean soft maltiness, and crisp subtle hopping - an adventure fit for a king" (source).
• Southern Tier Back Burner, $7.79/12oz - "Long ago, British farmhouse brewers made special ales using the first runnings of the mash. These beers, now called barley wine, are brewed in the tradition of days past. At Southern Tier this long awaited brew is placed on the back burner until the start of the new year. Back Burner Barley Wine is a celebration of things to come and things remembered. It’s conceived in three small batches, using voluminous amounts of barley and hops. The process starts early in the morning and ends late into the night. We hope this rare brew reignites your spirit for another trip around the sun" (source).
• He'Brew Genesis 15:15, $12.59/22oz - This beer "celebrates 15 years of Shmaltz Brewing with a Barrel Aged Harvest Barleywine aged in Sazerac Rye Barrels. The beer will have grape, fig and pomegranate juice & dates added to the brew" (source).
• Hofbrau Maibock, $1.99/12oz - "By tradition, the first barrel of Maibock is tapped in the Hofbräuhaus in the last week of April, in time for the merry month of May. The success story of Munich’s oldest bock beer goes back as far as 1614. With its powerfully aromatic flavour and its alcoholic content of some 7.2% volume, Hofbräu Maibock marks one of the high points in the beer-lover’s calendar" (source).
• Leffe Brune, $1.59/12oz - The beer has "the delicate taste of vanilla and clove, and the full aroma of toffee and caramel" (source). 
• Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale, $3.19/12oz - "We blend young and old beers to make this mildy tart sour ale. Light bodied with a lactic/sour nose and a bit of sweet and sour in the finish. Very refreshing" (source).
• Leinenkugal Summer Shandy, $1.39/12oz - "Our take on a traditional German radler. Crisp, refreshing and brewed with natural lemonade flavor, it's perfect for the sun-splashed summer months" (source).
• Orkney Dark Island, $2.29/500ml - "On the nose, this dark beer offers bitter chocolate, figs, toffee and hints of fruit. On the palate, this resolves into beautiful, silky-smooth, coffee-and-chocolate flavours, followed by figs, dates and dried fruits, with a very appealing, lingering aftertaste of fruits and hop bitterness" (source).
• Orkney Red MacGregor, $4.89/500ml - "On the nose, this ruby-red beer is delicate, floral and fruity, with notes of violets, cherries, toffee and caramel. On the palate, the fruits combine with a juicy malt character and hints of toasted malt, with a biscuit malt and spicy hop finish" (source).
• Williams Brothers Alba Scots Pine Ale, $3.29/1l.2oz - "A traditional Highland recipe, popular in Northern Scotland until the end of the 19th Century. This "triple" style ale is spiced with sprigs of spruce and pine, harvested in the spring and brewed with only a small token handful of hops . Break out the goblets and pour with abandon. Rich, tawny and best enjoyed at Room temperature" (source).
• William Brothers Fraoch Heather Ale, $3.29/11.2oz - "A light amber ale with floral peaty aroma, full malt character, and a spicy herbal finish - This beer allows you to literally pour 4000 years of Scottish history into a glass" (source).
• Williams Brothers Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale, $3.29/11.2oz - "Our recipe was taken from a 16th century record of domestic drinking in the Scottish Highlands and is Brewed with roasted barley and chocolate malt, then infused with elderberries to deliver a dark, rich, fruity beer with a strong single hop aroma and satisfying bitter conclusion" (source).
• Williams Brothers Grozet Gooseberry & Wheat Ale, $3.29/11.2oz - "A pale golden beer, with a refreshing fruit aroma, clean palate, fruity wheat flavour and crisp finish. Recommended with, light foods, pastas and salads" (source).
• Genesee Bock Beer, $0.79/12oz, $8.59/12-pack - "Our take on the 16th century German legend has turned out to be a legend in its own right. For every spring since 1951, our brewery has carefully crafted and lagered Genesee Bock Beer. The result is an exceptionally hearty, full-flavored beer with a slight malty finish—and a perfect way to celebrate the snow melt" (source).

Picture of the Week

Provin Trails
(Is this the last time we see snow this year?)

Cheers!

Hey Kevin: "Are aluminum cans bad for beer?"

Welcome back to Hey Kevin, our new "advice" and "information" column. Let's get right to this week's question.

John, drinking tea, wishes
it was this canned IPA instead

Hey Kevin, 

I work in a popular bar with a better-than-average selection of craft beer. With only so much space available for kegs, we keep a pretty extensive array of bottled—and, increasingly—canned beer on the menu. Herein lies the problem. Despite what the literature says, a good many of our customers, even the regulars, believe that aluminum cans have a negative impact on the beer inside. How do we convince them the opposite is true?

Rory in Chicago

Hey Rory,

No matter how positive the literature on canned beer—and it is positive—individuals not ready for aluminum will remain wary of it (for advice on combating their suspicion, see below). This through no fault of their own, but thanks in large part to the deeply persuasive propaganda machine set in motion by the Great Lakes Association of Sand Supporters, otherwise known as GLASS.

GLASS is a highly secretive (fictitious?) organization with a singular goal in mind: to see that all beverages are one day delivered in and consumed from containers made of glass. We should note that GLASS is not gunning only for aluminum beer cans, but for boxed wine, cardboard milk cartoons, even Capri Sun pouches. Furthermore, their disdain arises not for any financial reason—ironically, GLASS has no stock in the glass industry—but stems rather from an abiding love for glass blowing, the process (some say art) by which molten sand is turned, as if by magic, into an empty vessel.

Google as you might, you'll find nary a sentence on the internet that refers either to GLASS or their dubious campaign to discredit the aluminum can—such is their ability to cloak themselves in darkness and mystery. How do I know all this? As much as it pains me to say, I used to consult for GLASS, working on their most nefarious anti-juicebox material. And though that chapter in my professional life shames me to no end, I see now that I can redeem myself by offering you, Rory, an easy solution to your problem: hugs.

Yes, hugs. Give one away with each canned beer you sell and see how quickly perceptions change. Truth be known, the most effective way to combat the false mythology surrounding aluminum cans is to displace it with positive associations, and what's more positive than a hug? Of course GLASS knows this and counts on the fact that individuals, particularly strangers, especially men, are not likely to embrace in crowded barrooms. That may well be. What GLASS forgets is that one other thing works as well if not better than hugs. Puppies.

Yes, puppies. Give one away with each canned beer you sell and see how quickly perceptions change. Failing that, just put the canned beer on special once or twice a week. People will eventually come around.

Hope this helps.

Kevin

PS. I don’t want to alarm you, Rory, but there is an even more sinister and secretive group lurking out there, the World Organization for Oak Development (WOOD). It’s their goal to see that all beverages, even milk and cough syrup, are one day shipped in small wooden barrels. Though GLASS is scary, it’s WOOD that keeps me up at night.

The views expressed here are (a) satirical, and (b) Kevin's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Buzz staff or its parent company, Siciliano's Market. Have a question in need of answering? Submit it to heykevin@sicilianosmkt.com.

Head Cheese - Your weekly ration

All characters appearing in today's Head Cheese are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, especially those employed by Siciliano's, is purely coincidental.

Head Cheese
by Mark Siciliano

Hungry for more Head Cheese? Help yourself to seconds at thecartooniststudio.com. And while you're there, be sure to vote for Mark in the American Idol-like Best Cartoonist contest, which is going on now.

Deers!
(oops) I mean, Cheers!