There’s nothing as relaxing as a post-work beer, but for five consecutive nights, Chef Tom Morris took his post-work beers very seriously. Morris is the Chef de Cuisine at Tourterelle Restaurant and Inn — a quaint, upscale restaurant in New Haven, Vermont. It’s known for its farm-to-table French fusion dishes. But on September 23rd, the restaurant became a beer-lovers paradise as Morris and his team paired five special Lawson’s Finest Liquids with five bold courses.
Chef Tom Morris prepares for the culinary experience
In preparation for the event, Morris and his team of chefs at Tourterelle would crack open a can every evening. Each night, they focused on one of the five beers featured in the meal: Scrag Mountain Pils, The Space In Between, Little Sip IPA, Kiwi IPA and Double Sunshine IPA. “We’d taste the beer at the end of the shift, take notes and have a conversation based on what we thought might pair well with the elements of that particular beer,” Morris said.
After five nights of beer tasting, Morris displayed their findings on a mind map in the kitchen. While the busy kitchen staff cooked their way through wedding season, they added ideas whenever the excitement of service struck inspiration. Soon, the team had a list of delicious dishes just waiting to be tasted.
Pairing events like these were put on hold at Tourterelle since their renovation. The original space was an old city hall over 200 years old bordered with old books. In June 2020, Morris awoke in the middle of the night to a phone call — Tourterelle had caught fire. The restaurant went up in flames just as COVID-19 plagued the restaurant industry. The team spun their bad luck into an opportunity and created an innovate space that preserved its original vintage charm. When the renovation was complete, Tourterelle had the most efficient summer in years, according to Morris.
Tourterelle’s renovated interior
The Lawson’s Finest Liquids event would mark the first beer pairing event in the new space. The menu they created was edgy and bold with a touch of nostalgia taking guests on a hop-filled culinary adventure.
Course 1: Scrag Mountain Pils paired with French Kiss Oyster, tamarind, lime salt.
The course opened guests’ minds encouraging them look at beer pairings in a different light
Course 2: The Space In Between paired with Lewis Creek Farm trout tempura, pommes dauphines, haku mizunara remoulade, pickled French breakfast radish
A course inspired by a beloved pub classic — fish and chips
Pickling radishes
Course 3: Little Sip IPA paired with Fallen Branch Farm rabbit terrine, apple mostarda, Jasper Hill Cellars Bayley Hazen Blue
The course pays homage to Tourterelle’s signature charcuterie
Course 4: Kiwi IPA paired with Chiang Mai Sausage, curry Okinawan sweet potato, preserved lemon
One of Chef Morris’ favorite beers paired with sweet curry and sausage
Course 5: Double Sunshine IPA paired with Chocolate ganache tart, pretzel crust, fermented kumquat
This dish brought new life to the traditional beer and pretzel combination
Fermenting kumquats
From post-work beers to five unforgettable courses, Chef Tom Morris gave guests the chance to find Sunshine in every bite.
