Quick Bites: Growlers'll make a smiler out of you

What was that? Oh so sorry, I couldn't hear you over the explosion of flavor over here.

I'm (clearly) talking about newly opened Grand Rounds Brewing Company'sdelightful Hawaii 507 Coconut Stout,which features toasted coconut, vanilla and a smooth, not-too-sweet finish. And here I am, just enjoying a pint at home.

Because the beer gods have answered our prayers (during Minnesota Craft Beer Week, no less), and Grand Rounds now is selling growlers (64-ounce bottles) of their beer for you to enjoy in your house or anywhere else you happen to be going.

In order to ensure the quality of their beer by using only clean growlers, the empty bottles are sold for $6 each and can be exchanged each time for a clean, filled vessel. House-made beers now on tap and ready for growler fill-up include Freedom Scottish Ale, Hawaii 507 Coconut Stout, Hop Bollocks Session IPA, KA Minnesota Kolsch, Nelson IPA and Out and About Stout.

Almost all varieties sell for $12 per growler refill — except for the coconut stout, which is just $2 more at $14 per refill, which I swear to you is still a bargain for a freaking delicious beer.

Food truck season

Though it wasn't served out of a truck, Three Amigos Tacosserved their legendary food-truck tacos in a Cinco de Mayo takeover of Prescottson Tuesday night. Rumors of other food trucks starting up are starting to surface, and a previously mysterious Mexican food truck has appeared on North Broadway in Rochester.

This can only mean one thing. It's taco time! No just kidding (kind of). It's food truck season!

So here's the deal. I still don't know where or how to find most of the food trucks meandering and setting up around Rochester. Fill me in, dear readers! Does that Mexican food truck on Broadway ever open? Where are your favorite trucks, and when are they serving up their grub?

One truck I was able to grab details on was Stephan Jennebach's Firebrick Bread wood-fired pizza truck.

Jennebach has been tossing his pizzas at the Zumbrota and Red Wing farmers markets, but this year, he got a spot at one of the biggest, best farmers markets in Minnesota — right here in Rochester. You can find Jennebach there each Saturday from 7 a.m. until noon (or later). He'll also pull up to Kinney Creek Breweryon Seventh Street next Friday, May 15, in the evening. Starting at 6:30 p.m., Kinney Creek will host a screening of "Crafted to Last: Minnesota Beer Blossoms,"a documentary about the rise of craft brewing in Minnesota.

Extras

Hungry for more? A reader contacted me about the crawfish boil news item from The Lost Cajun,pointing out that fellow restaurant Fat Willy's(4325 Maine Ave. SE) has offered a shrimp boil since they opened. You do have to make prior arrangements, and it's better to do it in a group, but just call ahead for your party.

And finally, when it's not enough to just eat and drink the food others are creating for you, it's time to get into the kitchen yourself. People's Food Coopin Rochester is offering several classes in the next month or so. Learn how to make crepes and galettes, how to cook with raw food, how to ferment, how to make your own kombucha or kefir and more, check out www.pfc.coop/calendar , or call 507-289-9061.