Rancho Bernardo Inn To Host Second Annual Beer Vs. Wine Dinner

Greg Koch of Stone Brewing Company and Sommelier Barry Wiss pair their drinks of choice with a special menu prepared by El Bizcocho's newly appointed chef Steven Rojas

On October 17, dinner guests at the Rancho Bernardo Inn will have the opportunity to attend the Second Annual "Beer vs. Wine" dinner at El Bizcocho, where delightful menu creations will be paired with artisinal beers and the finest wines in the world. Guests in attendance will then weigh in on a long-simmering issue: which goes better with fine cuisine-beer or wine?

To help answer that question, Steven Rojas, recently appointed chef de cuisine at El Bizcocho at the Rancho Bernardo Inn, has created a special six-course menu for this "Beer vs. Wine" dinner, each of which will be paired with wines selected by Sommelier Barry Wiss and beers chosen by Stone Brewing Company's CEO Greg Koch. Once diners taste both the beer and the wine with the food, they will fill out a scorecard noting their preference for which paired best with each course. Results will be tabulated and announced at the end of the dinner.

In anticipation for this event, Rojas states "I look forward to creating a menu that will really give both sides a fair chance in this competition-really allowing the guests to taste how the beverages enhance and change the flavor components of the food." Among the selections that Rojas will create for the evening are "Fish and Chips": Atlantic Fluke with Sweet Potato Jus, Malt Vinegar, and Wood Sorrel; 36-hour Pork with Kimchee Consomm�, Golden Raisins, and Maple Dust; and Olive Poached Venison with Confit Matsutake, Turnip Fondant, Chocolate, and Long Pepper. In selecting their drinks, both Koch and Wiss will draw from their knowledge of beers and wines made around the world and will give diners the unique opportunity to experience the different qualities each brings out in the food set before them.

Make no mistake, on October 17 the gloves will come off once again. Last year's winner, Koch says, "I have no hesitation in arguing that beer will once again prevail, since more often than not it is a superior mate to great food," while Wiss says, "Nothing compares to the pairing of a wonderfully crafted wine with fine food, and we will raise the bar even higher this year to ensure we come out on top."

The "Beer vs. Wine" dinner details are as follows:

WHEN:
Friday, October 17, 2008
6:00 p.m.

WHERE:
El Bizcocho at the Rancho Bernardo Inn
17550 Bernardo Oaks Dr.
San Diego, CA 92128

RESERVATIONS: 858.675.8550

COST: $125 per person (excludes tax and gratuity)

Guests also interested in staying at the Rancho Bernardo Inn can make reservations by calling 800.770.7329 or visiting www.ranchobernardoinn.com.