Mac & Bleu

Not all macaroni and cheese is created equal. Scotty’s Brewhouse has one that soars above the rest. Recently Scotty’s mac and cheese with bleu cheese crumbles and Cajun spices was ranked in the elite 8 of Best of Indy’s ‘Macaroni and Bleu,’ along with such restaurants as St. Elmos and the Scholars Inn.

“We decided to go with macaroni and cheese [as the contest] because there are so many interesting varieties in Indianapolis. Gourmet mac and cheese has been a trend for the past several years, and we wanted to put those offerings against the tried-and-true traditional versions around town. Our high scorers ended up being a diverse group, with everyone from 14 West to Scotty's to Jacquie's Catering,” said Courtney Leach, Editor of Indianapolis Dine.

In order to be considered for the contest the recipe had to be an original and not ordered from a supplier. Each entry made to the Best of Indy’s ‘Macaroni and Bleu’ contest was awarded a score based on flavor, appearance, texture and more.

“The creamy bleu cheese adds flavor and texture, and the Cajun adds a nice bite [to the recipe],” said Luke Duncan, Scotty’s Brewhouse Director of Kitchen Operations.
“Winning this award is a nice nod to the fact that simplicity mixed with great ingredients can beat some fancy pants stuff,” said Duncan.

Macaroni and cheese was a part of most every child’s youth. The comfort feeling of “home cooking” can be tasted while spooning in the cheese-filled pasta shells.
“Personally, I think it has to either be an exceptional version of the homestyle mac and cheese we all grew up on, or it has to be a gourmet version that still appeals to the every day diner. Across the board, all of the components -- the sauce, the noodles, any toppings-- have to be executed exceptionally well to place in the top ten,” said Leach.

Like most items on the Brewhouse menu, what gives the mac and cheese character is simplicity and the made-from-scratch recipe.

“It costs more and can be difficult for consistency’s sake,” said Scott Wise, owner of Scotty’s Brewhouse, “but, putting in the extra effort to make our sauces every morning, order fresh produce daily and hand patty all our burgers – this is one of the secrets to our success.”

Scotty's was the only entry incorporating bleu cheese, earning it high marks for its similarities to pizza in flavor.

When looking to pair this recipe with something else on the brewhouse menu, “Beer, Beer, Beer,” said Duncan.

Twitter #onebadmofo Contest

This promotional idea was the brain child of Ryan Cox (@coxymoney @schindigs) - follow Ryan on Twitter.

It is this easy, EAT AT SCOTTY'S.

Take a twitpic of your food or beverage. Send out a tweet with the pic, your comments and our hashtag, #onebadmofo

EVERY DAY I will choose 1 person that does this and send you a FREE $10 Comp to use on your next visit.

It is that easy.

Sibling Rivalry

If you don't have brothers or sisters, you can stop reading now.

I have 2 sisters whom I love dearly. They both live in HHI and Charleston, have children and great husbands and families.

It is funny, though, how time or distance (or both) makes you really love, respect and miss your family. My sisters are worried that when my parents pass away, we will become disconnected and quit visiting each other. It’s sad to think about; but, something that could really happen without work from all families.

You all know how tough life is. The most precious asset we all take for granted is time. And, the minute we have a few seconds, minutes or day to ourselves, we often want just that – time to ourselves. Time is such a precious commodity and often the best gift, however, that you can give someone. I’m the first to admit I’m selfish; but, I won’t ever let my sister’s bond grow stale, cold and distant.

I can remember wanting to choke them both out in a UFC-esque strangle hold until they tapped out in high school. Maybe it was due to the fact that we were so close in age. Maybe it was the fact that Jessie could whip my ass on the basketball court and was one of the best high school girls players I had seen. Or, maybe it was the fact that they sprouted boobs and good looks, so all my friends decided it was time to start hanging out at my house more often.

But, those times are gone now. Now there is this new found respect and fondness for each other, each other's kids and families and just a sense of familial love...

I know that this isn't the case across the board. Brothers and sisters can do wicked mean things to each other, even beyond those years of high school...

As your Zen guru guide through Scotty's Blog today, I would just say this…

Life is too short to hold grudges. How many times do you have to hear your dad say, "Well, my dad came from a different time. We didn't hug or tell each other we loved them. Now that he is gone, I wish I would have been the bigger man and did this before he was lying in his hospital bed whispering his last breaths of life."

So, go hug your sister, brother, mom, dad, uncle, aunt, grandma or grandpa and tell them you love them today. And, don't send an email – tell them in person!

October Anniversaries

West Lafayette:

Four Year
o Courtney Slauter- Server/Bar

Three Year
o Rob Guzman- Kitchen
o Alecia Monett- Server

Two Year
o Michael Baron- Kitchen

One Year
o Victoria Boyle- Host
o Toran Fiene- Server
o Kaitlin Kaminsky- Server
o David Klass- Kitchen
o William Soeurt- Kitchen
o Stephen Utterback- Server

Muncie:

Three Year
o Jacqueline Pacyk- Server

One Year
o Emily Lomax- Server
o Heather Wamsley- Host

Bloomington:

Four Year
o Adam Lamping- KM

One Year
o Ryan Butner- Bar
o Issac Copeland- Kit
o Natasha Guy- Server

Downtown Indy:

Two Year
o Noah Ayers- Server

96th Street Indy:

Five Year
o Craig Adkins- Server
o Jeff Parthun- Kitchen

Three Year
o Charles Fry- Bar
o Nancy Honan- Bar
o Natalie Walker- Bar

One Year
o Rene Booker- Host
o Teri Davis- Server
o Kylie Groover- Server
o Tricia Hornsby- Bar
o Mike Souviner- Kit
o Kevin Wagner- Server

Corporate Team:

Three Year
o Crystal Ward

Two Year
o Lauren Fiedler