The Microbrew Lover's Cookbook [Paperback]

Jay Harlow (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2002

Many beer lovers relish the flavorful qualities of microbrews, and now they can enhance the experience with food that complements their favorite pale ales, lagers, and porters. Imagine the taste of Spicy Garlic and Red Pepper Shrimp (Gambos al Ajillo) paired with an icy cold hefeweizen. Envision a full-bodied amber next to a plate of Red Curry. Or enjoy Grilled King Salmon washed down with a special lager. From a bestselling author, Jay Harlow’s multicultural cookbook presents 125 dishes — including Latin American fare, Asian recipes, and regional American comfort food — to pair with craft-brewed beer.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The Pacific Coast was the birthplace of the microbrewery explosion, and, as Harlow points out, the region, especially California, is also where "New American" (or "fusion," or "Pacific Rim") cuisine first flourished. A prolific author and former chef, Harlow presents more than 100 delicious recipes to enjoy with microbrews, organized into chapters by cuisines (e.g., "From the Beer Belt," northern and central Europe; "From the Spice Bazaar," North Africa, the Middle East, and India; and so forth). Each one is accompanied by a beer recommendation, but these are for general types rather than hard-to-find labels. For most collections.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Sasquatch Books (September 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570613125
• ISBN-13: 978-1570613128
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,377,991 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars good beer + good food = good purchase, November 2, 2006

By 

E. Williams "music, movie, food, and beer lover" (St Pete, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Microbrew Lover's Cookbook (Paperback)

I have bought a lot, perhaps too many, books on beer with food. My first was The Brewmaster's Table, by Garrett Oliver--which I highly recommend. That book was entirely about craft beer and Oliver's opinions on pairing beer with food. Harlow's book differs from Oliver's in that it is actually a cook book--and a darn good one at that. Rather than the wealth of information that Oliver provides regarding specific breweries and their beers, Harlow focuses his energy partly on pairing general styles of beer with food, but mostly on the recipes that he feels lend themselves to pairing with beer.

Compared to most of the other books I have purchased in this genre, Harlow does not waste our time with crappy recipes where cooking WITH beer is the focus. Thus, few of the recipes contained actually use beer as an ingredient--which I appreciate. Further, the recipes are regionally diverse. Sure, the longest chapter is the one with "American" recipes, but it is only one of six total chapters of recipes. Other regions whose cuisine Harlow provides us with include the Germanic region, the Mediterranean, East and Southeast Asia, India, North Africa, and Latin America. Within these sections, Harlow provides useful tips and techniques for cooking in general, and interesting ideas regarding beer. In other words, there is a lot of extra information here that is interesting and/or useful, not just recipes. While these interspersed bits of info are not included in the table of contents (which lists, in order, all the recipes contained in each section), they are referenced in the index, which is extensive and well-organized.

The first 20 or so pages of the book are divided into a few sections: an introduction on the current state of brewing in the world; "Brewing in the West," a brief history of brewing in the US; "The Brewing Process," giving a beginner's outline of the process and then a Glossary of terms including beer styles and tasting terminology, with perhaps too brief entries for each; and "Beer at the Table," which is a very well written passage on pairing beer with food and the things to think about when deciding a pair. I liked this section a lot because he had a more cuisine-oriented approach than Oliver--it's just good to have both sides!--and he breaks down the sensory components of flavor and how beer contributes to each.

If you're at all pondering whether or not to get this book, think no further. BUY IT! It was published recently (2002), has 150 recipes, and will definitely be of use to you if you're at all interested in any of the above-mentioned subjects.