Category : Food & Beer
Butterbeer
November 22nd, 2009Or perhaps this should be called “Alenog”: over on the “This is why you’re fat” blog is this concoction: “Ale boiled with butter, sugar, an egg yolk and topped with a whipped cream and nutmeg.”
It simultaneously sounds gross and intriguing.
The Session #30: Beer Desserts
August 7th, 2009
It’s the first Friday of the month, and that means it’s time for The Session for beer bloggers across the web! The Session is a group blogging project that any blogger (whether or not they regularly write about beer) can participate in: each month a different “host” is selected and they get to determine the topic that everyone will write about. The posts are published on the first Friday of the month and all the results will be compiled into a big list by that month’s host.
This month’s Session honors falls to Beer 47, and the theme is Beer Desserts:
Beer may not be a common ingredient in desserts but when it is used properly, the results can be very delicious. A couple of desserts that I’ve tried making in the past have been beer brittle (pictured above) and stout chocolate cake. Another common beer dessert is a beer float.
For the August 2009 edition of the The Session, Beer 47 will hosting a discussion about Beer Desserts. What beer desserts have you tried and liked? Disliked? What beer styles work well with dessert and which ones do not? Do you have any beer dessert recipes that you enjoyed and would like to share?
Cooking with beer is something I do infrequently, and I’ve only made one dessert type dish: beer cupcakes, made with Guinness Stout. (The original recipe doesn’t appear to be online anymore.) And frankly I’ve not had many desserts using beer as an ingredient—though I’ve drooled over the beer ice cream, beer cheesecake, and Irish stout cake, and love the idea of the beer float. The only desserts I can think of that I have had that probably qualify are of the baked variety, but I’d hardly turn down the opportunity to try others.
I would imagine that the beers you would ordinarily pair with a dessert (stouts, fruit beers, chocolate beers, and so on) would also work rather well as an ingredient. For instance, here’s a recipe for Cherry Beer Cake that uses “cherry wheat” beer; though I have to say I think a chocolate stout would work very well too.
Some other style/recipe ideas: a crème brûlée made with a Porter or Brown Ale; fruit cobbler made with a fruit beer (something with blackberries or raspberries would be delicious); artisan cheese made with beer (for those who like a more savory dessert—and there’s a cheesemaker local to me who makes a beer cheese); carrot cake with cream cheese frosting made with Imperial IPA.
(I stole that last one from Randy Mosher, who recommends the unlikely pairing of Imperial IPA with carrot cake in Radical Brewing.)
And really, let’s not overlook beer itself as the dessert. Pour up a snifter of an Imperial Stout or a Barleywine, something rich and strong and complex, and that for me would be as good as a slice of cheesecake.
The Session #30 announced
July 7th, 2009The announcement for next month’s Session (#30!) is up over at Beer 47: Beer Desserts.
Beer may not be a common ingredient in desserts but when it is used properly, the results can be very delicious. A couple of desserts that I’ve tried making in the past have been beer brittle (pictured above) and stout chocolate cake. Another common beer dessert is a beer float.
For the August 2009 edition of the The Session, Beer 47 will hosting a discussion about Beer Desserts. What beer desserts have you tried and liked? Disliked? What beer styles work well with dessert and which ones do not? Do you have any beer dessert recipes that you enjoyed and would like to share?
Beer as an ingredient, but I would think beer as a dessert accompaniment—think Lindemans Framboise with chocolate truffles—would work just as well.
Chocolate Beer Pairing Dinner: Deschutes Brewery
June 1st, 2008Last night my wife and I attended Deschutes Brewery’s Chocolate Beer Pairing Dinner, a five-course chocolate-themed event that paired excellent food with some of the Brewery’s latest chocolate-inspired beers. As I’d mentioned previously, I got an invite to attend on the house, and fortunately we were able to make it.
I took the camera along and snapped a few pictures, though they were mostly of the food (and beer). One picture I didn’t take and I wish I had was of the brewer, Jimmy Seifert, who was the one who created all of the beers on the menu and who talked about each beer as they were served. We were sitting at the same table as him, actually, and in addition to writing up a review of the beer and food we had, I’ve got a few notes about the brewing process on some of these beers and some interesting info on The Dissident, of which Jimmy is the brewer.
In addition to the beer, they were also serving up (free) wine. Someone was telling me later that last year, wine cost $6.50 per glass, but I think making it complimentary, like the beer, is the way to go.
Deschutes Chocolate Beer Pairing Dinner
May 28th, 2008This Saturday, May 31st, Deschutes Brewery is hosting a Chocolate Beer Pairing Dinner. It starts at 6pm and costs $65 per person (all inclusive).
MENU:
Passed appetizer – Cocoa and Ancho Dusted Scallops on a Plantain Chip
Paired with St Abe Belgian Artisanal AlePlated Appetizer – Duck Enchilada with Mole Sauce
Paired with Chocolate Pale AleSalad – Blueberry and Micro Green Salad with White Chocolate and Lavender Vinaigrette
Paired with Black Butte XXEntrée – Misty Isle Filet Mignon with Seville Orange and Chocolate Demi Glace
Paired with Chocolate Irish Export Extra StoutDessert – White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Balsamic Roasted Strawberries
Paired with Black Butte XX$65 per person - all inclusive.
Reservations Required, Please Call Sharon @ 541.385.8606
I’ve been invited to attend by the good folks there (thanks, Jason) [disclaimer: I'll be covered by the brewery], and I’m really looking forward to it. I should have lots to write about and plenty of pictures to post.
The Session #8: Beer and Food
October 5th, 2007This month’s Session is brought to us by Captain Hops: Beer and Food.
I am looking for posts about pairing beer with food or using beer as an ingredient in food. I hope to see recipes, pictures, tasting notes, stories, menus, reviews or anything else that fits the bill of fare. Whether you write about which beer goes best with chili dogs or give your family’s secret recipe for vegan stout stew or post pictures of those ale braised lamb shanks you had last week, I want to know every mouth watering detail.
I have to confess, this isn’t a topic I’ve spent much time focusing on, beyond a casual interest. I’ve not attended any formal beer dinners, nor do I generally select a beer based on what food I’m eating.
So I was wondering what I’d be able to contribute this month when I realized that I did, in fact, cook recently with beer—not something I often do, either. So I’ll talk about the two recipes I made.
First, though, I have to mention Michael Jackson’s awesome Ultimate Beer, because it has an extensive section on beer and food pairings—it’s my go-to source on the subject (what I do know about it). He has style recommendations for most categories of food (smoked foods, fish, beef, pizza, desserts, etc.) and ones I wouldn’t have otherwise thought of (salads and starters, pickles and pâtés). It’s also just a beautiful book. Go buy it.
(I’ll give a plug to Garrett Oliver’s The Brewmaster’s Table, too, because I’ve heard good things about it—though I’ve not read it yet.)
Anyway, on to the recipes.
The first of the two recipes was this one I blogged about: beer cupcakes. I followed the recipe verbatim, and they turned out to be delicious: rich and moist, the Guinness and the cocoa worked to give it a velvety, dark chocolate flavor, very decadent. I highly recommend this recipe; it’s easy to follow and I promise the cupcakes will be a hit.
Beer Pairing Suggestion: Stout or Porter, particularly a chocolate variety.
The second foray into beer cooking was Sunday dinner last week and I was thinking along the lines of an Oktoberfest flair, so I went with a pot roast—using Spaten Oktoberfest as the braising liquid.
I followed a basic recipe as a guideline, but I improvised a bit as well. Here’s what I did:
- 3.25 lb. beef chuck roast, seasoned liberally with salt and pepper
- Chopped onions, carrots, and celery—about 1/2 cup each
- 1 cup beer
- Seasonings (I used thyme, oregano, parsley, and a dash of sage
- Several small whole onions, potatoes (cut into chunks), baby carrots
You’ll need a Dutch oven or other similarly heavy pot with a lid for this.
First I browned the beef over medium-high heat on all sides, about 10-15 minutes worth. Remove from heat, add several tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the chopped veggies for about 5 minutes, then add the beer and seasonings. Bring to a boil, add the beef back to the mixture. Cover the pot tightly, and turn the heat down to low. Now leave it for about 2 hours, then add the whole vegetables, cover and leave it for another hour. (Add more liquid as needed—do not let the pot dry out.)
When it’s done, take the roast out and let it rest for about 15 minutes, then slice it up. Serve with the whole vegetables. Additionally, you can make a gravy out of the remaining liquid in the pot, but I didn’t do that (this time).
Verdict: It was good—you can’t go wrong with pot roast!
Beer Pairing Suggestion: Well, an Oktoberfest goes well with this, obviously. But I think any malty, more-sweet-than-hoppy beer would pair well with this; it’s comfort food and deserves a "comfort beer."
Press Release: Flying Dog Brewery Launches Beer Dinner Website
August 16th, 2007This looks pretty interesting, actually. I’ll dig around the site when I have some time and comment on it in more detail.
With the increasing popularity of food and beer pairings, Flying Dog Brewery’s new resource website provides the latest information and ideas on the emerging craft beer trend. BeerDinners.com is dedicated to educating craft beer connoisseurs on the “ins and outs” of custom meals prepared with the intention of accentuating each course with a particular style of beer, specifically chosen by the chef.
According to Flying Dog Director of Marketing Neal Stewart, “on BeerDinners.com you can learn exactly what a beer dinner is and how to find one at a restaurant. We’re even offering complete menus prepared by a professional chef for those who want to get a little more adventurous and host their own Beer Dinner,” he said.
The website features menus prepared by Chef Scott Clagett of Boulder, Colorado. “Spicy Dog” features eight courses, including chili-roasted shrimp with mashed sweet potatoes, watercress, mango, citrus and jalapeno served with Snake Dog IPA. Another, titled “Off the Gonzo Grill,” is also an eight course meal capped off with an amazing Gonzo Imperial Porter ice cream float with chocolate covered cherries.
The site also encourages visitors to submit beer dinner ideas or review dinners they have enjoyed. “We want to educate beer aficionados about the entire beer dinner concept, show people how pairing food with beer can really be a remarkable experience and help them be in-the-know on this hot new trend,” said Stewart.
For more information, log onto www.beerdinners.com.
Beer cupcakes
August 8th, 2007Here’s a recipe for beer cupcakes made using Guinness Stout and topped with cream cheese glaze.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to make these.
Previously: Irish stout cake, Beer ice cream, Beer cheesecake!
Matching beer with fine food
June 9th, 2006Here’s an article on MSNBC highlighting the growing movement of pairing beer with fine foods, bringing more culinary respect to beer, a là wine.
Part of the way to win over wine lovers is by showcasing just how well beer can pair with food. [Jim] Koch [founder and brewer of the Boston Beer Company/Sam Adams] worked with Jason Miller, executive chef of David Burke’s Primehouse in downtown Chicago, to create a special menu for BusinessWeek in which each of the four courses was highlighted by an American craft beer, or microbeer as they’re also known. We agreed that Koch, who can do a dead-on impression of Julia Child, could select one of his own beers, but had to choose other brews for the other courses. With each course, we had a 6 oz. tasting of a different beer.
The rules for pairing beer with food are common sense. You should try to complement or contrast the flavors and intensity of the beer — be it the alcohol, malt, hops, or other traits — with the food. Lighter fare like salads or fish work well with lighter beers such as an ale. Richer or spicier foods need something bolder, like a dark, malty Oktoberfest-style brew. To sample the delights along with Koch, we gathered a group of beer aficionados and neophytes at Primehouse.
It’s full of mouth-watering descriptions of the meal courses, and does a fair job of describing the beer accompanying each one. Though I have to object a bit to the beer chosen to accompany the main course, which was one of three dishes: "With such a range of dishes, the beer has to be versatile enough to match foods with so many flavors. Koch’s pick: his own, Samuel Adams Boston Lager."
Boston Lager? Really? I have to say when I think of Boston Lager, "versatility" is the furthest thing from my mind… if you’re looking to pick a beer that can work with a blue cheese steak, or spicy pork shank, or an Asian-flavored Chilean sea bass, I’d pick something like an IPA. Not one of the "extreme" varieties, but something very respectable like Stone IPA or AleSmith IPA.
Irish stout cake
March 17th, 2006This must be "beer dessert" week or something. Slashfood has a post about Irish stout cake with whiskey-sour icing. I’ve really got nothing to add except… yum.
Previously: Beer ice cream, Beer cheesecake!
Beer cheesecake!
March 15th, 2006
Just when you thought the beer ice cream was sounding too good to be true, Slashfood points us to a cheesecake recipe that is made not only with Bailey’s Irish Cream, but Murphy’s Irish Stout.
I’m simply speechless. 
Beer ice cream
March 10th, 2006I suppose it was inevitable at some point, but people are making ice cream out of beer.
The Heritage Belgian beer cafe in The Rocks has "a trio of fruit beer sorbets" made from apple, cherry and peach beers. Made by an outside supplier, they are more like gelato in texture. Part-owner and chef Olivier Massart says the sorbets previously were made on the premises using equal parts of fruit beer, fruit pulp and sugar syrup (a formula that crystallised after a few days in the fridge).
The Redoak Boutique Beer Cafe in the city has gone the whole hogshead, creating a distinctive range of ice-creams and sorbets using the house beers – the pick of the crop is a stunning dark-purple sorbet made with blackberry hefeweizen.
Sounds interesting. I’ve heard of making floats out of ice cream and stout (like a root beer float), but this is a new one to me. I would’ve thought the carbonation would be a problem.
Via Slashfood.
This year’s Valentine’s
February 14th, 2006Happy Valentine’s Day! Not surprisingly, I’ve been getting a lot of hits for searches for "valentines ideas" coming to my post last year for Valentine’s Day. (It’s #10 on Google for that search.) I just re-read that post, it’s pretty good, so check it out if you want to make a beery V-day.
Some other beer-related pointers for today:
- Lew Bryson has an article about women and beer and Valentine’s Day.
- A World of Beer article from 2000: Valentine’s Day Beer & Chocolate Companion.
- A site called "Beer on the Wall" purports to offer up unique Valentines gifts for men (beer-themed, of course).
- Here’s a "For Him on Valentines" gift basket.
Enjoy the day!
Beer cheeses
October 11th, 2005The Pacific Northwest Cheese Project blog has a mouth-watering post on several regional beer cheeses: Rogue Creamery Soba Cheddar (made with Rogue Ales‘ Morimoto Soba Ale) and Windsong Farm’s Hefeweizen Cheddar and Double Trouble IPA Cheddar (made with beer from The Great Bear Brewing Company).
I’m going to have to keep my eye out for beer cheeses now, these definitely sound good to me. Barring that, I’ll have to think about doing some cheese tastings paired with beer… I’m thinking a good strong, dark, perhaps even smoked selection of ales would be good accompaniments…
