Beer with Food

[A Balic]

An Italian friend gave us a recipe for Porcini risotto that uses white beer (such as Hoegaarden) instead of wine. It gives a nice fruitiness to the end product. I think that wine, except fino sherry, sucks when paired with Sushi etc. I would rather have a beer.

"Milk stout" were originally made of nursing mothers. They contain added lactose (hence Milk stout) which yeast can not break down, so it is a good diet supplement for lactating mothers who may not have access to fresh milk.

[tommy]

I think that wine, except fino sherry, sucks when paired with Sushi etc. I would rather have a beer.

what is the "etc."?

i enjoy crisp whites with sushi.  it might be imporant to note that i generally eat only tuna, yellowtail, and mild non-oily fish.  and, i also enjoy the relatively sweet japanese style beers with sushi.  saki, however, i never enjoy, although friends insist on drinking it when eating sushi.  hot saki no less.

i also like selzter with sushi, for a very "clean" experience.  i feel so darned healthy after that meal!

[Steve Plotnicki]

Cabrales-Ghislaine Arabian's cooking was covered in my original post when I talked about dishes that are braised in beer. In fact, that is her whole schtick.

Adam-When you don't have sushi that is loaded up with soy sauce and wasabi (two flavors that are deadly for wine,) wines with a floral chracteristic like Condrieu and Gewurztraminer actually go pretty well. The same is true for a certain style of Asian fusion cooking that relies on mild fruits to flavor the dishes. As for British/Irish mothers who were given stout to nurse with, I can't think of an example of society going more wrong than that. It's like the U.S. government stamping the seal of approval on an artificial product that has the sufficient nutritional value while causing cancer at the same time from the chemicals. Helloooo, it's a baby and we're talking about alcohol. Surely there were safer ways to get iron into a mothers system.

[Wilfrid]

Adam, I am ashamed to say I never knew what milk stout was.  Thanks for that.  A popular brand was called Cream Label, just to reinforce the message.  Too sweet for me; I preferred Mackeson.  (No, I wasn't nursing at the time, thanks for asking.)

[Fat Guy]

Sushi is also good with sparkling wine.

Plotnicki, stop evading my question!

[cabrales]

Cabrales-Ghislaine Arabian's cooking was covered in my original post when I talked about dishes that are braised in beer. In fact, that is her whole schtick.

A quick note that certain non-sushi Japanese foods could be taken in with beer as well.  For example, Sapporo notes: "The taste of food cooked over a charcoal grill is a perfect match for beer."

http://www.sapporobeer.jp/english/who/busi...restaurant.html

In mainland China, it is not uncommon for multi-course communal-style diners to be accompanied by Tsingtao or another beer.  Sam Adams includes Chinese food as potentially matching beer, although the diversity within Chinese food would have to be considered and certain of the other food categories on the company's website appear dubious.

http://www.samadams.com/beer/pairings/

Below are some recipes from Tsingtao with beer as an ingredient (not tried, of course; the shrimp steamed in beer dish sounds decent):

http://www.tsingtaobeer.com/tsingtao/recipes.htm

[Jinmyo]

Hm. Tradionally, sake would not be served along with sushi. Before or after, yes. But only green tea with the sushi. Or sashimi.

[tommy]

Sushi is also good with sparkling wine.

not surprising, as bubbles go with *everything*.

[A Balic]

Tommy - all those other darling Japanesy fishy things.

Steve - suggesting that gewurztraminer goes with Asian food is the last refuge of a scoundrel. No condiments? I would rather eat British food. Also about the stout thing, it's only beer and its not like they were downing cases of the stuff. Better then no nutrition supliment at all.  Anyway, my French friend drinks a glass of red wine and still breast feeds, so it must be OK.

Wilfrid - it is a little sweet isn't it. I prefer my beer to me Blonde.

Fat guy - is there anything that sparkling wine doesn't go with?

[Fat Guy]

Fat guy - is there anything that sparkling wine doesn't go with?

Red wine.

[A Balic]

Oh, we have Sparkling red wine in Australia. It's very good. No doubt some American will "discover" it and steal it from us (Note how effortlessly I slide in to parochial mode).

[Bux]

I wish I could remember where I read an article about pizza in Italy and the pizza maker explaining why beer was the better accompaniment. A rosé is the better choice in Provence or on the Côte d'Azur when eating pizza outdoors for reasons having more to do with eating outdoors in Provence. Sometimes where you're eating has more to do with what beverage tastes best than what you're eating.

I'd also suggest that most of our tastes are acquired.

[Fat Guy]

I'd also suggest that most of our tastes are acquired.

There you go again, Bux. Just because tastes are acquired doesn't mean some don't make more sense than others.

Plotnicki, if you do a beer and wine comparison with pizza, don't do it with the crap beer they're going to be serving at a pizzeria on the beach. You'll be comparing decent wine with bad beer.

[tommy]

Just because tastes are acquired doesn't mean some don't make more sense than others.

i think some can be rationalized/argued more easily than others, but surely making "more sense" is in the eye of the beholder.

and, sometimes crappy beer is just what (crappy) pizza needs.

[Steve Plotnicki]

Adam-Fox Creek Sparkling Shiraz was one of the most deadly things I ever drank. I opened a bottle, poured some, and even before I tasted it the people in my house were screaming about the color which was black as mud. Nevertheless I was brave enough to taste it. Pure piss. The bottle was immediately poured down the drain. Now if you want a good sparkling red wine, try a Bugy de Cerdon from the Macon. Extremely delighful and sells for something like 10 pounds a bottle.

As for Gewurz and Asian food, it depends on the cuisine. Even though I'm not a big fan of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc's, they do go well with Thai food because of their grassiness. But if we switched to Chinese food I would prefer a Gewurz.

[tommy]

As for Gewurz and Asian food, it depends on the cuisine. Even though I'm not a big fan of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc's, they do go well with Thai food because of their grassiness. But if we switched to Chinese food I would prefer a Gewurz.

one certainly must be careful when generalizing "asian" food.  it's really not possible.

why a gewurz with chinese?  i go with a NZ SV again.  a little more zing to cut through the gooey sweet sauces.  gewurz with spicey indian certainly (indian, that's asian, right?)

[Fat Guy]

I can't even understand what you're saying.

[tommy]

I can't even understand what you're saying.

come on now.  being mean to be funny is one thing, but being mean to be mean because you don't know what i mean is quite another.

[Fat Guy]

In my heart, I know I'm funny.

Does the shift key work on your new computer?

[tommy]

In my heart, I know I'm funny.

i was beginning to question if you had that particular organ.

Does the shift key work on your new computer?

absolutely.  but i have disabled them as i see it annoys you and wilfrid.

[Fat Guy]

I see you reached way back for the "NZ SV" though. Or did you use insert-->symbol for those?

Don't force me to add a smiley every time I insult you, just to avoid hurting your feelings. Be a man and just assume the smiley. To reduce me to adding it is undignified.

[tommy]

Don't force me to add a smiley every time I insult you, just to avoid hurting your feelings. Be a man and just assume the smiley. To reduce me to adding it is undignified.

gotcha.  

I see you reached way back for the "NZ SV" though. Or did you use insert-->symbol for those?

i have no idea what you're saying.

edited:  although, i obviously meant "NZ SB". (i gotta get this new monitor set up correctly.  can't see a damned thing)

[Fat Guy]

A user named Baruch posted on this thread:

http://www.egullet.com/ib3....4&t=427

You should make friends with him and start the lower-case club.

[tommy]

i like  him/her already.  however, i do not like "clubs."

YOU HAVE TO ADMIT THAT ITS A LOT BETTER THAN THIS WHICH YOU SEE ON OTHER WEBSITES DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN

[Steve Plotnicki]

Tommy-Sweet sauces in Chinese food? Usually soy sauce is bad with wine. I find that Gewurz handles the soy better than others. As for NZ SB, I think the grassy quality is what makes them go well with Thai food. Otherwise I would never drink the stuff as I am a purist. That's why I didn't like the curry sprinkled on Hoffman's Langouste dish. But with Indian food I promise you an Auslese is best. Try it.