The Patriarch's 70th Birthday @ Arcadia

Stacy, a Grand Ledge graduate, explaining the labeling machine that was
acquired from Budweiser.

Cruising through the Twitter this winter, I note that Aradia -- a semi-local brewpub, and of which mom and dad are founding members -- is having what they term a 'beer dinner' on April 28, which also happens to be dad's 70th birthday. Thinking that it's a natural occasion and destination to celebrate dad, the Turner boys scheme to get him there.

When we arrived (albeit, a little late, due to unforeseen Michigan Avenue construction in Battle Creek), we were provided with a brief tour of Arcadia's production facility, and given a menu agenda for the evening. Chef Sean described the evening's meal as turning food inside out, changing our perception of what we typically perceive, encounter, and eat. Tables were set up separate from the restaurant, again on the production side, where they were white-linen clad, and supplied with plates of Swiss and cheddar cheese, a variety of sausages, roasted, marinated red peppers, and artichoke hearts, along with arriving pitchers of Sky High Rye beer, which was to serve as our own marinade for both the appetizers and the first salad course.

The first course was titled Caprese Salad, which was a balloon made up of mozzarella cheese, basil noodles that resembled green beans, a tomato juice espuma, and a balsamic reduction. The espuma -- a culinary term for foam -- and herb combination was aromatic and very flavorful, the noodles were of a positive interest to me, and cheese is cheese: hard to fail with cheese.

Next came Carlson Farms Chicken, where the free-range, organic chickens were raised locally, wood roasted, coated in an orange honey glaze, and served with chived sweet potatoes and a fake caviar made up of bubbles of balsamic vinegar. The chicken was simplistically, sweetly good, the sweet potatoes an absolute delight, and this course was washed down with Arcadia's Whitsun.

 Another salad course -- Deconstructed Casear Salad -- served as a palate cleanser, taking the creativity to an entirely new level. The juice from puréed romaine leaves was balanced in a spoon, alongside shavings of parmesan cheese, and a deep fried brioche topped with an anchovy mousse. All the ingredients of a caesar salad, just in different form and size. We were instructed to avoid slurping the purée, as it would be too strong on its own, but to instead try to take portions of the entire plate all at once. Considering this juggling act, I was conjuring images of spring break Bacchanalia, with tequila and salt and lemon, but it worked. The tastes combined to create a concentrated Caesar salad, if not proportionately. Scotch ale, if I recall correctly, and not necessarily one of my favorites, was the beverage in this round.




The final entree was Arcadia Spent Grain Fed Beef, served with beets in an 'open faced ravioli.' The pasta was thin, very pliable, and delicious, especially when combined with the au jus. The beets were un-extraordinary, but I'm not a fan anyway. The beef was titled Spent Grain due to its having been raised on the grains discarded from Arcadia's brewing process, and donated to a local farmer. Turns out, I'm a big fan of recycling.

Then the dessert course: homemade vanilla ice cream made with Arcadia's Starboard Stout and bits of bacon, and a brownie, again made with bits of bacon, all served with Starboard Stout. I've heard of sweets combined with bacon, but never had the time or inclination to bake my own, so this was intriguing uncharted territory. The taste is what I call a movie theater food experience: typical movie theater food combinations are popcorn and Milk Duds, resulting in a salty and savory, along with sweet.

Post-dinner, our tablemates were polite enough to snap a photo with my phone, but for which I should apologize. The pictures of us and the food deserved higher quality and resolution.

To conclude the evening, Sean led the thirty-or-so of us in singing Happy Birthday to dad, and he gifted dad the beer he has in his hand, above. (He can fill us all in on what it is, as I don't recall.) An extraordinary evening, the food, the beer, the company.