Burgers & Brew: A Full Menu Of Local Flavors

REAP Food Group press release

The menu for this year's Burgers and Brew: The Taste is Local event Saturday May 30th from 4-7pm at Capital Brewery Bier Garten is now posted at the event's website. Creative, locally grown burgers are the rule with lamb, pork, beef and vegetarian burgers vying for guest's attention.

Lombardino's grilled lamb burger with a fried quail egg, gruyere cheese and homemade pickles returns to stop the show again this year. Chef Tory Miller from L'Etoile will be serving his "Little John Burger" featuring a beef patty topped with brick cheese, bacon, garlic aioil and fresh lettuce and tomato. As a special treat for the vegetarians, Chef Tory is putting together grilled Brunkow Brun-uusto Cheese, tomatoes, and creamy cucumber sauce on a house-made sesame brioche bun. Offering a second stand-out vegetarian burger, Chef Cindy from Ian's Pizza is making a "burger" that starts with Hook's five year cheddar and an onion tomato jam. A pea shoot salad dressed with beer vinaigrette finishes the sandwich.

Chef Billy at Bluephies will be grilling slices of his andouille meatloaf with a BBQ glaze. The Metcalfe's are serving their secret family Hungarian pork sausage patty with braised sauerkraut, mustard seed and creamy horseradish sauce on a Swiss cheese roll. Chef Joey of the Weary Traveler is switching it up this year and going south. He's grilling a beef burger and topping it with salsa verde, pickled radish and queso Chihuahua.

Those who tried Chef Josh's red rice burger last year will be lining up for this year's spiced lamb burger with tomato-red lentil dal, cucumber raita and grilled red onion on housemade curry rolls from the Willy Street Co-op. Brasserie V's beef burger with Muenster cheese, onion straws, romaine lettuce, tomatoes and classic aioli will please the classically trained burger lover. Two restaurants still have their burger menu under wraps. Guests might have to come to Burgers and Brew to see what The Old Fashioned and Sardine are bringing.

Creating a new twist on the usual food festival, Burgers and Brew proudly features locally grown ingredients from Wisconsin farms. A variety of burgers, veggie burgers, beers, and soda will ensure there's something for everyone's taste. This year, Liz Chapa at Alchemy and Chef Cindy of Ian's Pizza will be bringing desserts to satisfy those with a sweet tooth. Tickets for additional short beer pours or desserts will be available at the event in bundles of 8 for $10.

This celebration raises money for REAP Food Group's Buy Fresh Buy Local program (BFBL). BFBL helps Southern Wisconsin restaurants find locally grown food that meets their needs. After last year's first annual event was a terrific success with 600 guests and sold-out vendors, Burgers and Brew 2009 is on track to be even better.

Each $25 ticket entitles guests to three combos featuring a fabulous ¼ lb burger paired with a 5 ounce beer pour. In addition to a beer featured with the burger, brewers will offer additional beers to sample. Burgers and Brew is generously supported by The Decider Madison, Metcalfe's Sentry, The Sustainable Times, Capital Brewery, Lakeside Press and the Madison Homebrewers and Tasters Guild. Tickets are available at Willy Street Co-op and at the REAP Food Group website. Learn more at: www.reapfoodgroup.org.