• beer,  blogging,  booze,  food,  local,  microbrews

    Craft Beer Week: Drink it in

    It’s craft beer week here in Madison, which means that there are tastings, dinners, and “meet the brewmaster” events all over town. It’s an embarrassment of riches, really, and I’d need a whole team of bloggers–and a string of babysitters–to be able to do justice to even a fraction of the flavors on tap throughout the week. Despite having neither, I’ve managed to sample a few things, and I’m noticing a theme emerge– I’ve been enjoying some things that I normally wouldn’t order. I tend to be an ale kind of girl, particularly IPAs. So it’s been good to sample some things out of my comfort zone. The best of…

  • beer,  beverages,  booze,  cheese,  food,  local,  microbrews,  nerdiness,  recipes

    A Recipe for Wintry Weather

    It’s been snowing all day here in Madison. My daffodils and hyacinth are covered in glistening chunks of ice. There’s almost nothing good about winter weather in spring, except for the fact that it gives me an excuse to make just a few more hearty meals before turning to lighter, springtime fare. And nothing says hearty like beer and cheese. As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a stipend from New Belgium Brewery to purchase their beer and create a recipe with it. Since I can’t drink beer these days (I’m 28 weeks pregnant), the next best thing is to cook with it. Most of the alcohol cooks…

  • booze,  chocolate,  food,  microbrews,  peanut butter,  sweets,  wine

    Pairing Drinks with Halloween Candy

    Halloween is upon us and, with it, bags and bags of grocery store sweets. Whether you swipe Fun Size Snickers from your kids’ plastic pumpkins or you scarf down the leftovers you bought for trick-or-treaters, chances are you’ll be indulging in some candy. And if you’re looking for an adult beverage to go with that candy, look no further. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups go great with beer. Although some might suggest a heavier brew, like Lake Louie’s Warped Speed Scotch Ale, these sweet and slightly salty little peanut butter cups also would go great with a light, caramely ale, like Furthmore’s Proper. In Food Network Magazine, restaurateur Tom Geniesse of…

  • beer,  blogging,  booze,  green living,  local,  microbrews

    Green Beer

    No, I’m not talking about the dyed stuff you drink on St. Patty’s Day. I’m blogging today about the benefits of buying locally-sourced and locally-brewed beer, over at Wisconsin Public Television’s Engage Wisconsin website. Luckily, where I live in Wisconsin, we have a lot of good options. You probably do, too. What are your favorite local beers where you live?

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  • food,  local,  microbrews

    Pairing Chocolate and Beer

    I first discovered that chocolate and beer taste good together at a Notre Dame football tailgate. I was a college student, and happened to pop a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup into my mouth, followed by a sip of Milwaukee’s Best Light. I’m happy to report that I’ve moved up in the world. Last week, I had the opportunity to attend a chocolate and beer tasting led by chocolatier extraordinaire Gail Ambrosius. We tasted single-origin chocolate from different parts of Central and South America, paired with  microbrews from Ale Asylum, Lake Louie, Furthermore, and New Holland Brewery. Midwestern craft beer and chocolate from the tropics may seem like an unlikely combination,…

  • dog-friendly,  food,  local,  microbrews

    Puppies and Microbrews

    I’m doing it. The puppy post. But it will tie in with food (the people kind). And beer. I promise. One thing I miss about Chicago is all of the dog-friendly bars. It’s not uncommon to walk by the outdoor patio of a pub and see dogs leashed to their owners’ tables. So when the bar Woofs opened in Madison, I walked right in and naively asked the bartender if it was a place I could bring my dog. He laughed at me and set me straight. Literally. Woofs is a gay bar (something we also have too few of in Madison). Oops. While it turns out Woofs is not…