In the past, I’ve never been impressed with recipes that include beer. Recipes seemed to fall into three categories: 1. Recipes that include a small amount of beer so as to include “beer” in the recipe title. Not enough beer to make a noticeable difference. 2. Recipes that fall to the other end of the spectrum – no such thing as too much beer! I’d rather drink my beer, not eat my beer. 3. Recipes that include beer but don’t specify beer style, resulting in an overly bitter dish, or something too malty sweet.
The Craft Beer Cookbook by Jacquelyn Dodd has changed my opinion of beer as an ingredient. From breakfast to main dish to desert, Dodd provides a nice variety of recipes with beer as an active yet balanced component. Most of the recipes are not terribly complex, making them useful for everyday cooking. Better still, most recipes include explanations for why a certain style is required for the recipe, guiding you to the right beer flavor balance. My favorite recipes so far: Smokey Beer Mac and Cheese and Lemon Orange IPA Pudding with Beer Whipped Cream.