July '97; Portland, OR – If you're looking for a quick and easy way to freshen up some of your favorite summer and autumn dishes, why not consider a splash of one of the oldest beverages on earth...hard apple cider. Patrick Mullen, the chef of the Widmer Brothers Brewing Company Gasthaus Restaurant, considers it a natural.

"You'd be surprised how versatile hard cider is in recipes," says Mullen. "It works great in everything from vinaigrettes, to sauces, to deglazing pans, to recipes featuring pork or sausages. In fact, you can substitute hard cider for water in most recipes, giving your dishes more flavor and increasing your family's enjoyment."

As Chef of the Widmer Gasthaus restaurant in Portland for the past two years, Mullen says many chefs are now experimenting with biers and ciders in their recipes. Mullen uses Widmer's new Wildwood Hard Apple Cider in two favorite recipes he created with one of the Gasthaus Mangers, Dan Goodwin: German style country ribs with apples, sauerkraut and Wildwood Hard Cider, and in his Grilled Raddichio and Bratwurst with Wildwood Hard Cider Vinaigrette [recipes attached].

"Apple is a perfect complement to pork, bringing out its sweeter flavor, so the cider in this dish is perfect. To balance the dish, I add the kraut, creating a traditional meal with fresh flavors."

Mullen, who was trained in traditional French cuisine, says it can sometimes be a challenge to match the right beverage with the right dish, and have it all work out. "Widmer was the originator of what some critics call the best wheat beer in the country, America's Original Hefeweizen¨. While it's a wonderful beer to drink, it just doesn't work well in recipes that call for cooking, so we use it extensively in cold dishes. Here at the Gasthaus, we make a wonderful cold cheese spread combining Hefeweizen with cheddar, Swiss and blue cheeses. It's a favorite among our customers."

Wildwood Cider is made differently than other ciders. Most ciders are fermented with a wine yeast, however Wildwood Cider is fermented with Widmer's trademark Altbier yeast. The Altbier yeast contributes a true apple-floral aroma, resulting in a fresh, light taste that packs a tangy, crisp bite in every sip.

Brothers Kurt and Rob Widmer founded Widmer Brothers Brewing Company in 1984, and today Widmer is currently the top selling craft brewer in Pacific Northwest. In addition to creating America's Original Hefeweizen¨, the Widmer signature bottled line of Amberbier, Widberry, and Blackbier is available in several national markets.

Contact: Greg Jackson, Metropolitan Group, 503.223.3299

In a medium braising pan, sear ribs in a small amount of canola oil on both sides. Add apples shortly after and lightly brown. Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to boil. Cover with aluminum foil and place in pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Ribs should fall apart when done. Serve with your favorite mashed potato recipe.

Lightly brush raddichio with olive oil and grill on barbecue for about 2 minutes, turning on all sides to mark. Set aside raddichio and grill bratwurst to completely well done. (set aside) Place romaine on 4 large plates. Arrange raddichio, tomatoes and cucumbers around sliced bratwurst. Drizzle 2 oz. of dressing on each salad.