When the squad will drop everything for chili and beer. Last weekend, plans came together in record time and we all packed our bags for a beer festival and chili cook-off at the original site of Woodstock.
The chili varieties ran the gamut from sweeter flavors to Italian-inspired to a meat lovers heaven. There was chili that catered to fancier palates — a true production — complete with a dollop of ricotta, crushed hazelnuts, and parmesan shavings assembled by a team of three. The one I voted for in the end had me going back for fifths and we left the cook-off quite satisfied, primed for some craft beer and live music.
If you’ve ever been to Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the beer tasting part of the festival was in the Market Sheds where over 20 breweries set up camp with their kegs and bottles of craft beers. For those who haven’t been, the Market Sheds are essentially outdoor pavilions that sit separate from the concert grounds. There, we all formed lines clustered around heat lamps, casually tuning in and out of the live music playing in the backdrop. Needless to say, we lost track of time fast.
There were individual booths and tents along the walkway where people were selling their artisanal foods and handmade items. We gave quite a bit of business to the man selling bacon-infused snacks as well as a lady selling decadent cake balls. My friend Lori and I were enamored by this collection of bolo ties we passed by and each plucked our favorite ones from the rack.
At the end of the day, we drove to nearby Narrowsburg, New York where our friends Ben and Jaime graciously opened their country home to all of us for the rest of the weekend. Needless to say, navigating through local food and regional beer and cider was a perfect way to start it.