Peace on earth, good will toward all

From all of us at the Goose,

Happy Holidays

On tap at the North Pole

His eyes -- how they twinkled, his dimples how merry.
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry.
No milk and cookies could produce such good cheer.
I knew in an instant, St. Nick likes good beer!

Brewers offer their most interesting beers around the holidays, and the Goose has stocked only bottles on "the good list" in our cellar.

Affligem Noel from Belgium pours a nice copper brown and thick white head. With flavors of dried fruits, winter spices, pepper, and citrus, it's a perfect pint for holiday desserts and mild cheeses.

Bitter chocolate malt and dark roast coffee flavors are heavy in Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, a balanced stout that's surprisingly smooth for a beer that boasts 10% alcohol by volume.

Check out the seasonal selection in the Goose's cellar for even more treats like...

Dark and rich
Boulder Obovoid Empirical Stout
Two Brothers Bonfire Dunkel Weiss
Two Brothers North Wind Imperial Stout
Mad River John Barleycorn Barleywine
Meantime Coffee Porter
Atwater Winter Bock
Three Floyds Alpha Klaus Porter

Spiced, Belgian, and Winter Warmers
Two Brothers Avalon
Brasserie Achoffe N'ice Chouffe
Corsendonk Christmas Ale
Brasserie DuPont Avec Les Bon Vouex
DeKoninck Winter
Rogue Santa's Reserve
Rogue Yellow Snow

Fondue? Fondue-n’t: Raclette now at the Goose

Put away those tiny forks with the long handles. Raclette has arrived at the Goose! This robust, smooth Swiss cheese is best warmed to a delicious ooze, but it’s a far distant cousin to that cheesy pot bubbling over the tea light.

As early as the 13th century, mountain herdsman in the French-speaking Valais area of Switzerland--think Matterhorn territory--have nestled slabs of golden Raclette near the hot coals of their evening fires. Scraping a hot, melted layer of this cow’s milk cheese onto crusty bread made for a hearty end to the day’s work.

Through the centuries, that humble hill-side dinner grew into a tradition. Boiled potatoes, tart pickles, and pearl onions joined the crusty bread under its blanket of silky, molten Raclette. A stiff white wine or a cup of hot tea sidled next to the plate, and a sprinkling of black pepper or paprika decorates the Raclette of modern-day herdsman.

Though we lack the elevation here in Matterhorn-less Indy, all the ingredients for a hot Raclette dinner are stocked at the Goose.

We’ll slice your chunk of Swiss Raclette to order while little fingerling potatoes, cornichon, fresh baguettes, and bourbon-smoked paprika and black pepper are yours for the taking. Warm your oven's broiler as soon as you get home and then give thick slices of Raclette a moment to sizzle. (For a Swiss trio, add slabs of Emmental and Gruyere from the Goose.) Use crusty bread to scoop up the silky, salty stuff or let the cheese live up to its French namesake and scrape—or racler—it onto a plateful of hot potatoes and crunchy cornichon.

Wash it all down with some tiny bubbles from the Goose's cellar. Gabe recommends the French Jean Louis Denois N/V Brut Blancs de Blancs (Languedoc) for its citrus and apricot on the nose and peachy, mineral palate. (Robert Parker Jr. gave this bottle 89 points...and a partridge in a pear tree.) Similar citrus aromas come with Brugge Brasserie's White Ale, a crisp and refreshing ale with just a touch of sourness that Gabe likes to cut the richness of the Raclette.

Looking for an easy and satisfying winter meal? Herd your family around the table with Raclette dinner from the Goose!

Peace on earth, good will (and gift baskets) to all

The spirit of giving is a noble sentiment during this holiday season. But time is always fleeting and the search for a truly appreciated gift can leave us feeling like one of those chestnuts roasting on the open fire. Luckily, there's a miracle on 25th Street. Let the Goose help you beat the reindeer games and settle in for a long winter's nap by wrapping up your holiday shopping with gift baskets and gift cards that everyone on your list (bad or good) will enjoy. Order your gift baskets and gift cards online and we'll have them wrapped and ready for pick up in the shop or we'll mail them for you, leaving you more time to rock around the Christmas tree or just rest, ye merry gentlemen.

The holiday Goose Gift Basket includes:

• Vida Organica Sparkling Chardonnay: a balanced, bubbly Argentinian with apple and pineapple flavors.


• 1/4 pound artisan cheese: Local and imported, stinky and sweet, oozy and sharp -- the Goose has stacked some stellar cheeses this winter.


• Arnott's water crackers


• Bijoux Chocolat:* Hand-decorated by local chocolateir Todd Kennedy, these gems are as pretty as ornaments (but much tastier).
  
• DeCecco casareccia pasta:* Literally meaning "homemade," casareccia's twisted, hollow tubes began as a Sicilian tradition.


• Local Folks Heirloom Tomato Marinara:* Indiana-grown heirloom tomatoes and herbs cooked long and slow for this thick, savory sauce.


• Mild 2 Wild hot sauce:* Two Indianapolis firefighters teamed up to create Mild 2 Wild's Backdraft, a fiery--but still tasty--blend of habanero-whiskey mash and 20 herbs and spices.


• Hubbard and Cravens Coffee:* Locally-roasted, whole bean coffee we'll grind to order.

The Goose will load up a reusable, handled peck basket with all the ingredients above for $50 or you can choose a Gosling Basket filled with the asterisked* items for $30.

And to personalize a Goose Gift Basket for each person on your list, just imagine the possibilities...

• Wassail Song: Add a bottle or two of the seasonal craft beers for the beer-lover.
  
• I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing: Fresh fish arrives every Friday morning at the Goose--put in a special order for the sea-lubber.
  
• Feliz Navidad: Toss in a vac-packed single serving of Spain's jamon iberico de bellota, a three-year old ham from free-range Iberian pigs fed exclusively on wild acorns.

Don't let the rush of holiday shopping turn you into the ghost of Christmas present. Visit us in the shop or online and make these holidays a treat for you and your loved ones. It's a wonderful life!

Goose's Goose Glory

In the latest Best of Indy issue of Indianapolis Monthly, your own Goose the Market got the nod for the Goose sandwich. We're honored. We're humbled. We're hungry.

Bon Appetit rated Goose the Market’s Batali among the best sandwiches in America, though we prefer its Goose sandwich, served just warm enough to melt mozzarella over layers of paper-thin Prosciutto and peppery basil. Bon appetit, indeed. ~ Text and Photos from Indianapolis Monthly