Stephen Beaumont's The Beer & Food Companion celebrates two of the finer things in life: beer and food. More than just a celebration, though, the book is a history, an exploration and a how-to on everything related to beer and food pairings.
Beginning with the basics, Beaumont outlines the history of brewing; various types and styles of beer (including specific labels to look for); and stories of how beer and food have been paired throughout history and across the world. From there, the book moves into sections on instruction, accompanied by profiles of contemporary beer connoisseurs. Subsequent chapters on cooking with beer include techniques--like where, in a standard recipe, a liquid might be replaced with beer--and dish-specific recipes. This attention to detail culminates in simple and inspiring charts of food and beer pairings to experiment with.
"The great point," Abraham Lincoln is said to have quipped, "is to bring [people] the real facts--and beer." The Beer & Food Companion brings both, and does it well. --Kerry McHugh, blogger at Entomology of a Bookworm