There’s a truth that every red-blooded American knows: desserts and beer are two of the greatest things on this here green earth. So when the two are combined into one fried, mouthwatering dish, you should never, ever pass up the chance to enjoy it.
At The Craftsman Ale House, they do beer-battered desserts, and by-God, do they do them well. After a few of us Westchester Magaziners gorged on burgers, thinking we couldn’t possibly stuff ourselves any further, our waiter, “El Capitan” AJ, brought out some beer-battered treats for us. Sitting on a plate atop a swirl of chocolate syrup were Oreos and Twinkies, wrapped in all their golden fried goodness. Like I said, we couldn’t pass up the chance to try them, so we dove right in.
We all went straight for the Oreos. The chocolate of the Oreo—which softens a bit during the frying—mixes perfectly with the fried dough. Digital Editor Nicholas Gallinelli commented on the Oreos’ so “pleasant consistency,” saying “you didn’t lose any of what makes Oreos good but it was like a pocket of sweetness.” Copy Editor Aimee Hirsch was also a big fan, saying that she “loved how the cream and cookie mixed; this was heavenly for an Oreo lover.” Imaging Specialist Lauren Golde thought the Oreos had a “great combination of fried coating and soft, rich chocolate” and that “the melted filling mixes it all together.” Associate Art Director Jessica Brown thought the Oreo center was “super gooey and rich; a nice contrast to the crispy, beer-batter crust.”
Perhaps we spoiled ourselves by delving straight into the Oreos, because we weren’t as keen on the Twinkies. While still a pleasantly tasty dessert, it lacked that specific “umph” that the Oreos’ chocolate provided. Biting into it, we were disappointed to find that the cream filling disappears during the frying process. Gallinelli said “the whole thing taste the same, which isn’t always good,” to which Hirsch agreed saying, “too much cake, not enough cream.”
Though you can’t go wrong with either dessert, Gallinelli sums it up best saying, “If I’m packing on the calories for one of these, it’s definitely the Oreo.”
