Be Blessed By The Brew Of Belgian Trappist Monks At Morton's The Steakhouse In Buckhead

In the quiet Abbey of Scourmont, in the small Belgian town of Chimay, Cistercian Trappist monks have been hopping -- brewing Chimay ale on-site from all-natural ingredients and Abbey spring water since 1862. Fast forward to 6 – 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 16 at Morton’s The Steakhouse Buckhead to sample three different Chimay ales – Chimay Première, Chimay Grand Réserve and Chimay Cinq Cents - while also helping the Make-A-Wish Foundation®. Completing the fellowship of the ales will be Morton’s petite filet mignon sandwiches, tuna tartare canapés, sliced smoked salmon and Morton’s legendary hot chocolate cake . . . and a Chimay glass goblet to take home. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Chimay in the U.S.! $45 per person (inclusive of tax and gratuity), with $5 per ticket going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® as part of the restaurant company’s national “30 Wishes for 30 Years” campaign. For tickets or information, call 404-816-6535. Morton’s The Steakhouse Buckhead: Peachtree Lenox Building, 3379 Peachtree Road, NE; 404-816-6535.

Highland Brewery Beer Dinner at Brick Store Pub

Last night I got to taste some of the finest ales the Southeast has to offer from Highland Brewing Company paired with a special menu created by Chef Eric Ottensmeyer at the Brick Store Pub in Decatur. The restaurant hosted a beer dinner upstairs in The Belgian Bar and it was a blast. The event began with a glass of Highland Kashmir IPA (which turned out to be one of my favorite selections) and Chef Eric’s yummy hors d’oeuvres: hamachi wontons with red grapefruit ponzu; Georgia shrimp tostada with local basil pesto; and carrot hummus on pita toast. Highland Brewing Co. Owner Oscar Wong and Brick Store Pub Partner Mike Gallagher were on hand to educate guests and answer questions throughout the evening. My favorite dish was a crispy skin duck breast served atop a Georgia blueberry hotcake with maple syrup duck demi-glace and edible local flowers (pictured above). The duck was prepared perfectly and paired with Highland Black Mocha Stout. I also really enjoyed the trio of baby beets and Rogue Creamery’s Smokey Blue Cheese that was served alongside a walnut crusted rabbit loin for the second course (pictured below with Highland Oatmeal Porter). All in all, I was really impressed with the menu that Chef Eric put together to accompany the Highland brews, especially all of the great locally-sourced items he used. He's informed us that he'll be doing a Chimay beer dinner next month - can't wait!