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Celebration of the Oktoberfe@st

We invite you to join us for a special experience of German cuisine at "Der Metz" German Restaurant

"Celebration of the Oktoberfe@st:
German music, Jodelling competition, food and beer "
Tuesday 31st October 2006

The extensive menu' includes:

Entrée

Nürnberger with Sauerkraut
pork sausages served with Sauerkraut and black bread (Schwarzbrot)

Brettljause
farm bacon, cold roast pork, smoked sausages, Salami, cheese dip, liverwurst and gherkins served with black bread and a glass of clear fruit Schnaps

Serbian Bean Soup
spiced bean soup

Mains

Pork Hock
roasted and served with Sauerkraut and mashed potatoes

Zigeunerschnitzel
fried bread crumbed pork Schnitzel with a tomato,
paprika and capsicum mushroom sauce, served with chips

Champignonschnitzel
grilled chicken Schnitzel with a creamy mushroom sauce, served with Spätzle

Dessert

Apfelstrudel - traditional -
served with vanilla ice cream, garnished with fresh fruit

Heiße Liebe
Brandy marinated hot raspberries served on vanilla ice cream and
garnished with fresh cream

The Menu price includes a free 300 cl glass of original Hofbräu Oktoberfestbeer
Additional beers: On tap 300cl Hofbräu Malted Spring Beer
Plus 11 further original German bottled beers on offer for tasting

We have arranged an Akkordeon player to entertain the guests for 2 hours during the evening with original German Oktoberfest music. This will include the chance for a sing-along for the guests. Songsheets will be available to try such classics as "Edelweiss"!

A Jodeling-Competition among all guests, after some beer sampling! Spot prizes will be given out to the winners of this surely funny entertainment.

When serving each course, the chef will explain to all guests roughly how each meal was made and will make suggestions with regard to which beers or other drinks would be suitable to accompany this food. We will ensure that we will leave the evening having learnt something about German food - plus a memorable evening.

WHEN: Tuesday 31st October 2006, 7.00 pm for 7.30 start
WHERE: Der Metz Restaurant - 7 Averill Ave, Kohimarama, Auckland
COST: $ 65.00 Slow Food members - $ 75.00 non members


LIMITED PLACES: 50 people so it will be on a "first come, first served" basis: priority to Auckland Slow Food Members by 13 October 2006

Booking is essential: by Friday 20th October 2006. Please send the attached form with the payment to Po Box 35364 - Browns Bay - Auckland with your details; confirmation sent by return e-mail.

Token system: a token system for all drinks over and above the included free 300cl beer will be used. This is to ensure that the chef and staff are able to concentrate on preparing their excellent food. Each drink token will cost $ 7.00 and also the special offer of a set of 4 tokens for reduced cost $ 25, i.e. $ 3 discount. Please be aware that you need to bring cash on the night for your additional drinks.

We would like to give a special thank to Ceillhe & Neill Sperath of T.I.M.E. Unlimited (www.timeunlimited.co.nz), who are the organizers of this event. Thanks for your support and we hope to see you on the 31st October 2006.

Slowly,
Raffaela and Paolo Delmonte
PS: Please, feel free to pass/copy/forward this e-mail to your friends.

---------------------------------------------------------------
AUCKLAND SLOW FOOD CONVIVIUM
Po Box 35-364 Browns Bay
Auckland - New Zealand
ph: +64-9-4738677; fax: +64-9-4736513
Paolo: 021-1331905; Raffaela: 021-2139111
e-mail: slowfood@ihug.co.nz
www.slowfood.com
events: www.aldente.co.nz/news/

Beer Links, my one weakness, my Achilles heel, if you will

It's been a bit quiet on the blog this week, so here are some links to liven up the day:

My latest newspaper column - this time on beer and food matching

A write up of a recent beer tasting

And in non-beer links, a very funny fake obituary for beer lover Jeremy Clarkson.

Glass Tip for the Clarkson Link: King Stooly the Tyrant

Real ale champion dies as last beer is brewed

Mr John Young of the London family brewer Youngs and Co has succumbed to cancer at 85. Under the chairmanship of Mr John Young, Youngs and Co resisted the keg beer trend of the 1960's and came to be regarded as a champion of traditional English cask beer. In addition to his support of real ale John Young will be remembered for his eccentric and theatrical appearances at board meetings which included the use of boxing gloves, loud hailers and bee keepers uniforms.
It is perhaps fitting that his death comes the same week as the last beer leaves the Ram Brewery in Wandsworth. Brewing is to be transferred to Charles Wells in Bedford as the result of a merging of the brewing arms of the two companies.

Read more at the youngs.co.uk or at the Telegraph

BrewNZ - It's a Wrap

The cream of NZ brewing rose to the top, yet again, at BrewNZ.  Epic, Limburg and Emerson’s picked up two best in class trophies apiece to continue the dominance of Messrs Nicholas, O’Leary and Emerson in the more international styles.

Mac’s/Lion yet again cleaned out Monteith’s/DB in the more NZ focused categories – draughts and lagers.  Mac’s Sassy Red picked up the Amber Ale category again (for the third successive year, I believe) amongst some strong competition, which goes to show that these guys can make some fantastic beer when they choose too.

When it’s all said and done, the public need to be involved to make BrewNZ a real success.  The public side of this year’s event seemed to be a bit hit and miss.  I’ve heard some anecdotal evidence of good events occurring around town but it’s very hard to tell what was going on around the city when you are spending your days in the inner sanctum (watching 10 judges work their way through 170 beers).  Aaron Watson’s honest Capital Times summary basically confirmed what I sensed was going on, from the odd occasion that I managed to venture out.  Great beer is possibly not being backed up with great service.

Are our events, bars, restaurants and cafés letting our best brewers down?  If so, how do we improve?

And… did I just ask that question in a Dallow-esque TV One tone?

Slainte mhath
Stu

Blenheim Beer Fest

Gibb’s Vineyard Restaurant and Moa Beer invite you to their annual Beer Fest.

All the details are inside the RealBeer forum but the short of it is:
Gibbs Vineyard Restaurant, 258 Jackson Road, Blenheim.
Sunday 24th September 2006.
Beers pouring from high noon.

Tap beers are expected to include Moa, Limburg, Emerson’s, Renaissance, Founder’s and Mussel Inn.

Seeing that it’s at a vineyard, you can probably access the odd wine too.

It’s a family day, so watch your behaviour too.

Slainte mhath
Stu

SOBA - Beer for all the right reasons

On Sunday, the Society Of Beer Advocates (SOBA) was officially launched at the Great New Zealand Beer Show.

SOBA describes itself as an independent, non-profit society whose main aim is promoting a wider availability of better quality beer

Their website states:

We are advocates of finely crafted, flavourful beers. We like beers which have character and individuality. We want the kind of recognition for our beverage of choice that wine currently enjoys, but we don't want to be snooty about it - we just want better product, and more of it available in more places. We do not ask for much!

We have the following goals:

To promote awareness of beer in all its flavour and diversity
To protect and improve consumer rights with regards to beer and associated service
To promote quality, choice and value for money
To campaign for greater appreciation of traditional crafted beer
To seek improvements in all licensed premises and throughout the brewing industry
To act as an independent resource for both the consumer, the pub trade, and the brewing industry"

Membership details are on the website and you can sign up for the mailing list here.

I'm a member...

Cheers Neil

RealBeer in the News

RealBeer gets some media coverage in this little article from the Sunday Star-Times.  It’s light but fairly positive.

Full story.

Links a-plenty

Just a few new links to items of interest around the Internet Beer Community (IBC)...

Beer Awards Results - Press Release here

Article from The Wellingtonian on Bennett's here

And a report from a recent beer tasting at Cellar Vate here

Mini Great New Zealand Beer Show

The Mini Great New Zealand Beer Show promises to be a great event showcasing a number of craft breweries:

Details:

Saturday 9th September
Two sessions: 1030am -130pm and 230pm -6pm).
Downstairs in the Old Bank Arcade (Lambton Quay, Wellington)
Tickets are $12 at the door.

Contact that fine lad Colin Mallon on 027 510 4235 for more details.

Aaron Watson from the Capital Times has done a great article on Colin and the show here.