Last Taste of Summer: Five-Course Wine & Beer Pairing Dinner

One last taste of summer. Five courses. Five pairings. One seriously flavorful night.

I have been wanting to do another pairing dinner pretty much since the last one ended.

There is just something really fun about getting to slow down for one night, play with flavors a little more than we normally can, and build a whole meal around the sauces and seasonings we make every day.

So, we’re doing it again.

On Thursday, September 10, we’re hosting Last Taste of Summer, a five-course wine and beer pairing dinner at Always Flavored in downtown Fredericksburg.

And this menu might be one of my favorites yet.

The idea was simple: take those last bright, fresh flavors of summer, mix in a little heat, a little comfort food, and a few things I have been wanting to play with, then pair every course with either wine or beer.

Because obviously I couldn’t make everyone choose the same thing.

Guests will gather at 6:30 PM, dinner will begin at 7:00 PM, and every course will come with a specially selected wine or beer pairing.

We’re Starting With A Little Joy

The first course is built around our newest sauce, Joy of Rita.

Joy is bright and mild, made with tomatillos, jalapeños, apples, shallots, ginger, and Bold Rock Green Apple Cider. It has enough flavor to be interesting without trying to set anybody on fire.

For dinner, we’re serving it with crispy goat cheese, green apple, cucumber, and microgreens.

It’s fresh, creamy, crunchy, a little tart, and just feels like the right way to start a late-summer dinner.

The wine pairing is Sauvignon Blanc, and the cider pairing is Bold Rock Green Apple Cider.

Yes, I am pairing the sauce made with Green Apple Cider with Green Apple Cider. Sometimes the obvious answer is obvious for a reason.

Better Together Really Is Better Together

The second course brings together two Always Flavored favorites.

We’re using Asian Persuasion on chicken, serving it over a crunchy summer slaw with cabbage, carrot and cucumber, then finishing it with our Better Together sauce, sesame and scallion.

This course is sweet, savory, crisp and just a little unexpected.

It will be paired with an Off-Dry Riesling for the wine drinkers or a Hefeweizen for the beer crowd.

This is exactly the kind of course I love because every bite has a little bit of everything happening.

Yes, There Had to Be a Wing

Of course there is a wing.

For the third course, we’re serving an Uncommon Valor wing over a crispy sweet-corn fritter, with house ranch crema and scallions.

Uncommon Valor already has that buffalo-style personality, and putting it with sweet corn and cool ranch just works.

The wine pairing is Brut Sparkling Rosé, and the beer pairing is a crisp Pilsner.

It’s probably the least fancy-looking sentence on a five-course wine pairing menu, and I am completely okay with that.

Good food does not have to be boring to feel special.

Then We Go Big

The fourth course is where we settle in.

We’re doing a Balsamic-Rubbed Braised Short Rib with Peri-Peri jus, creamy Parmesan polenta, charred summer vegetables and crispy shallots.

This one is rich, savory and exactly what I wanted as we start moving from summer into fall.

Our Balsamic Rub gives the short rib depth, and the Peri-Peri keeps everything from getting too heavy.

We’re pairing it with Syrah or a Porter.

I am already excited about this plate.

And Obviously We’re Ending With Chocolate

The last course is Dark Chocolate Pot de Crème with Ritabeata’s Thai Chili, whipped cream and sesame-ginger brittle.

Chocolate and chili are one of those combinations that just make sense to me.

The Thai Chili brings sweet heat instead of overpowering spice, and the sesame-ginger brittle gives it that crunch it needs so you are not just eating a bowl of chocolate pudding — although I would also happily do that.

The wine pairing is Ruby Port, and the beer pairing is a Stout.

It is rich, a little spicy, a little sweet and definitely not a boring ending.

Event Details

Thursday, September 10
Guests gather at 6:30 PM   |   Dinner begins at 7:00 PM
Always Flavored   |   619 Caroline St, Fredericksburg, VA

$75 per person
A $35 deposit per guest is required to reserve your seat and will be applied toward the $75 dinner price. The remaining $40 balance, plus tax and gratuity, will be paid after dinner.

RESERVE YOUR SEAT ON EVENTBRITE

Seating is limited, and our last pairing dinner filled up quickly, so I would not wait too long if you want to come.

Mostly, I am just really excited to cook this one.

Come eat, drink, try some things you probably would not normally order together, and help us give summer one last proper send-off.

Flavor First. Always.