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Eat Globally, Drink LocallyCookbook author and chef Jay Harlow “taps” into the microbrew phenomenon with his new book The Microbrew Lover’s Cookbook.
A good beer at the dinner table has always been one of life’s greatest pleasures. Today, thanks to the microbrew revolution, North American diners no longer have to look overseas for flavorful lagers and ales. The Microbrew Lover’s Cookbook is an international collection of palate tempting recipes to pair with the full range of local beers. Some foods taste better with wine, but the flavors of others are best paired with beer. And not just any beer; some call for a crisp ale, others a full-bodied lager. Author Jay Harlow—a Berkeley-based chef, author, and teacher—reveals his culinary explorations in search of tastes that complement microbrewed beer, including spicy Latin/Mexican dishes; the Asian palate that centers around ginger and soy; regional American fare from jambalaya to Northwest grilled salmon; and, of course, a full array of European dishes. When Harlow pairs a dark porter with marinated and grilled fish, he may cite a local favorite brewed and available only in Los Angeles, but Detroit’s favorite porter will work just as well. The American palate has diversified over the last 20 years, as this multicultural cookbook demonstrates. And as the nation has become sophisticated enough to take pesto and chile verde for granted, so has the taste in beer been elevated. This new cookbook is full of recipes organized around international palates, designed to complement particular styles of beer. In The Microbrew Lover’s Cookbook, Harlow provides a general introduction to beer and the particular tastes of the craft-brew styles (lager vs. porter vs. weizen, etc.) He then takes time to educate the reader in properly combining beer and food. The regionally divided recipe section includes microbrew pairings. For example, in the chapter “Malt and Hops, Meet Ginger and Soy: Beer and Foods of East and Southeast Asia,” Harlow recommends amber ale with Chinese red-cooked chicken, but a dry pale ale with Thai “street style” grilled chicken. “The West Coast has led the nation’s interest in (some would say obsession with) food—how it is produced, how it is distributed, and above all, how it tastes,” writes Harlow in the introduction. “Consumers continue to demand more flavor, more freshness, and more natural ingredients in everything from salad greens, breads, and cheese to coffee and beer. We are becoming more attuned to the seasons, and to balancing our desire for ingredients from around the world with supporting our local farmers, fishermen—and brewers.” The Microbrew Lover’s Cookbook is truly a celebration of the marriage between delicious international dishes and locally-brewed beer. ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Jay Harlow is an author, columnist, and teacher in the area of food and wine. He is the author and co-author of 11 cookbooks, including The California Seafood Cookbook and West Coast Seafood. He wrote seafood columns in the San Francisco Chronicle and Examiner for many years, and was a chef at the Hayes Street Grill and Fourth Street Grill in Berkeley. He travels the country teaching cooking, notably with Sur La Table, and is currently a regular contributor to the food section of the Los Angeles Times and Food Arts. Sasquatch Books Edited by Madelyn Miller |
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Once
upon a time I could go to the store and buy a six pack of any popular
American beer and think that I was covered. Now, I know better. The beers
are a lot more interesting. And so are my friends. (even before anyone
drinks)