DRAFT Magazine

This weekend I was able to attend another Sean Paxton meal, this time for Toronado’s annual Belgian Beer Dinner. I won’t be able to go on and on about the event, but know that this was a dinner that pushed every boundary possible for what you can rightfully expect in a beer dinner. Twelve courses, 20 beers (one of which I can’t tell you about yet) — it was unreal.

Below are the menu items by course, along with a picture of each dish. Enjoy!

First Course

Charcuturie Platter
homemade pork pate infused with Rochefort 8 soaked figs and pistachios, Chimay Red duck rillettes, easter egg radishes,De Ranke Père Noël poached bosc pears, dried apricot and Hanssens Oude Gueuze mustard and with local breads

Petrus Oude Bruin
Affligem Noel

Second Course

From the Earth
poached white asparagus, black truffles, watercress, black trumpet mushrooms, fennel pollen with a Orval emulsion

Orval

Third Course

Kriek Marbled Foie Gras
Drie Fonteinen Schaerbeekse Kriek marinated foie gras tourchon, mache leaf, De Struise Pannepot ‘caviar’, black flaked sea salt, hibiscus Drie Fonteine Oude Geuze Syrup

Chimay Grand Reserve 3L 2001
Drie Fonteinen Schaerbeekse 2005

Fourth Course

Potato and Leek Soup
purple potatoes pureed with local leeks, Fantôme La Dalmatienne and organic cream

De Ranke XX Bitter

Fifth Course

Duck Braised in Consecration
duck legs infused with Russian River Consecration cooked sous vide with leeks. shallots, thyme, currants, dried sour cherries topped with a duck Consecration demi-glace and almond oil powder

De Dolle Oerbier 2002
Rodenbach Grand Cru

Sixth Course

Pork Belly
Serafin Grand Cru cured Sonoma pork belly with Temptation-pickled brussels sprouts slaw topped with a date, prune & fig Scaldis Noel bbq sauce

Du Pont Avec Les Bons Voeux
De Blaugies Darbyste

Seventh Course

Assorted Belgian Cheeses

Affligem Trappist style, made with beer, cow’s milk
Chimay rind washed with Chimay, cow’s milk
Orval med. soft, Trappist style, cow’s milk
Pate à Chouffe soft rounds, made with a Chouffe, cow’s milk
Petrus med. firm, made with Petrus, cow’s milk
St Bernardus med. hard, made with Watou beer, cow’s milk
Val Dieu Trappist stype, med. hard, made with Val Dieu, cow’s milk
Westvleteren small rounds, made with Westvleteren beer, cow’s milk
Westvleteren softer cheese, not made with beer, cow’s milk
rhubarb and Rodenbach Grand Cru jam, Saucerful of Secrets wort honey, marinated pearl onions, cinnamon & clove smoked almonds, grapefruit zest celery salt and bruges biscuits

Cantillon Iris
Achel Trappist Extra Bruin

Eighth Course

Hop Shoots
lightly blanched tender hop shoots from Moonlight Farms with a bone marrow & Cantillon Iris gastrique

Poperings Hommel Bier

Ninth Course

Moinette & Marin Butter Poached Lobster
sliced on a disc of quail egg pain perdu with Tripel Karmeliet & duck fat aioli and a green herb sauce

Westmalle Tripel
Mauleur Bière Brut

Tenth Course

Cod and Mussel Waterzooi
carrots, spring leeks, baby fennel, fingerling potatoes, Brugse Zot, fish stock and local cream

Dupont Foret

Eleventh Course

Scaldis Prestige Spiked Crème Brulee
and Fresh Raspberries

De Struise T’sjeeses

Twelfth Course

It’s Wafer Thin…
Belgian madelines with orange peel and grains of paradise, Delirium Noel caramel dark chocolate truffle,
Cascade Apricot Ale crème scented with crystallized ginger and candied tangerine peel in dark chocolate shell, Valley Brewing Quad Caramel in milk chocolate truffle
Cantillon Lou Pepe Framboise 2006 injected first of the season strawberries dipped in dark chocolate

De Struise Black Albert
Firestone Walker Saucerful of Secrets 2007

See more pictures on our Flickr page.