Check out the big giant head on this Duvel from Belgium. Highly rated and highly regarded by the beer people of the world, this pale ale has a citrusy nose and a harsh attack. Sharp around he edges. The finish is dry, but in the end--being wine drinkers--we found the high carbonation a little too much.
The food is Gnocchi With Sausage and Spinach, from the Real Simple web site.
We could have paired Riesling or Gewurztraminer with this spicy noodle dish, but we weren't feeling it. So we asked expert food and wine writer Fiona Beckett if she could recommend a beer for us. She replied, "a witbier (bière blanche)!"
And she was so right! The crisp, refreshing citrus of this Hoegaarden Belgian White Ale paired perfectly with the peanut sauce and even picked up the cilantro in the recipe. Why did it take us so long to discover and appreciate the magic of Belgian witbier?
This noodle recipe is easy to make, tasty, and healthy. Also vegetarian.
Aunt Jeannie's Peanut Noodles and Tofu
8 oz spaghetti
1/2 cup veggie broth
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup old fashioned peanut butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. red chile flakes
3 tbsp soy sauce
14 oz firm tofu, cubed
1/2 English cucumber, cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
1. Cook pasta, drain, set aside.
2. Heat broth, garlic, peanut butter, sugar, chile flakes, and soy sauce in past apot until boiling, stirring often. Add tofu, cucumber, and pasta and toss to coat.
3. Transfer pasta to serving bowl, top with cilantro and peanuts. Serve warm but not hot.
Thank you Fiona and Aunt Jeannie!
Classic pairing: a cold Philly night and a roast chicken. But with wine or beer? We turned to He Said Beer, She Said Wine: Impassioned Food Pairings to Debate and Enjoy: from Burgers to Brie and Beyond, written by and Marnie Old (wine) and Sam Calagione (beer) for advice.
Marnie Old's wine pairing is Rosemount Estate Show Reserve Chardonnay. We were a little skeptical at first, but the buttery flavor and tropical fruit were a great match. Even better was that were we able to find another bottle of this wine at $9.99, an absolute steal.
But, perhaps owing to the fact that we drink so much wine, the beer pairing stole the show. Sam Calagione recommended something called Escura Eisenbahn, which we couldn't find. But he said we could substitute "Trappist Ale." So we found Westmalle Dubbel, a dark, reddish brown Belgian trappist ale that we loved. Very nice malty flavor. Next time you have roast chicken we suggest you try this. A reviewer on Beer Advocate noted the "thick and big tan head" that is "slow to dissipate," so be extra careful when pouring.
Since we don't usually buy beer we had to buy this in a deli-type place, so we must have been overcharged at $6.99 (for one bottle!) Hopefully this can be found elsewhere at lower prices. Beer people please send suggestions on where to buy!
Wesmalle Dubbel
Available at the Foodery and Beer Heaven $6.99/bottle and up.
We'll drink beer from time to time, and when we do Yards General Washington's Tavern Porter is one of our favorites. Yards is a Philadelphia brewery and Washington's Porter is part of their "Ales of the Revolution." They claim this is from an authentic recipe of Washington's and that it was one of his favorite Philadelphia beers. Perhaps he drank it at the first President's House in Philadelphia.
This beer is dark brown and had a thick, long lasting head. Smooth but not too creamy, malty and tasted of molasses. Good for cold winter nights.
