A Judge's Life
Cooking with Saint Arnold beer: One Pot Showdown brings out Heisman Pie & MudderFudders
Saint Arnold's One Pot Showdown was high on characters — and alcohol content.Photo by Caroline Gallay
A huge crowd turned out for the Saint Arnold One Pot Showdown.Photo by Caroline Gallay
The trophies were handmade and awesome.Photo by Caroline Gallay
This is a crowd that knows what good beer really is.Photo by Caroline Gallay
A crowd that knows how to have fun.Photo by Caroline Gallay
The weather couldn't have been more welcoming to the sold-out crowd of 500 samplers and chefs who turned out Sunday for Saint Arnold's 2012 One Pot Showdown.
Forty seven teams began cooking at 9 a.m.; each team was required to use at least one Saint Arnold beer in their recipes, which had to be prepared in only one pot and for which nothing could be prepared in advance. (Such rigorous rules made the creation of say, Hungry Birds' deviled eggs, made with Saint Arnold Santo, all the more impressive and delicious.)
Judges (including this lucky lady) divided into teams, with each group sampling the wares of a 10-booth block. I was a rookie, but the vets all agreed that the job's gotten tougher each year as the entries get better and better. Once finalists were selected, I joined with Ben Fullelove of Petrol Station, KPRC Channel 2's Courtney Zavala, the Houston Press' Katharine Shilcutt, the Chron's Ronnie Crocker and the Sugar Hooker, Rebecca Masson, in the war room to narrow it down to a top three.
No feelings were spared: Opinions were rebuffed, notes were critiqued, and beer was demolished, but in the end the home cooks took home trophies.
No feelings were spared: Opinions were rebuffed, notes were critiqued, and beer was demolished, but in the end the home cooks took home trophies. Baylor-inspired group Bears Gone Drinkin' took home top honors (and an awesomely absurd trophy crafted by brew crew members Frank Krockenberger and his girlfriend, Leslie) with their Heisman Pie, a Shepherd's Pie made with Saint Arnold Winter Stout and Elissa IPA.
Second place (and a slightly smaller, but equally awesome homemade trophy) went to Dr. Biggenbottom's Amazing Healthy Tonic, a crawfish spinach curry bisque made with Amber Ale, while third place (and a box of Hamburger Helper in an oven mitt) went to the Guzzling Gourmets and their Santo-monious Red Chili.
Some of the other standouts included a Surf n' Turf lobster mac n' cheese, the Mudder Fudders' (the group competed in Austin's Tough Mudder last weekend) braised short rib with a jicama slaw, and spirit award-winners Give Peas a Chance — with whom Fullelove seemed to especially bond.
The fifth-annual event raised more than $5,000 for Noah's Kitchen. For information on entering next year's Showdown, visit the Saint Arnold website.
