Friday Food Tour 6.03.11

Wow, it's June. What happened to May? At least it was a short work week for most of us. So when you get a minute, check out this week's links.

One of our favorite local bands, Matt Woods and Thunderbolts are playing tonight at Snus Hill Winery. Matt and the boys crank out some great blues and the award winning wines at Snus Hill are a perfect match. And it's not supposed to rain!

Another great local event coming up this weekend is the 5th Annual Swine Festival. Iowa's premier pork and wine event is this Saturday, June 4, from 4:00 - 8:00 pm. Featuring some of Iowa's finest native wineries and pork dishes from regional chefs, Swine Fest is held at DMACC. Tickets and more information here.

With summer finally showing up around here, my thoughts are natually turning to sipping a few cocktails on my patio. It's the perfect time to start on Anvil's 100 List: Cocktails to Try Before You Die. Anvil Bar & Refuge in Houston created the list as a means of educating their customers on the long, fascinating history of cocktails. So yeah, I'm in.

Des Loines was tasting tenderloins in Valley Junction recently. The Longest Yard in West Des Moines serves up a breaded tenderloin that rated a 7.84 out of 10. We'll be heading there to check it out for ourselves soon.

And finally, if you're invited to a BBQ this weekend and aren't sure what beer to bring, here's your Basic Guide to Pairing Beer and BBQ. Everything from burgers to steak, fish to brats - you'll have the most popular cooler at the picnic.

Enjoy your weekend!