The holiday buzz returns

Great Lakes Brewing Company has given us an early reason to be merry: the return of Christmas Ale.

The brewery kicked off the holiday season early with a tapping party in the bar Tuesday at lunchtime this Tuesday and an official release at midnight last night. Faithful fans were allowed to buy one case each until 1 a.m. last night at the brewery gift shop on Market Avenue, across from the West Side Market. Six-packs are now available for purchase there.

Chances are, you haven’t forgotten the taste of this Cleveland tradition, but let us refresh your memory just in case. The brew includes honey, ginger, and cinnamon, mixed together for a spicy flavor that lingers long after it’s been consumed (as does the buzz). The popular ale has been a hallmark of Cleveland's Christmas seasons since about 1990, and the suspense we feel throughout the remaining winter, spring, and summer months has made beer-lovers crave and demand it every year since.

The beer hits stores Monday, but it's already available on tap at the brewery. The shortages of years past are unlikely — for a while, at least. We hear production has increased 22% this year, with thousands of barrels to go around.

So bring your thirst over to Market Street and rejoice.

To read our article about Christmas Ale from the magazine's December 2008 Cleveland beer package, click here.

Give, Learn, Eat

Some great food themed fundraisers and classes coming up in the next few weeks. Mark your calendars, line-up a spouse or a friend to bring along, and take advantage of the opportunities to donate, discover, and dine.

Cuyahoga County Community College hospitality students go toque to toque for the “Cleveland Culinary Challenge” on Wednesday, November 4th from 5:30pm to 8:00pm at the Metropolitan Campus of Tri-C. There are five teams, each made up of two aspiring chefs. In preparation for the competition, each group got some coaching from a pro: Doug Katz, fire food and drink; Sergio Abramof, Sergio’s and Sarava; Zach Bruell, Parallax, Table 45, and L’Albatros; Marlin Kaplan, One Walnut and Luxe ; and Steve Schimoler, Crop Bistro. While guests nibble hors d’oeuvres and listen to live music, the kids will prep a dish featuring a special ingredient. I’m one of three judges deciding which masterpiece is the winner. The event is co-sponsored by Positively Cleveland and proceeds support paid culinary internships for the program’s students.

For those who want to get in on the action themselves Tri-C ‘s hospitality faculty are teaching hands on classes evenings and weekends for non-professionals. There are one time, how-to sessions in Knife Skills I and II, November 7 and 21; Winter Holiday Desserts, November 10; Pies and Tarts, November 14; and Italian Feast, November 17. Information and registration at www.Tri-C.edu/enrichment/fun or 866-933-5178

Dames Dish for the Holidays is the annual fundraiser for the Cleveland chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier, an organization for women of achievement in the culinary and hospitality professions. Find inspiration for your own entertaining menus (and take home recipes), as you sample appetizers and desserts made by local chefs and Les Dames members accompanied by wonderful wines. It will be held Friday, November 6th from 5:30-8:30 PM at the Trevarrow Kitchen Showroom in Parma. Full disclosure- I am a Dame and will be cooking for the event, and I don’t want to deal with any leftovers. The money we raise goes to help projects promoting local sustainable food and agriculture. Pre-paid reservations required. Call 216-831-3767 and ask for Angela Williams.

Nurture the baker in you by signing up for a Film Feast dubbed the Cookie Jar at Sur La Table on November 21. Chef Bob Sferra of Culinary Occasions is leading this family-friendly Saturday afternoon class in the art of cookie decorating to benefit the Cleveland International Film Festival. Reserve a seat for the sprinkle and icing tutorial online or by calling 216-623-3456, ext.14.

Cocktail Culture Swap

Reality tv has given us “Wife Swap” and “Trading Spouses.” These shows hold no attraction for me, but there is an upcoming exchange that has me all excited. On Monday and Tuesday nights, Oct 26 and 27, gin slingers from Chicago’s Bar DeVille are taking over at The Velvet Tango Room, Cleveland’s shrine to fine spirits.

They’ll be shaking up some signature cocktails to give us locals a taste of what their guests get back home. I’ve heard they do one with chartreuse called the Songbird, named Best New Cocktail this year by the Chicago Reader. They’ll also give us their take on classics like the Moscow Mule and Dark and Stormy that are VTR staples, (“They take a more interpretative approach than we do,” says Paulius Nasvytis, the man behind the Velvet), and will create a special drink to commemorate the event. Media folk like me get pre-sips at a private reception first. Pouring for the public starts at 8 PM.

Carol makes it happen at the VTR

Next month, on November 9 and 10, VTR bartenders will do the same, plying the liquid arts for the Windy City crowd. No doubt they’ll wow them with a combination of finesse and flair. But this is no mix off. There’s nothing competitive about the switch and everybody wins, especially those who belly up to the bar at either location to buy one of these carefully crafted libations.

The DeVille Pour

The two places, I’m told, share a philosophy – and details of décor- that makes the switch seamless and natural. Both endeavor to return cocktails- and those who enjoy them- to a better time, before shortcuts and cheap imitations became the norm. Every drink embodies a sense of elegance and class, the best ingredients handled with the best intentions. If the bartenders from Chicago are indeed motivated by the same quest for perfection as those I know and admire at the VTR, then the experience they’re bringing to Cleveland promises to be deliciously memorable.

Michael Symon’s New Arena

We had lunch with Iron Chef Michael Symon in downtown Cleveland today, but it wasn’t at his signature Lola. It was 400 feet away inside Quicken Loans Arena where Symon is putting a gourmet spin on stadium food, opening two food stands, each modeled after his newest suburban restaurants — both in menu and rustic design.

The deal between the Cavs, food and beverage provider ARAMARK, and Symon has been in the works for eight to 12 months, says Symon, who was sold on the concept for one main reason: “The Cavs are arguably the best team in the NBA, and we like to be affiliated with the best.”

Open for all Cavs home games and most arena events will be The B Spot on the main concourse level next to the team shop and Bar Symon on the club level on the fourth floor.

The B Spot boasts a modest menu of four burgers, not quite the 12 varieties Symon promises at the Eton location in Woodmere, due to open in November. But Symon says he kept it small to keep it fresh. “If we did 15 different hamburgers on a mass level here, the quality could suffer. Instead, we’re still going to use the same quality of product, but give fewer choices,” he says. “We’re going to give the basic burgers, then have a really expansive condiment section so you can build your own.”

At The Q’s B-Spot, you can choose from four burgers, a simple plain Jane with or without cheese ($7.50) to a Symon Says burger with fried bologna and slaw ($8.50), Cleveland bratwurst ($7) and even his famous Lola fries with rosemary ($4.75). Then, top any of it off with of house made pickles, picked onions, jalapenos, sweet and spicy pickles and Lola sauce.

Upstairs at Bar Symon, the menu is a scaled back version of the one found at the Avon Lake restaurant with a pork pastrami sandwich ($8.50), Symon fried chicken ($11) tossed with parsley and spicy honey, mac-and-cheese ($12.50) with rosemary and goat cheese, house made chips with a choice of two cheese dipping sauces ($4.50) and popcorn, tossed with either chili flakes, feta and oregano or smoked paprika and white cheddar ($4.50). All of these at prices similar to what you’d pay for nachos or a stadium dog — not a bad deal to enjoy signature Symon.

Also at either stand, you can wash it all down with a premium selection of beer including Rogue Dead Guy, Victory Hop Devil or Thirsty Dog.

Suite holders can opt for a few extra treats from Symon including duck confit sliders, a board of assorted sausages and picked vegetables, chilled shrimp with orange, fennel and olives and a root vegetable salad (featured in the Silver Spoons package in the May issue of Cleveland Magazine).

“It’s our interpretation of stadium food,” says Symon, an outspoken advocate for eating local and using fresh ingredients. But is there room for fresh ingredients in mass-produced stadium food? Symon told us yes. He spent the last several months working closely with ARAMARK to ensure the food at his stands offers the same fresh quality ingredients you’ll find outside of the stadium. In many cases, he adds, they are even using the same providers, specifically the same hand-ground burgers and home made bratwurst.

Best of Cleveland Party -- the Monday after

We feel loved. Hundreds of people turned out at the Rock Hall Friday night for Cleveland Magazine's fourth annual Best of Cleveland Party. Attendance keeps growing year to year -- Angelo's, one of our featured best-ofs, had to send in more pizza to feed the hungry crowd. Hollywood Shuffle and Skinny Moo played on the Rock Hall's first-floor stage.

Metromix, the events website, posted more than 50 photos from the event. Check them out here.

Readers predict Mangini will last two seasons as Browns coach

The results are in from our blog's readers' poll. Asked to predict beleaguered Browns coach Eric Mangini's future, 47% of you chose the most cynical answer in our multiple-choice survey: "He'll manage to last two seasons, though he'll deserve to be fired after one."

A few of you agreed with the Sports Illustrated writer who asked whether Mangini was the worst NFL coaching hire ever: 29% agreed with the statement, "He'll get fired before the season's over."

Voting trends shifted a little after the Browns traded Braylon Edwards to Mangini's former team, the Jets. Dumping the combative wide receiver within 48 hours of his downtown fisticuffery helped boost the vote to cut the coach a break -- 23% of those voting chose: "His discipline will pay off, and the Browns will improve and earn him several years in the job. Coaches, like quarterbacks, need time to get better."

No one chose the fourth prediction: "He'll be gone right after the season's ignominious end."

Buffalo soldiers documentary premieres at Cleveland library today

Inside Buffalo, a new documentary about African-American and Italian soldiers fighting together in World War II, premieres in Ohio today at the Cleveland Public Library.

Free screenings are at noon and 3 p.m. in the Louis Stokes Wing auditorium, East 6th St. and Superior Avenue.

Directed by Italian-Ghanaian filmmaker Fred Kuwornu, Inside Buffalo tells the story of the 92nd Infantry Division, a segregated division of African-American soldiers, fighting in Italy during World War II. They teamed up with Italian soldiers to liberate Italy from Fascist rule.

Mayor Frank Jackson helped bring the film to Cleveland. "The significant contributions of Italian and African-American soldiers to the overall war effort deserve to be recognized," the mayor said in the library's press release. "As an Italian African-American, I am very proud to have contributed to the effort of relaying this heroic story to the people of Cleveland."