Good Grub on the Wichita Wicked Brew Tour

 

This summer, you'll find some great food and beverages at the spots featured on Visit Wichita’s Wicked Brew Tour 2021. There are 19 breweries and coffee shops to pick from, so you can pick your brew of choice. Just grab your passport at any participating locations and then collect at least ten stamps to complete the challenge. Bring your passport to the Visit Wichita office, or mail it in, and win a tour t-shirt (available on a first-come, first-served basis). 

When I was in the city as a guest of Visit Wichita a couple of weeks ago, I enjoyed exploring these Brew Tour locations. All three were terrific and highly recommended by me! 

Sweet Allie B’s Limestone Beer Co.: Lunch is a great time to visit this small eatery. 

I enjoyed the Wild Thyme sandwich made with smoked turkey, Swiss cheese, cranberry jalapeño jam, and avocado cream on a ciabatta bun. The jam wasn’t spicy, so don’t miss out on this great sandwich because you’re afraid of some heat.  I also had a side of the broccoli salad, which was also tasty. 

River City Brewing Co.: A wide-open cheerful spot for dinner

My brew of choice was the Old Town Brown ale, served alongside an order of their chips with the Rock Island Red queso that was some of the best I’ve ever had! 

My entree was the steak burrito, filled with nicely seasoned beef, black beans, caramelized onions, peppers, potatoes, cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, queso, and topped with tomatillo salsa, sour cream, and fresh cilantro. Sooo good! 

Mom ordered the fried chicken Mac N Cheese that was the ultimate in comfort food. The serving size was so large we took enough home for both of us to enjoy for dinner the next night!

Wichita Brewing Co. and Pizzeria: Another fun and lively dinner spot.

I started with a pint of their 5:02 Amber, which was great. Then Mom and I shared their Caprese Salad appetizer. 

For our entrees, she got the Oven-roasted Chicken Alfredo, and I had a Classic Margherita Pizza. Both were very good!  We shared a root beer float for dessert, which was the perfect end to a steamy hot summertime evening.

Other places on the list I didn't get a chance to explore include:

Breweries--Augustino Brewing Company, Central Standard Brewing, Hopping Gnome Brewing

Company, Nortons Brewing Co., PourHouse by Walnut River Brewing, and Third Place Brewing 

Coffee Shops--Churn & Burn (Northeast & Southeast), Cocoa Dolce Chocolates (East, West & Downtown), Fairmount Coffee Co., Il Primo Espresso – (East & Downtown), Kookaburra Coffee, Leslie Coffee Co., Placeholder Coffee, Reverie Coffee Roasters, Sunflower Espresso & Food Truck, and The Donut Whole

Hopefully, I'll make it back to Wichita before the summer is over so I can complete my Passport. What are some of your favorite spots on the list? 

Disclaimer: While Visit Wichita covered the cost of my hotel, food, and attractions, all of the opinions expressed are my own. 

Rosemary Garlic Beer Bread

I can’t believe Thanksgiving is less than three weeks away. I think part of my disconnect with the season is the unusually warm weather we’ve had so far this fall. Temperatures in the 80s make it hard to enjoy autumn when what I really want to do is wear sweaters, scrape frost, and kick leaves. Luckily the forecast for the upcoming weeks says cooler weather has arrived.

If you’re looking for delicious but easy recipes for Turkey Day, I’d like to recommend this Rosemary Garlic Beer Bread. The dough can be mixed and in the oven in about five minutes! And the beer in this recipe gives the bread a yeast-like flavor without the waiting time of more traditional yeast bread recipes.

The resulting loaf is tender, dense, and flavorful. Feel free to leave out the rosemary and garlic powder if you prefer basic bread. Warm slices taste wonderful slathered with butter, but this bread will also work for those leftover turkey sandwiches

or toasted for breakfast.

Yield: 1 loaf

Author: Linda Ditch

Rosemary Garlic Beer Bread

Bread with a yeast-like flavor without the waiting time.

Ingredients

• 3 cups self-rising flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, divided
• 12 ounces beer

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, rosemary, and garlic powder. Pour in 3 tablespoons of the melted butter and the beer. Stir together until combined. (It will not be completely smooth.) Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon of melted butter over the top.
3. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a cooling rack and cool completely before cutting.