Tastemakers: Jose‘s authentic Mexican tamales/Shorts imperial beer

May 16, 2007

Jose’s Authentic Mexican Tamales
Known as the jewel of the forest morel with a breathtaking view of Little Traverse Bay, Jose’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant is in the former Domino’s Pizza location and is right next to the Tokyo Japanese Restaurant. Opening a couple of years ago, Jose’s has brought authentic freshly prepared Mexican cuisine to the Petoskey area. Founded by Jose and Maria Lopez, the restaurant has all the traditional offerings one would expect to find at a Mexican style restaurant in the United States.
One thing that certainly sets Jose’s apart is they actually make everything after you order it. No microwaving pre-prepared foods here; everything is made from scratch. Finding well-prepared tamales in the corn stalks is hard. Not at Jose’s, however, as he is a master and they are great. They don’t offer tamales on the menu, so call ahead and check if they are making them that day, or ask if they will make them for you. They can make either fruit tamales or traditional style. I am also a big fan of their chorizo tacos, and certainly their guacamole is a must. So take a break from shopping the quaint stores of Petoskey and enjoy lunch at Jose’s.

Shorts Imperial Beer Collection
On June 1 brewmaster Joe Short will release his Imperial Beer Series. This is a major undertaking for any brewery, but for a small brewery the size of Short’s, this is an unbelievable accomplishment. Brew journalists from across the country will come in for the event and release dinner.
The Imperial Beer Series consists of 13 one-of-a-kind hand crafted brews that are all 8% or greater in alcohol content. Each recipe is the first and will be the only production of the beer. There were no pilot brews of any of these 13 beers. They will be bottled in limited edition 750ml bottles with labels designed by local artists, and each bottle will be numbered and signed by the brewmaster.
Some of the highlights include Black Licorice Lager, Imperial Carob Stout (made with real carob), Peaches & Crème (brewed with lactose and peaches) and Abnormal Genius (fermented with sunflower seeds and Earthwork honey). All 13 brews will be paired with a food item at this special release party. Short will also present a brief slide show and film on the making of each. To experience this once-in-a-lifetime brew extravaganza visit www.shortsbrewing.com. Space is limited for the beer and food pairing, so get your tickets early.