The Sauced Chef

Pangea Pizza

Traverse City, MI

www.pangeaspizza.com

Pangea is located in the heart of downtown Traverse City and features pies from around the world.  Pangea also has a large outdoor patio area that is perfect for lounging and drinking in the summer

Get Sauced: 4 out of 4

Pangea has a HUGE beer list.  They offer flights of beers and have bottled beers categorized by country of origin. They also feature local microbreweries on their taps.  Michigan is recognized to be one of the top 5 microbrewed beer producers in the nation, its nice to get that taste right from Pangea’s drafts.  They boast a decent wine list for a pizza place and feature some tasty marguuerita and daquiri drink specials

The Sauce: 2 out of 4

We ordered an Italian, Mexican, Rajasthan (Indian)and Carribean Jerk pizza.  I was most impressed with their basic Italian pizza sauce and the Indian pizza sauce.  Their basic Italian sauce was thick, with a good balance of sweet and tangy.  It also had a fresh basil finish.  The Indian sauce was very unique, with hints of cumin, turmeric, coriander, curry and garlic that  complimented the house made Saag Paneer cheese.  However, I was extremely disappointed in the Jerk and Mexican pizza sauces.  The Mexican pizza sauce was very bland with no kick.  Yes, the pizza had chorizo sausage (just ok) which added some boost to the sauce, but not enough.  I expect to taste chili and cumin with real tang and maybe some minced jalapeno, nothing like that happened.  The Jerk pizza sauce was rough.  No allspice, no thyme,  nothing to represent the sweetness of jerk, not to mention ZERO spice.  Even the chicken on the pizza (supposedly jerk rubbed) was barely seasoned.  It tasted more like a Hawai’in Pizza with chicken instead of ham than an actual representation of real Caribbean jerk flavoring. Whoever made that pizza was the only REAL JERK!

The Reduction: +1 Ambiance for 7 out of 10

Our server was pretty good, she did bring us the wrong beers initially but apologized and corrected her mistake with decent quickness. The outdoor patio is large and has a tiki-bar feel, complete with tropical drink specials.  During the evening it is simply lit with Christmas tree lights.  There does exist a  laid back, let’s eat, drink (and drink some more) and be merry vibe that is really unique, though! Keep the beer list on point, but spice up the SAUCE!

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Go to any established “gourmet’ restaurant and they have their waitstaff trained to suggest wine with dishes.  They are quick to talk about tannins, terrior, body and aroma and how these things paired with (insert dish here) will double the enjoyment of your dining experience. However, ask that same server about beer pairing and watch the confusion, the indecision and in some cases the immediate scoffing at the suggestion. Why isn’t beer gourmet?

Well, I think beer IS gourmet and want to address the three most common myths that surround beer.

Myth # 1: Beer is easier to make than wine

This is flat out not true.  I am not here to start a war between vintners and brewers, because I love beer and wine equally, but beer brewing is definitely as complex as wine making.  Many of the brewers I talk shop with also have chemistry degrees! Brewing beer is a painstaking and rewarding SCIENCE.  Vintners have the earthy artistry of the terrior, which takes on mythical and magical qualities.  Brewers have the science of sanitation management (imperative) and the artistry of where in the brewing process (if any) to add additional flavorings (raspberry, vanilla, pumpkin, coffee etc).  Any way you slice it, its EQUALLY difficult to make wine or beer.

Myth # 2: Beer is mass produced and low quality

If you haven’t seen the movie Beer Wars, go see it! This film will explain what actually happens in the commercialized brewing world, things get intense and, sadly, a bit shady. Yes, it has been documented that some of the mass produced beer companies sacrifice corn and rice intro their wort (a liquid produced from malt and hot water) instead of higher quality barley mixes.  Does it actually produce a lower quality flavor, many say yes, some say no.  That’s something you will have to judge.  Here’s a tip: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOCAL MICROBREWED BEER! Every state in the union has microbreweries that produce hand-crafted, high quality beer.  Craft beer is becoming so popular with Gen X and Y that big beer companies are scrambling to make their own “craft” off-brands. These beers are high quality, vibrant, flavorful and as distinct and different as red to white wine.  The young brewer movement is exciting and constantly changing.  New ideas and flavor profiles (chocolate, vanilla, oak, pepper, squash, jalapeno, caramel) are fluttering around the industry everywhere.  For the patriots out there, the American IPA is becoming the WORLD’S new trendy beer, that’s right folks, created and invented right here in the USA.  Most brewers brew high-quality and local beers.

Myth # 3: Beer does not pair well with gourmet cuisine

Balderdash! Baloney! Pa-Tooey! Ju-Ju Charp! (made that one up) Beer and food pairing is the nouvelle thing in cuisine today. In my opinion, beer pairs as well with food as wine.  The cool thing is that many people don’t know how to pair beer and food because there exists such limited resources.  That is what I am here for, being the Sauced Chef, one can imagine that I have consumed many a beer (not too hard to imagine, is it?)  I’ve also tried many different beers with many food combinations.  Here are some delicious pairings I recommend.

Blonde or Golden Ales or Lightly Hopped Lagers – these work best as thirst quenchers, try them with highly seasoned or “blackened” foods.  The light golden taste can act as a natural enhancer to the seasoning while giving your palette relief. Very nice with pan-seared fish as well.

Amber Ale, Dry Porters – these work really well with steak! A nice dry porter with a filet or ribeye will enhance the savory umami of the beef while adding a subtle finish to the bite.

Bitter Ales, American IPA’s- these are solid gold with anything fried, the intense hop flavor cutting through grease like Bruce Lee.  I love a citrus based American IPA with anything spicy, it enhances and subtracts at the same time, a taste fireworks show on my tongue.

Weissbeer or Dunkelweiss - Pasta! Any pasta that is delicately seasoned these beers will really compliment the flavor.  Try the weiss with chicken and seafood pastas and the dark with sausage and red meat based pastas.

Cream or sweet stouts, imperial stouts - one word: Chocolate! If you have the chance to try a berry based chocolate dessert (i.e. chocolate brulee with raspberry mousse) with a sweet stout, you will be in culinary heaven.  I think sweet stouts pair better with chocolate than many dessert wines.

Beer is gourmet! Realize it, embrace it and try craft beers! Find your local brewers and drink up, go to beer fests and most importantly, order beer at fancy restaurants. The next time a waiter scoffs at your choice of weissbeer with your chicken-basil cream gnocchi, scoff right back at him and enjoy your awesome flavor combination.  You are now part of the movement, my friends.  Get sauced with beer and ignore the sneer!

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