On November 17, Dalie’s Smokehouse hosts Fall Feast with Civil Life beer pairings

When pitmaster Craig Basler and his crew cut loose from dinner-as-usual to put on one of their quarterly feasts at Dalie’s Smokehouse, the sky’s the limit on creativity and fine food.

“Like me, my guys come from fine dining backgrounds," Basler says. "We love what we do every day, but sometimes we like to stretch our legs a little bit and put on a party where we get to play with food and experiment.”

Courtesy Dalie’s Smokehouse

On November 17, a hundred hungry guests will sit at long community tables to enjoy Dalie’s Fall Feast, a five-course dinner to showcase the creativity of Basler and his crew.

“We’re using smoke as an ingredient in the dishes,” he says. “We’ll start with a Meat & Greet with house-cured and smoked meats, as well as hard and soft smoked cheeses. We’re pickling vegetables and making good whole grain mustards.” 

Basler’s past experiences making pasta at Sidney Street Café will come into play for the course, as will his knowledge of what flavors different woods impart to food. “We’re doing a sassafras smoked lobster ravioli with ginger beer beurre blanc. We read a lot to put together these feasts.”

Fall flavors work throughout the next four courses, starting with maple-cured seared pork belly served with habañero jelly on a polenta cake. The crew will then offer house-made lox with an autumn slaw and whole-grain mustards. The fourth course: a ginger-plum smoked duck breast with acorn squash risotto and bacon braised Brussels sprouts. And topping it all off will be a Civil Life Porter chocolate cake with port wine dark cherry glaze topped with a chocolate milk stout creme.

The final course highlights a family connection that runs throughout the dinner. “Jake Hafner and I met up at a family reunion this summer at Pickle Springs in Ste. Genevieve. We’re second cousins,” he says. “We’re pairing Civil Life beers with the courses as well as using Civil Life brews in the cooking.”

Basler’s culinary family connections run deep. He grew up in Bloomsdale, Missouri. “At the time, the population stood at 401 people,” he says. “My grandfather and grandmother ran The Basler Parkway Inn—a restaurant, a bar, and a service station all at the same location. Grandfather ran the service station and bar, while Grandmother took care of the restaurant. We serve her chicken and dumplings here on Fridays.”

Dalie’s Smokehouse

Basler’s first culinary education came from his grandfather, who taught him how to butcher. (“We use my grandmother’s sausage press at Dalie’s for another feast, Cajun Days during Mardi Gras,” he says.) Basler also learned the value of community and how to celebrate while growing up in the small town. “At the time, there were four bars and two restaurants in a town of just more than 400 people,” he recalls.  

Basler’s advice to guests who want to join the party on Sunday: “Wear your holiday pants,” he says, “and don’t get dressed up. We’re pretty casual here. Half the guests will be folks who’ve partied here in the past, but we seat everyone at long community tables. I guarantee you’ll be talking to your neighbors. We like to have a good time.”

Event Details:

Dalie’s Fall Feast, a five-course dinner with Civil Life beer pairings

Sunday, November 17, 6–9 p.m.

$65 per person, $55 for designated non-drinking drivers

For reservations, call 636-529-1898.