If you’re looking for something to do this weekend and have a hankerin’ for beer and BBQ – check out the DMV (that’s DC/MD/VA – not the Dept of Motor Vehicles) bash on Sunday from 4PM-10PM at Smith Common in DC. $20 gets you in the door as well as a main entree, a side and a sweet treat for dessert. Beverages, alcohol, taxes and gratuity are not included. Breweries include Flying Dog, Port City, Heavy Seas, Stillwater and many others. Brewery reps will be on-hand to answer your many beer questions. Some of the chicks are headed that way, so stop by and say hi!

OK…. so it’s not beer.  And I admit, spirits aren’t for everyone, but Catoctin Creek is the real deal.  Founded in 2009, Catoctin Creek Distillery is the first legal distillery in Loudoun County, Virginia since Prohibition.  And they’ve got it going on!  Cactoctin Creek has been winning awards for their high quality spirits.  Mosby’s Spirit, an organic rye “white whiskey” that’s as smooth and very drinkable.  I’m not a spirits-lover, but this stuff is as smooth as they come!

“So what do birds have to do with booze?” you ask.

This coming Wednesdsay, June 22 @ 6:00pm Catoctin Creek Distillery will be doing a tasting paired with appetizers at Market Table Bistro in downtown Historic Lovettsville!  The “Ducks” at the distillery are the works of Market Table Bistro’s featured artist of the month, Gold Feather Photography.  This art show and tasting is just one of a fantastic line of events held at Market Table Bistro.  Chef Jason Lage will provide appetizers to compliment Catoctin Creek’s fantastic spirits which include Mosby’s Spirit as well as their: Roundstone Rye – an aged rye whiskey said to be “wise beyond their age” and Watershed Gin – a complex distillation with secret ingredients.

Event Details
“Birds & Booze” an art show & tasting
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 @ 6:00pm

Market Table Bistro
13 East Broad Way
Lovettsville, VA 20180

$20 per person, includes tasting & appetizers

Call (540) 822-3008 to make reservations!

“Birds & Booze”

When Husband asked if Neighbor and I would like to join him for an Ommegang Beer Dinner at Local Chop & Grill House in Harrisonburg, we of course said yes and heck yes.  Not only did Ommegang brewery rep, Steven Cardello bring some amazing new beers, but Chef Ryan Zale never fails to impress, if not stun his diners.  So on Thursday, April 7^th, Neighbor and I walked (a half mile) to the Local to get our appetites going.  I will attempt to describe the five course meal, please do not read if hungry.

First Course:

A banana caramelized with vanilla and sugar, topped with a thyme foam and an edible violet, then bathed in bacon consommé and nestled beside a frozen orange.   Now why did Chef Zale pick such a lovely fruit dish for the first course?  Because it was paired with the new collaboration from Ommegang and Brasserie d’Achouffe: Gnomegang.  With all Belgian style beers, it is the yeast that is the backbone of the brew and gives you the flavors of fruit, citrus and clove. The Chouffe and Ommegang yeasts combined create a smooth and delicious blend that went down great with this dish.  And the bacon consommé grounded the whole thing.  Why did the collaborators select the name Gnomegang?  If you are familiar with Achouffe you’ll note that their bottles are adorned with a red capped garden gnome.   The Gnomegang is a Belgian Blonde Ale and runs at 9.5% ABV.

Second Course:

Ommegang’s new Belgian Pale Ale or BPA has been making huge waves with this unique brew.   It has the malty roots of a traditional Belgian, but according to www.ommegang.com, it is then hopped with Columbus (for bitter), Celia (for aroma) and then is dry hopped with Cascades.  Chef Zale perfectly steamed mussels in the BPA and they were sooooo good!  He served them with shaved asparagus and brussel sprout leaves over crispy pancetta (aka pork belly) with apple and tarragon vinaigrette.  Neighbor said simply, “divine.”

Third Course:

What a pairing!!! Orange, coriander, fennel, toffee, and cinnamon blended in a mouth watering combination of Abbey Ale and house made goat sausage.  This was one of the most fantastic beer and food combos I’ve ever had (and I have gone to a lot of beer dinners).  Chef Zale is a great local chef in that he knows his area farmers, how they raise their livestock, and he plays a role in hand selecting the foods served at the Local Chop.  The same goes for tonight’s goat which came from a farm in Waynesboro.  The spicy goat sausage was served with nontraditional sauerkraut of pear and fennel and brushed with an emulsion of toffee and locally made honey. The fennel and coriander of the sausage and the sweet toffee emulsion with the caramel of the Abbey Ale was so elegantly blended.  This was truly an epicurean masterpiece.

Fourth Course:

Most chefs will save a chocolate beer for dessert. Chef Zale, recognizing that as well traversed highway, made a move off the beaten path and paired Ommegang’s Chocolate Indulgence Stout with a spicy mole dish.  Again in another feat of unholy pagan pork worship, Zale served up chili braised pork belly drenched in a rich mole of coffee and a 65% Belgian chocolate and garnished with pumpkins seed and crispy straws of squash.   Additionally the mole was prepared with 8 cups of Chocolate Indulgence Stout and duck stock.  I’m not going to lie: things were getting groggy at this point.  I was definitely going into a deeply entrenched food coma, aided by the 7% ABV on the Indulgence.  But that bit of chili spice gave me enough of a kick for one more round.

Fifth Course:

So if you serve the chocolate beer with dinner… what do you serve for dessert? The answer is definitely: cherries!  The Three Philosophers Quadruple is a dense combo of malty chocolate and cherry lambic and was served with three equally wise dessert choices.  A cherry and chocolate truffle, marshmallow brûlée and a rich goat cheese square.  The flavors melded perfectly.  And as this Belgian Kriek had the highest ABV of the night at 9.8%, it was time to end the fun.

Overall it was a wonderful night with great company, around 35 attendees most of them local beer fans we know from around town.  Chef Zale proved ever creative, even preparing some special courses for a vegan guest.  Cheers to the Local and Brewery Ommegang, I can’t wait for your next event!

On February 27th we were fortunate to be invited to Legend Brewery’s 17th Anniversary bash in Richmond, VA. Legend is one of my favorite local breweries – great food, amazing beer and an incredibly hospitable team of folks who truly love making great beer – what more could you ask for?

When spending time in Richmond, I have a few recommendations. Stay at the Crowne Plaza on Canal Street. Lovely rooms, great service and a short shuttle ride away from anywhere you might want to go. If you find yourself in Richmond on a Sunday, have brunch at Millie’s. It’s small, kitchy and the food is fantastic. Believe me, it’s worth the wait. And if you need a cab, call Napoleon. They are clean, cheap and friendly.

When we arrived at Legend, we checked in and grabbed a beer. I stuck with Legend’s ESB while my companions enjoyed the Golden IPA. The food was delicious and the entertainment kept us on our toes all night. The music by Cyrus McCormick and the Reapers, The Remnants, Wade Reynolds and The Greater Richmond Pipes & Drums ROCKED! We can’t thank our friends at Legend enough and wish them another 17 years of success.

I’ll let our photos tell the rest of the tale.

The Greater Richmond Pipes & Drums

Brewer Mike Killelea enjoys his work!

Demolished, yet delicious, cake depicts Legend Brewery!

Dave Gott was the host with the most! Thanks for inviting us, Dave!

Fellow chick, Wendy Willis, loved the beer and the tunes!

The band ROCKED it!

Wendy and Dan danced the night away!

Night view of Richmond from the Legend patio - gorgeous!

Well, it’s almost 2AM and this BlogAThon flew by! First let me say that we’ve had an absolute blast hanging out with you, sharing our story and raising money to raise awareness for canine cancer. I hope that Hugo’s story helps at least one person out there understand that there is doggie life after a cancer diagnosis. I also hope that some of the resources we’ve shared were helpful as well.

This is what I see when I look at the floor beside me. Hugo is pooped out from his long day of blogging!

Since Hugo’s last surgery, he has been cancer free. We take him to the vet every three months to so that the vet can check for new lumps and give him a daily massage to check at home. So far, we’ve been very lucky. He’s set to see the vet again this month, so I’ll let everyone know how he fairs.

Many thanks to Two Million Dogs, a wonderful organization who is truly doing good. We love who you are and look forward to seeing great things from you in the future. We hope that the funds raised today help the cause.

A big high-five to all of the businesses who donated the sweet prizes today. You helped make this day even more fun for us. I loved giving such cool stuff away!

I’m sending a big doggie hug out to Janelle Welch at NOVADog Magazine for putting this event together – you made this so easy and fun to do!

And to all of you folks who stuck it out with us for the past 16 hours – THANK YOU! Without your help and support, we couldn’t do what we do. Thanks for your kindness, your stories and your generosity.

I’ll be contacting all prize winners tomorrow via email, so you have that to look forward to. And one lucky commenter will win an Amazon Kindle from NOVADog!

Stop by and see us at the Pet Fiesta on May 7 at the Reston Town Center. We’ll be there with barks on!

Me and My Pal Hugo

For our LAST PRIZE OF THE NIGHT, we’ll be giving away the last NOVADog T-shirt and a certificate for a free annual subscription to the magazine! We’ll mail it so anyone can win it! Just bid Hugo and the rest of the zoo sweet dreams and then go to bed! Seriously, why are you still up? =)

And don’t forget to make a donation if you haven’t. Your generosity will help us all beat canine cancer! PUPPY UP!

THANKS EVERYONE!

Katie, Little Princess

Over the course of the day I’ve shared stories about all of my dogs except one – Katie. At 14, she is the matriarch of our family, schooling the other dogs and barking at us – she is truly one cranky old broad.

Katie has a slight heart murmur that causes her to have mini-seizures from time-to-time, but aside from that she’s pretty darn healthy for her age.

We rescued Katie from a nutty backyard breeder when she was 1  and a half and had already had a litter. She has always been willful, cranky and sometimes downright mean. But if she wasn’t temperamental, she wouldn’t be Katie. We’re now dealing with some incontinence issues and she’s getting skinnier. And after a bizarre bout with a busted ear drum about six months ago, she hasn’t really been the same.

She still watches over the other dogs and keeps them in line.  She is a daddy’s girl and likes to sleep under the covers. But if you roll over onto her she WILL snap at you. And now, in her golden years our job has become to keep her warm, comfortable and happy.

SWAG ATTACK! Next up is a NOVADog T-shirt and a certificate for a free annual subscription to the magazine! We can mail this anywhere, so please leave a comment and tell us about the old dogs in your life.

DON’T FORGET TO DONATE! Two Million Dogs needs your help to continue their fantastic work. It’s easy – just click the Chip In badge on the right. I donated $25 – will you? PUPPY UP!

It’s getting late and I’m getting punchy! So let’s play a little “Caption the Photo!” This is our Cane Corso mastiff, George. He has obviously been up to something. What do you think it is?

Gorgeous George

Get the creative juices flowing and give this very telling photo a funny caption in the comments box below – you just might win…

SUPER AWESOME PRIZE! A pair of tickets to the Super Pet Expo in Chantilly, VA this March! Many thanks to Super Pet Expo for their donation! This is local prize so if you can’t use the tickets please consider donating them to a local rescue!

DON’T FORGET TO DONATE! Two Million Dogs needs your help to continue their fantastic work. It’s easy – just click the Chip In badge on the right. I donated $25 – will you? PUPPY UP!

We looked into food options when Hugo was diagnosed. We already feed him an all natural super premium dry food, but wanted to know more about raw food options as well as what nutrients he needed to help his system fight off the cancer.

Low carb, high protein diets can be beneficial for dogs with cancer. Treats like chunks of cheese, chunks of steak, beef jerky and hard boiled eggs will make your dog happy and provide the nutrients he needs. Nutrients like CO-Q10, Omega 3 fatty acids, selenium and magnesium can also be beneficial.

Here are a couple of recipes that are easy to make and give your dog the nutrients he needs to be healthy.

Bow Wow Omelet

• 1 Scrambled Egg
• 1/2 Cup Steamed Broccoli
• 1/2 Cup Cooked Yellow Squash
• 4oz. Low-Fat Yogurt or Low-Fat Cottage Cheese
• 1 LB of Ground Beef or 1LB Chopped Chicken

Mix together the scrambled egg, steamed broccoli, squash and low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese. Then add meat to the mixture.  This recipe will make 2 servings for a 50-pound dog or one serving for a 100-pound dog.

Doggie Salmon Delight

• 1 Can Salmon
• 1 Hard Boiled Egg
• 1/2 Cup of Chopped Spinach or Cabbage
• 1/2 Coup Carrots
• 4oz. Low-Fat Yogurt or Low-Fat Cottage Cheese

Mix in a large bowl: salmon, hard-boiled egg,  chopped spinach or cabbage,  carrots and low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese. This recipe will also make 2 servings for a 50-pound dog or one serving for a 100-pound dog.

PRIZE ALERT! This hour we’re giving away our last ID Tag Mover from A Little Unique! Simply loop the Tag Mover over the collar and snap using the mini quick release buckle. If you want to change collars or remove the tags it’s as easy as a snap of the buckle! If you aren’t local, don’t fret! We’ll mail it to you! Just share your fave recipes in our comments!

DON’T FORGET TO DONATE! Two Million Dogs needs your help to continue their fantastic work. It’s easy – just click the Chip In badge on the right. I donated $25 – will you? PUPPY UP!

When Hugo was diagnosed we really didn’t know what to expect in terms of his behavior. Would he have to be kept calm and quiet? Should we worry about his appetite? Is pain management going to be a concern? While your vet should be able to help you with determining whether your dog needs special care depending on the type of cancer he has, I found this video very helpful. A lot of it is common sense and very cancer specific, it outlines some things to watch out for.

SWAG BAG! This hour we’re giving away a gift certificate for free dog training consultation ($80 value) from our friends at Rudy’s Friends Dog Training! Thanks!!!

DON’T FORGET TO DONATE! Two Million Dogs needs your help to continue their fantastic work. It’s easy – just click the Chip In badge on the right. I donated $25 – will you? PUPPY UP!

Well it’s 9PM and I’m still here bringing you all sorts of doggie goodness until the wee hours of the morning! Thanks for hanging tough with me and Hugo all day!

Here’s a little evening trivia fun for you fine folks. I’m going to give you 3 questions based on my blog posts and those of my fellow bloggers Janelle Welch at NOVADog Magazine and Lydia Best over at Daisy and Bob’s Blog and all you have to do is answer ONE correctly to be entered to win the prize of the hour which is….

PUPPY UP! Pack : 1 Puppy Up! pink t-shirt, A Cancer Can’t Keep a Good Dog Down calendar, a Puppy Up! Bandanna and a blue wristband! If you’re not local – that’s OK! We’ll ship this great prize pack to you! Many thanks to the 2 Million Dogs Foundation for this awesome prize!

QUESTION 1: How old was Hugo when I adopted him?

QUESTION 2: Why type of sugars offer fuel to cancer cells? (NOVADog Magazine)

QUESTION 3: What was the name of Lydia’s first baby bulldog? (Daisy and Bob’s Blog)

Answer one or all of these questions in the comments below to put your name in the hat for the PUPPY UP! Pack!

DON’T FORGET TO DONATE! Two Million Dogs needs your help to continue their fantastic work. It’s easy – just click the Chip In badge on the right. I donated $25 – will you? PUPPY UP!