Beer Heaven in Lake Stevens, WA

There are times when I suddenly realize that some of the coolest places around are within a short drive of our house. As a purveyor of fine ales, I had one of those golden moments a couple of months ago when I discovered Norm's Market. I know that we're lucky to live in a region that's rich in microbreweries filled with stellar establishments to sample them.

Norm's: a seemingly mild mannered mini-mart bursting with malt and hops

But I was completely unprepared for what I learned was in nearby Lake Stevens, WA. On the outside it looks like your garden variety Shell Mini-Mart and gas station. But it's beer-o-mania on the inside. Not only do they have walls and walls loaded with refrigerators filled with bottled beer from everywhere you can imagine. Their walk-in cooler boasts an inventory of 52 quality micros on draft, all of which are vying for a spot in your 64 ounce growler that they're happy to fill for you. That's right: fifty two. One for each week of the year. But you'll need to drink at a faster pace than that since different products are being rotated in every couple of weeks or so.

For the beer connoisseur Norm's Market is Mecca. It rivals any place in the city of Seattle, 45 minutes away. Check it out. It's well worth a visit. Or several.

BowlingJoe next to the menu: 52 beers on tap waiting to fill your growler

Norm's Market is on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/normsmarket

Everett Herald article about Norm's: http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110628/LIVING/706299980

Here is a recent sample of growler fill offerings... all $9.99 (unless otherwise marked) That's only $2.50 a pint if you do the math!!!

1. Southern Tier Pumpkin (New York) 8.6% $13.99
2. Dogfish Head Chicory Stout 14.99
3. Samuel Adams Double Pumpkin Ale 8.5% ( Boston,Ma) Sale $9.99
4. Mac N Jacks Blackcat Porter 5.3% (Redmond)
5. Mac' N Jacks Serengeti Wheat 4.7%
6. Mac & Jack Two Tun Ipa 7% (Redmond, Wa)
7. Mac 'n Jack's African Amber Ale 5.2% (Redmond)
8. Mac 'n Jack's Cascadian Dark Ale 6.9 (Redmond)
9. Hibernation Ale 8.8% $11.99
10. Humbolt Brewing Co. Nectar IPA (Ca) 6.8%
11. Big E's Rootbeer Non-Alcoholic (Lynwood)
12. Dogfish Head 90 Min IPA $15.99
13. Sleigh'R Double Alt Ale (Ninkasi) 9.99
14. Ninkasi Tricerahops 8.8% (OR) $11.99
15. Manny's Pale Ale (Georgetown) $9.99
16. Men's Room Original Red (Seattle) Eylsian Brewing 5.6%
17. Organic Abominable Winter Ale Hub Brew 7.3% (OR) $12.99
18. Stella Artois German Lager
19. Steelhead Dbl IPA -Mad River Brewery 11.99
20. Imperial Coconut Porter Maui Brewing Co. (Hi) $14.99
21. Spire Dark and Dry Cider $12.99
22. Diamond Knot HO HO $11.99
23. Super Cru Lips of Faith 10% (CO) $12.99
24. Georgetown Porter, Georgetown Seattle $9.99
25. New Belgium Down Under w/Passion Fruit (Seattle) 12.99
26. Stone Arrogant Bastard (CA) 7.2%
27. North Sound Goosetown Brown 6.8% (Mt. Vernon) $9.99
28. Scuttlebutt 10' Below 7.4% (Everett)
29. Great Divide Smoked Baltic Porter (Co) 7.5% $12.99
30. Autumn IPAnox- Cascade Brewery 6.7% (OR) $12.99
31. Firestone Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout $10.99
32. Lenny's R.I.P.A. He'Brew 10% (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) $14.99
33. Widmer Brrrr 7.2% $18.99
34. Big E Cinnamon Sour (Lynnwood, Wa) $11.99
35. Diamond Knot Industrial Pale Ale (Mukilteo) 7.9% $10.99
36. Mt. Shasta Jalapeno (Ca) $14.99
37. Pyramid Imperial Hefeweizen 7.5%
38. Cascade Brewing Imperial Amber 7.2% (OR) $12.99
39. Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale Ale (Co) 6.1% $12.99
40. Irish Death Iron Horse Brewery (Ellensburg)
41. Wingman Porter 9.99
42. Big E Winter Blackberry Ale 7.2% (Lynwood)
43. Southern Tier Creme Brulee 19.99
44. Hooegarden Belgina beer $10.99
45. Stone Levitation Ale 4.4% (CA)
46. Fearless Mjoldir Double IPA 8% $10.99
47. The Vaporizer Pale Ale- Double Mountain Brewery 6% (OR)
48. Effen Heffen Skookum (Arlington, Wa)
49. Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu 10% (DE) 19.99
50. Judith Yeast, Beer Valley (Or) $12.99
51. Hop Dog Double Wheat IPA, Midnight Sun Brew. (AK) $18.99
52. North Sound Imperial Red $14.99

Norm's has an incredible selection of bottled beers from everywhere

The Name of the Dish is Turducken

We were in the mood to try something new for Thanksgiving this year. Not that we have anything against putting a turkey in a smoker for several hours as we have the last few years. We figured we'd do that also. But 2011, for better or for worse, goes down as The Year of the Turducken.

In the package, thawed and ready to cook

This is shorthand for Turkey, Duck and Chicken. In case you're wondering there isn't a Turducken farm where you can go get one of these birds. At least not on this planet. Most of these Frankenbirds are constructed in the south. We happened to have acquired ours frozen and ready to cook, shipped from Lake Charles, Louisiana.

I'm sure there are various ways to construct them, but ours started with a de-boned turkey (except for wings and drumsticks) that was laid out in sort of a butterfly fashion. A layer of stuffing that consists of cornbread and pork rice is added, followed by the duck, similarly de-boned and presented. Another layer of stuffing is applied, followed by the smallest bird, the chicken. The whole thing is somehow turned into a giant pouch of poultry, sewn up, seasoned with some Cajun spices, and cooked in the oven as per normal.

The Turducken: Ready to serve, just before we busted it open like a pinata

The results? I'd have to say mixed at best. While the flavor of the meat was certainly passable, it lacked the moistness that we had become accustomed to with plain old turkey over the years. And then there was the mess. After the first slice we were dealing with an Avian Pinata of stuffing. None of it really stayed too well in tact as we cut into it.

Overall I think our crowd of twelve appreciated the effort but were glad that we also had that backup bird heating up in the smoker. Next time I think we won't mess with a good thing.