One of our favorite seasonal brews just released in Austin today. Real Ale Coffee Porter is all roasted malts, chocolate notes and plentiful coffee flavor. We absolutely love this beer. We do wish it had a little more of a bread thing going on but we're not going to let that dissuade us from pounding a few gallons of it while it's available.
Growing up in the Cumberland Highlands of Eastern Kentucky means when July rolls around it's time to hit the strip mines with a big plastic jug and go blackberry picking.
When we say strip mines, we are speaking of what's left of a mountain top after the coal company has ripped the side of the mountain free, stripped all the coal out, planted a few trees, installed a silt pond and called it a day.
Standing in a dark, smoky Lovejoys Taproom a couple years ago I spot a tap handle from a new brewery here in Austin: Pecan Porter from local brewhouse 512.
Any time a new brew arrives it's always a good idea to knock back a beer shot with the staff which is of course what we do, which in turn sets me to thinking. This is undoubtedly a good drinking beer but what would it be like as a baking agent?
That's when it really comes to life. The complexities of this porter are intensified through the baking process. The inherent pecan flavors marry nicely with the chocolate and the espresso making a very fine brownie.
After a few test runs this is the recipe I developed.
My grandma Doll is a cipher to this day. Her dying before I was born doesn't help matters any.Whereas I have a big collection of my mom's mom's recipes I have nary a one of my dad's mother.
I've been meaning to rectify that and this is the start.
Back in the 60's when my dad was a young buck the winters in Kentucky were quite a bit different than they are today.
It snowed.
A lot.
Up in the Billy holler that meant one thing;time to make some snow cream.
I grew up eating it myself and as it was snowing in Austin last week it set me to thinking.How many people have eaten or even heard of snow cream?
The ingredients are simple.So simple any kid can make it.Good milk,sugar,vanilla and a giant bowl of freshly fallen snow are all you really need.
Unless you're Grandma Doll. She made a stovetop custard for her snow cream and incorporated chocolate into it for a sort of rural Neiman Marcus-esque luxury version.
I've been plumbing the cobwebs out of my dad's recollections recently and have now assembled a recipe for snow cream Grandma Doll style.While it's not truly her recipe since we have the same blood flowing I reckon it'll serve just fine.
