What food and drink to serve as the main course depends largely upon what is in season- as well as the style of food that was served previously.
Vegan sushi with seasonal veggies or stir-fry and rice would be delicious with an IPA. If you are not an IPA kind of person, try an ESB. Negro Modela would also be nice.
Stuffed portobella mushrooms or fettucini alfredo with spinach match well with an oatmeal stout like Wolaver's or Anderson Valley.
Something heavier like a mushroom stroganoff or vegan loaf with mashed potatoes would hold up to the strong taste of a scottish style ale nicely. Kilt Lifter by Pike is a thick, hearty ale. Skullsplitter is for more adventurous tastes who aren't afraid of a higher alcohol content. This would also make a great beer for those who wish to finish the evening with a lambic instead of something super-strong.
The common theme for dinner ales is something malty and rich, yet still not too rich or overwhelming. Save the imperial stout for desert!
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Pairing Vegetarian food with Beer, part 2
The second course depends on how elaborate you feel the meal should be.
If you are enjoying a short, yet sweet dinner party/family gathering, a small salad with leafy greens, grated carrot and radishes (or change up the radishes for snow peas or green onions) adorned with a dark vinaigrette or sesame dressing would bring out the flavors of a strong porter wonderfully.
If you and your guests wish to linger over your next beer with something more substantial, try stuffed mushrooms accompanied by Alaskan Smoked Porter or Stone Imperial Porter. A simple antipasta plate with olives, roasted red peppers, crusty bread, and eggplant caponata would also be more satisfying and sophisticated with fine beer.
A nice, heavy beer works well in this course. You'll need some time to digest. Drinking a beer that encourages sipping would also enable conversation to meander more freely, without focusing on just the food.
*Note that if you choose salad as a 2nd course, sharing a 22 ounce beer amongst 3 or 4 people is highly encouraged. Otherwise a 22 ounce beer may serve 2-3 guests.
If you are enjoying a short, yet sweet dinner party/family gathering, a small salad with leafy greens, grated carrot and radishes (or change up the radishes for snow peas or green onions) adorned with a dark vinaigrette or sesame dressing would bring out the flavors of a strong porter wonderfully.
If you and your guests wish to linger over your next beer with something more substantial, try stuffed mushrooms accompanied by Alaskan Smoked Porter or Stone Imperial Porter. A simple antipasta plate with olives, roasted red peppers, crusty bread, and eggplant caponata would also be more satisfying and sophisticated with fine beer.
A nice, heavy beer works well in this course. You'll need some time to digest. Drinking a beer that encourages sipping would also enable conversation to meander more freely, without focusing on just the food.
*Note that if you choose salad as a 2nd course, sharing a 22 ounce beer amongst 3 or 4 people is highly encouraged. Otherwise a 22 ounce beer may serve 2-3 guests.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Pairing Vegetarian food with Beer, part. 1
Summertime is the bleakest for my husband finding beer to suit his taste. He loves malty, dark beers- imperial stouts, porters, scotch and smoked ales, or sometimes a barley wine or black beer. If an IPA is maltier than hoppy- like Dogfish Head's 120 Minute + 90 Minute IPA's.
What those who purchase beer for restaurants and grocery stores seem to be missing is that there is a place for darker beer over the warmer months. As a matter of fact, I have many friends who shy away from Pale Ales and Wheat Ales and IPA's. However, there are many varieties of foods we eat between spring to early fall that would complement a dark ale.
Having Guiness on tap ubiquitously in place of a more unique dark ale gets old to these folks who like darker ales, too, by the way.
What do I recommend? Let's take a look at what beer would be considered appropriate with warmer weather foods.
Starting with a first course, like soup. We don't usually consider eating soup when it is warm outside, but some soups work particularly well. Think split pea soup. Light enough for the palate to contemplate in the heat, yet subtly rich and complex. A simple tomato soup is also nice. Miso soup...all of these soups will hold their own when paired with a darker ale.
Imagine you are sitting down waiting for the first course. You need a beer that will hold you over, but also agree with your food. A somewhat darker Brown or Black ale would really stand out. Saranac's Black and Tan, Rogue's NutBrown ale, Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale or Wolaver's Brown Ale come to mind.
What those who purchase beer for restaurants and grocery stores seem to be missing is that there is a place for darker beer over the warmer months. As a matter of fact, I have many friends who shy away from Pale Ales and Wheat Ales and IPA's. However, there are many varieties of foods we eat between spring to early fall that would complement a dark ale.
Having Guiness on tap ubiquitously in place of a more unique dark ale gets old to these folks who like darker ales, too, by the way.
What do I recommend? Let's take a look at what beer would be considered appropriate with warmer weather foods.
Starting with a first course, like soup. We don't usually consider eating soup when it is warm outside, but some soups work particularly well. Think split pea soup. Light enough for the palate to contemplate in the heat, yet subtly rich and complex. A simple tomato soup is also nice. Miso soup...all of these soups will hold their own when paired with a darker ale.
Imagine you are sitting down waiting for the first course. You need a beer that will hold you over, but also agree with your food. A somewhat darker Brown or Black ale would really stand out. Saranac's Black and Tan, Rogue's NutBrown ale, Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale or Wolaver's Brown Ale come to mind.
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