Posted: 06.02.2010
The menu for this year's "Burgers and Brew: The Taste is Local" event Saturday June 5th from 4-7pm at Capital Brewery Bier Garten has just been released. Chefs have outdone themselves to come up with classic and creative burgers made of locally raised meat and vegetables. Craft beers specially selected to complement the burgers will round out the experience.
This year's selections include a world of flavors, with burgers inspired by far flung locations from Marrakech to Havana. Bunky's Café introduces bold new flavors to the burger-fest with their Moroccan Lamb Burger topped with a refreshing yogurt mint sauce. Willy Street Co-op invites guests to experience la dolce vita with an Italian sausage burger topped with fresh mozzarella and a roasted tomato relish. And Metcalfe's Market will marry America's classic burger with flavors of Havanna on a Cuban Slider dressed with ham, aged gouda, dill pickles and mustard sauce.
Chefs will also honor local favorites including the now classic Lombardino's grilled lamb burger crowned with a fried quail egg, smoked bacon aioli, lettuce and onion. The Weary Traveler will feature their beloved Bob's Bad Breath Burger made of organic beef, green goddess dressing, cream cheese, caramelized onions, garlic, tomatoes and picapeppa sauce. Another home-favorite, the V Burger from Brasserie V will make a return to the event with grilled beef topped by 3 yr. cheddar cheese, beer battered onion straws, lettuce, tomatoes and traditional aioli.
Alchemy Café ventures out to the wild west with a Tin Shack Smokehouse Burger made of grilled bison dressed with smoked and caramelized onions, bacon, spinach, white cheddar and herb aioli. Fresco gets a little feisty with a Bad to the Bone burger featuring bone marrow caramelized onions, black truffle aioli and local radish. The folks at jacs take a clever turn with a perennial garden favorite for their Brewbarb beef burger topped with bacon, pickled rhubarb, caramelized onion, and Havarti cheese.
Veggies take center stage for five of the day's offerings. Here are three examples: Metcalfe's Market will make a meatless version of the Cuban slider, and Bunky's will bring rich flavors of a Moroccan Kashkousha to a grilled pepper, tomato, eggplant and garlic creation served on warm pita. Willy Street Co-op will whisk guests away to a Mediterranean isle courtesy of their balsamic marinated portobello mushroom burger topped with fresh mozzarella and a roasted tomato relish.
Three restaurants still have their burger menu under wraps. Nonetheless, guests can expect to see knock-out burgers from culinary heavyweights L'Etoile, Sardine and Tornado Steakhouse.
Each $25 ticket entitles guests to three combos featuring a fabulous ¼ lb burger paired with a 5 ounce beer pour. In addition to a beer featured with the burger, brewers will offer additional beers to sample.
Fans of microbrew beers will have the opportunity to visit with brewers and experience their favorite ales and lagers masterfully paired with flavors from the grill. Representatives from eleven Wisconsin breweries will be serving hand crafted beers at the event.
Save room for dessert! Beans N' Cream Coffeehouse and Sassy Cow Creamery will serve single scoops of peach, vanilla, chocolate, and cherry chocolate ice cream. Tickets for desserts or additional short beer pours will be available at the event in bundles of 8 for $10.
Musical guests the TakI Allstars will keep the party vibe alive with reggae-inspired grooves.
Guests will have the chance to win a "Taste Is Local" at-home burger and brew kit in the Burgers & Brew raffle. The kit, valued at over $175.00, includes tools and ingredients needed to replicate a burger fest in your own backyard.
This celebration raises money for REAP Food Group's Buy Fresh Buy Local program (BFBL). BFBL is a partnership of local farmers, chefs and other food service providers working together to increase opportunities to eat fresh, local, sustainably grown food. Last year's event was a sold-out success so event hosts recommend purchasing tickets ahead of time. Members of REAP are invited to buy special early entry tickets.
Tickets are available at Willy Street Co-op and at the REAP Food Group website. Learn more at: www.reapfoodgroup.org.
« back to news articles
