I am a dark beer fan and don’t plan to change anytime soon. However, I am always looking for a new brew to try. Micro brewery’s are producing beers of every flavor and color these days and I couldn’t be a happier man! A six pack of beer will last me a couple of weeks so don’t expect contestant reviews here. I will post as I find them and find them I will.

This weeks brew is Land Shark Lager, a pale light colored beer. Without a doubt a Corona clone with out the Corona price. It was only $6.99 at the supermarket. I bought it for my wife as she prefers at pale light beer over my Stouts and Bocks.

Land Shark Lager is a product of the Margaritaville Brewing Company in Jacksonville, FL and is served in Buffett’s Margaritaville restaurants in Key West, Orlando and Las Vegas. Turns out it is a Anheuser-Busch company, oh well.

This beer is made to be “light” and “refreshing” and it is. Lacking the characteristic of a good Micro brewed beer and catering to the “Stronger than water” crowd, it fits the bill of a pale lager. I would have preferred more flavor and a stronger smell but Mr Jimmy Buffet sign his name to this brew and I am going to respect that. No company as big as “The Busch” make a brew without knowing who they are going to sell it to. There must be a market there. My wife liked it and that’s good for me!

I would place this in the “Pizza” and “Snacks” category of beers. It’s good for something. It’s a bit fizzy and I don’t like that. Lite flavored and mediocre, it’s a massed produced bottled beer that’s good for parties of lite beer drinker not for someone who like to savor every sip. Its tough to find anything else to say that doesn’t fit in the American mass produced micro beer description. Its thin, too sweet and over carbonated.

I’ll buy it for my wife if she asks but until that time …..

 

 600+ Clone Beers and Original Home Brew Recipes

 

“Get out of the kitchen! Light the fire! Start cooking outdoors”

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I picked this up somewhere and saved it for future use. These tips are well to remember! I hope you find them useful!

A marinade is a seasoned liquid used for soaking meat, poultry, fish or vegetables in order to tenderize or to add flavour. Most marinades contain oil, herbs and spices, as well as an acid ingredient which serves as a tenderizer. Acid ingredients may include vinegar, lemon juice, wine, beer, tomato juice or citrus juice. For variety, experiment with different ingredients, as each will give the marinade its own distinct flavour.

 

Keep the following  6 tips in mind when using marinades.

• Marinate meat, poultry, fish and vegetables separately. Reserve a small amount of unused marinade for basting purposes, if desired.  

• As most marinades contain an acid ingredient, marinating should be done in a glass or plastic container. Marinating food in a double plastic bag or heavy zip-top plastic bag is both convenient and effective. Do not use metal containers for marinating food as the acidic mixture may react with the metal.

• A marinating time of 8 - 24 hours is usually required for tenderizing meat. If a marinade is to be used only to flavour food, marinating times are usually in the range of 1/2 - 2 hours.

• Marinades do not prevent bacterial growth. When marinating food for longer than 30 minutes, marinating must be carried out in the refrigerator. 

• Marinating for too long may produce a product that is mushy or has an overpowering flavour. Follow recipe directions for marinating time. 

• Previously used marinades should not be saved or reused for another occasion as the marinade will contain juices from the raw food which could be contaminated with bacteria.

“Get out of the kitchen! Light the fire! Start cooking outdoors”

 

 

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How about a quick, easy and delicious desert? Grilled Fruit? Yes, fruit is perfect for the grill because it is so easy to prepare, just clean slice core and cook. All fruits are made up of water and sugar. By grilling fruit you can concentrate the flavors by caramelizing the natural sugars. Fresh fruit is healthy and simple, the fruits sweet flavors are enhanced further by placing the fruit over a fire. And all of this takes about 15 minutes!

Fruits like apples, pears, and pineapples that are naturally hard are the simplest to prepare as well as holding their shape and texture while cooking. Pick fresh firm fruit, you will want a fruit that is solid enough to hold together and maintain its texture on the grill. Your softer fruits like peaches, nectarines, plums and mango’s take more care to prepare and will become soft and mushy if overcooked. Take your time cooking the softer kinds of fruit. 

I choose Pineapple, Mango and Netarines for my grill. Two soft fruits and a firm one, that meant paying close attention to the grill. I had to cut the Mango in wedges because the pit is so large. The Pineapple and Netarine was a simple prep. I oiled my grill and placed the Pinapple over the center heat and the Nectarines and Mango around the cooler edges.

Depending on your heat and the height of the grill, your cooking time will be about 8 minutes per side.

 

The first flip produced those beautiful grill marks everyone wants to see.  The Pineapple was an easy flip, soft fruit is a challenge and my Mango and Nectarines were up to that challenge. I should of had a spatula handy, my tongs tended to squeeze just a bit to much. I had to get my fingers in there to help with the flip, no damage done to the fruit and my fingers survived. Another 8 minutes on this side and I was ready to serve!

Tip: Chill your fruit in ice water for 30 minutes just before grilling.

 

The final result were fantastic! Grilled to perfection, the juices were sweet and bold. I added some Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel topping to produce a fast delicious desert.

You can try some other variations also:

• Marinade your fruit in spiced water.
• Make fruit kabobs.
• Baste with spice butter. Cinnamon, ginger, etc.
• A mixture of rum, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg make a delicious marinade.

 

Here are a couple of recipes from Recipe Goldmine to try:

 

Cherry-Honey Grilled Pineapple recipe

4 slices fresh pineapple
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons cherry brandy
1 teaspoon lemon juice

To marinate, combine honey, brandy and lemon juice in a nonporous glass dish or bowl. Mix together and add pineapple; coat well with marinade mixture. Cover dish and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Heat grill to medium heat and lightly oil grate.

Remove pineapple from dish or bowl, discarding any leftover marinade. Place pineapple wedges directly on rack or in a basket and grill for about 10 minutes, turning, until pineapple is hot and caramelized.

 

Grilled Paradise recipe

Glaze:
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch

4 slices fresh pineapple, about 1/2 inch thick each
1 teaspoon cracked dried green peppercorns or
    cracked black peppercorns
4 scoops vanilla ice cream

To make the glaze: In small saucepan combine the glaze ingredients and whisk until smooth. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Keep the glaze warm or reheat when ready to serve.

Season both sides of the pineapple slices with the peppercorns. Grill over indirect medium heat until well marked, 6 to 8 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time.

Serve each pineapple slice with a scoop of ice cream and some of the glaze drizzled over the top.

Makes 4 servings

 

Skewered Cantaloupe recipe

4 servings

1 medium cantaloupe
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

Heat grill for medium heat.

Thread the cantaloupe chunks onto 4 skewers.

In a small saucepan, heat butter or margarine with honey until melted. Stir in mint. Brush cantaloupe with honey mixture.

Lightly oil grate. Place skewers on heated grill. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, turning to cook all sides. Serve with remaining sauce on the side.

 

 “Get out of the kitchen! Light the fire! Start cooking outdoors”

 

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