Cookin' with Karl
Rhinegeist and Ribs
with Karl Gerhard
I was recently invited by Lynsey Curren, manager of Timber Lodge in Medina, to check out an event that they were having on their porch: Rhinegeist & Ribs.
My response was instantly “yes!” How could I resist an event featuring one of my favorite foods, ribs, and my favorite beer, Rhinegeist?
If you have been reading my column for any length of time, you know I am a rib connoisseur. I love to make them and rarely run across a rib that I dislike. As for the beer, Rhinegeist came on the scene recently and is taking the market by storm. It is a microbrew out of Cincinnati. My favorite one is “Truth.”
My wife Yvette and I arrived around 6 p.m. and were seated on Timber Lodge’s rustic and spacious porch. It was a nice summer evening and we were seated right next to the rep from Rhinegeist. Perfect!
I had the opportunity to try a flight of beers they brought just for this event. Astro Dwarf Hazy IPA (loved it), Couger Blonde Ale (also good) and Dry-Hopped Truth (my favorite). My wife Yvette loved the Cidergeist Bubbles Rose Ale, which she says is the perfect beach drink.
That one is available at some local grocery stores, as is the Truth. I did learn from the Rhinegeist rep about IBUs, which are international bitter units. Apparently, if you like hops, for instance, a beer with 75 IBUs is a good fit for you. This piece of info will help me make better decisions in the future.
OK, so the beer was great and getting questions about it answered by the actual brewery rep was even better. But what was best was the service and the food.
First, I will say that the porch dining is a whole different feeling than the inside of Timber Lodge. Inside, the restaurant is always very busy and has that “great restaurant” sound with lots of conversational background chatter, a sense of heightened activity, combined with a beautiful rustic charm that is second to none.
The porch, on the other hand, gives you the “free and easy” feeling of dining al fresco. It seems very relaxed and easy going where you can just chill and watch the evening pass. We loved it.
The nice thing about the ribs event was that I could enjoy the ribs while my wife could get her favorites, which are filet mignon and scallops. Timber Lodge is of course known for their steaks, but the scallops and seafood are, according to Yvette, fantastic as well.
I was really impressed with the service in general. This starts with the chef, Chef Ray, who was finishing off the ribs on the porch grill. He tells me the ribs had cooked low and slow for four hours.
The sauce was really nice, but he did something that I had not seen anywhere before. He put dry spices and herbs on top of the sauced ribs. This was one of those great touches that made these ribs stand out. Chatting with the chef gave me a great feeling as I dined, a sense that I am in good hands.
‘A Sparkling Evening’
I learned of another wonderful porch event Timber Lodge is hosting while I was there. It is called “A Sparkling Evening” and will be this coming Wednesday, Aug. 23, from 5-8 p.m.
They will feature four great sparkling wines from around the globe. First, Segura Viudas Reserve Heredad, which hails from Spain. This Cava is the hidden treasure you have been waiting for.
Next up is Romeo & Juliet Prosecco Treviso from the Glera grape variety grown in Verona, Italy.
Third is Domaine Ste Michelle Brut Rose. This is made in the traditional Champagne methods, but in Columbia Valley, Wash.
And finally, Moet & Chandon Imperial, one of the worlds most-loved champagnes.
The idea of this event is to bring to you different versions of sparking wines, wines associated with celebrations. This will be the last “Summer Evening on the Porch” event for this year, so don’t miss out. Call ahead.
As summer winds down and we are clinging to the peaches and the sand left over in our trunks and the smell of the sea, let’s celebrate.
Celebrate the great locally-owned restaurants we have around us, their chefs and owners, their amazing and talented servers and bartenders. Celebrate life and the blessings we have, celebrate summer evenings and the warm weather while it remains.
Cheers!
My response was instantly “yes!” How could I resist an event featuring one of my favorite foods, ribs, and my favorite beer, Rhinegeist?
If you have been reading my column for any length of time, you know I am a rib connoisseur. I love to make them and rarely run across a rib that I dislike. As for the beer, Rhinegeist came on the scene recently and is taking the market by storm. It is a microbrew out of Cincinnati. My favorite one is “Truth.”
My wife Yvette and I arrived around 6 p.m. and were seated on Timber Lodge’s rustic and spacious porch. It was a nice summer evening and we were seated right next to the rep from Rhinegeist. Perfect!
I had the opportunity to try a flight of beers they brought just for this event. Astro Dwarf Hazy IPA (loved it), Couger Blonde Ale (also good) and Dry-Hopped Truth (my favorite). My wife Yvette loved the Cidergeist Bubbles Rose Ale, which she says is the perfect beach drink.
That one is available at some local grocery stores, as is the Truth. I did learn from the Rhinegeist rep about IBUs, which are international bitter units. Apparently, if you like hops, for instance, a beer with 75 IBUs is a good fit for you. This piece of info will help me make better decisions in the future.
OK, so the beer was great and getting questions about it answered by the actual brewery rep was even better. But what was best was the service and the food.
First, I will say that the porch dining is a whole different feeling than the inside of Timber Lodge. Inside, the restaurant is always very busy and has that “great restaurant” sound with lots of conversational background chatter, a sense of heightened activity, combined with a beautiful rustic charm that is second to none.
The porch, on the other hand, gives you the “free and easy” feeling of dining al fresco. It seems very relaxed and easy going where you can just chill and watch the evening pass. We loved it.
The nice thing about the ribs event was that I could enjoy the ribs while my wife could get her favorites, which are filet mignon and scallops. Timber Lodge is of course known for their steaks, but the scallops and seafood are, according to Yvette, fantastic as well.
I was really impressed with the service in general. This starts with the chef, Chef Ray, who was finishing off the ribs on the porch grill. He tells me the ribs had cooked low and slow for four hours.
The sauce was really nice, but he did something that I had not seen anywhere before. He put dry spices and herbs on top of the sauced ribs. This was one of those great touches that made these ribs stand out. Chatting with the chef gave me a great feeling as I dined, a sense that I am in good hands.
‘A Sparkling Evening’
I learned of another wonderful porch event Timber Lodge is hosting while I was there. It is called “A Sparkling Evening” and will be this coming Wednesday, Aug. 23, from 5-8 p.m.
They will feature four great sparkling wines from around the globe. First, Segura Viudas Reserve Heredad, which hails from Spain. This Cava is the hidden treasure you have been waiting for.
Next up is Romeo & Juliet Prosecco Treviso from the Glera grape variety grown in Verona, Italy.
Third is Domaine Ste Michelle Brut Rose. This is made in the traditional Champagne methods, but in Columbia Valley, Wash.
And finally, Moet & Chandon Imperial, one of the worlds most-loved champagnes.
The idea of this event is to bring to you different versions of sparking wines, wines associated with celebrations. This will be the last “Summer Evening on the Porch” event for this year, so don’t miss out. Call ahead.
As summer winds down and we are clinging to the peaches and the sand left over in our trunks and the smell of the sea, let’s celebrate.
Celebrate the great locally-owned restaurants we have around us, their chefs and owners, their amazing and talented servers and bartenders. Celebrate life and the blessings we have, celebrate summer evenings and the warm weather while it remains.
Cheers!