Leaf Restaurant Cigar Bar & Lounge... I Can't Be Leaf It

Oh man! This place is really out of place..... and thank god it is... If you like good food, Cigars, and Beer you'll love Leaf Restaurant Cigar Bar& Lounge: Located in and industrial park and connected to "The World Famous Smoke Shop" Leaf has got to be one of the best places for a relaxing night out in the  Valley. If your lucky you'll be there when "Tommy D" and the boys roll in for an impromptu piano sing-a-long. "Try to stump 'em I dare you!  -Shorty    P.S. Lots-o-beer to talk about when I find the time.

I Can't Be Leaf it's Not Butter! Spray!

"it's gettin hot in here"

Let's get  saucy!

Owner and chef Kelly Jo Deitz and I sit down and dig in!

Tuesday was a day of profound creation. I was able to use the kitchen at Black & Blue to develop some seriously delicious wing sauces. The owner Kelly Jo and I sat down to sample some of my tantalizing wing creations. Among the top of the list were a Hot and honey sauce made with Southampton Double White and a seriously hot Ghost chili inspired number. Notable mentions where a dry spiced Memphis BBQ (I really liked this one),  a Red Curry and Lime Sauce and an IPA number made from Lagunitas's Hop Stoopid.  Look for B&B to be featuring some of these amazing sauces on a monthly basis.

"In all their glory!"

"Crispy deliciousness!"

Loaded with a couple of bags of ingredients and a ton of excitement I headed to Black & Blue to see what I could do. I should mention that the kitchen is ungodly hot yet impressively big. Cooking there was a pleasure and I am looking forward to many more creative excursions into their humble abode.  To the left: the wings are crispy fried and ready for sauce. My mouth is watering profusely at this point and I can hardly contain myself. Once I introduce the wings to the five new concoctions it's almost to much to bear.

TERRIBLE SONG, BUT FITTING! -SHORTY

Abita Jockamo IPA

I picked up this IPA the other day.... I have had some stuff from Abita before, Turbodog and Purple Haze at the request of a friend from Louisiana and I have never been terribly impressed. I guess because I am a IPA guy at heart. So I was happy to find hoppy gem the other day. This beer boasts the citrus flavors you want in a IPA but is mild enough to be very drinkable. An ABV of 6.5% makes this a decent session or everyday brew but it does not rate high on our over all list. If your just getting into  hoppy libations this is a good way to ease yourself in. Enjoy! -Shorty
 
http://www.abita.com/brews/jockamo.php

It's never to hot for hot wings....

Top Secret! SHHHH!

IPA WINGS! Delicioso!

Even though we have been experiencing 100 plus degree temps here in the northeast, I have been hard at work in the lab (kitchen) formulating some delicious wing sauces for the newly opened Black & Blue Bar/Restaurant in Easton PA. Not sure which ones will make the bill yet but you can believe they are going to be good. Here is a sneak peak at an IPA inspired sauce I  made with our beloved Lagunitas Hop Stoopid. I'm also working on something insanely hot utilizing some Habanero and the mystical Bhut Jolokia (Ghost Chili) powders I recently purchased from a great website. http://www.myspicesage.com/ Check them out. I'll have some beer reviews up soon plus a peek at the 6th annual TUBE -A- PALOOZA that took place yesterday on the Delaware river?