Category Archives: Cooking with Ginger

Punting For Dinner by Ginger Johnson

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Ginger Johnson

Ginger Johnson Photograph: Judy Pavlik

Hmmm….what to eat for dinner?

Whenever I find myself with that question rolling around in my grey matter, I invariably take stock of, well, my kitchen stocks.

  • What’s in the fridge that needs to be eaten?
  • What’s in the larder to support the fresh goods?
  • What looks appetizing?
  • Who am I feeding?

All those, and sometimes a few more, tend to get my cooking juices flowing. Pretty soon, I’ve put a bunch of ingredients on my prep table and counter. That’s when the magic begins.

I call this kind of cooking ‘punting.’ My Fine Husband and I often find these types of meals happily surprising and usually very satisfying. We’re utilizing ingredients we have on hand because we want to eat them. They clean out the fridge and use foodstuffs before they can spoil. Plus I have the opportunity to be very creative.

Unless there’s science involved in the cooking – say, something like muffins – I’m very comfortable cooking this way as well. After a few decades (!) happily cooking in my kitchens over the years, I am confident in knowing what I like and, overall, what works.

Ginger PhotoIt’s the rare occasion where punting doesn’t turn out. Likely I had more “just okay” meals when I started to punt. You get really good at it though if you do it a lot. And I do. Now’s it’s flat out fun so I do it a lot, rarely referencing a recipe proper to make a delicious and attractive meal.

There are certain ingredients and foodstuffs I like to keep on hand all the time, as much as possible. For me, the following are key & core.

Olive oil, kosher salt & peppercorns (to grind in my simple mortar and pestle when needed), plain yogurt, kale & onions, a variety of nuts, pasta & rice, a few pieces of fresh fruit (or frozen, unprocessed), cheese (parmesan or other harder cheese).

I encourage you to try punting. Maybe you already cook this way as well. I’d love to hear some of your successful combinations you’ve serendipitously put together for successful meals past. Be in touch.

g

Photo: punt made with previously roasted beets, chevre, and other goodies. Quick, nutritious, gorgeous & delicious. 

Ginger JohnsonYou can find Ginger at the links below and also follow her on Twitter.

Entertainer, Flavor Maker, Speaker & Presenter, CEO Ginger Johnson & Women Enjoying Beer TEDxNapaValley  Talk

 

Big Beers and Lessons I Learned Cooking for a Crowd by Ginger Johnson

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P1120047I’ve decided I don’t want or need to be a candy maker. Let me explain.

A short while ago I presented at the fabulously flavorful Big Beers Belgians and Barleywines Festival held in dreamy Vail, Colorado USA. It was the second time I’ve done so and both times have been superb due to the organizers, volunteers, and other supporting characters that make this fundraiser sing.

In plotting and planning for this years session, Wandering Around the Kitchen With Ginger, I had hit upon what I thought were 3 grand recipe ideas. Featuring beer in the prep and cooking, these three candidates excited me: Ceviche with chili beer, polenta with both a savory and sweet sauce made with a barrel aged stout, and fruit muffin made with barleywine and stuffed with blue cheese.

IMG_4266Alas! One of the powers that be, above my direct report, saw to it to squash that whole menu, pulling, in my professional opinion, an unnecessary and selfish stunt only 10 days out from the fest.

Why not spread your arms wide and say, “We’re so glad you’re here. What can we do to help?” instead of pulling the power ripcord that sends others into a tailspin? That kind of unprofessional behavior ticks me off. And it furthered my resolve to make sure I took care of my client – the organizers – not the ones pulling strings to make us dance. Onward. Go ahead, try to control my creativity. I can work with anything.

Once I was given a redirect, and got my extraordinarily altered menu approved (!), then I was off and running. Again.

Beyond the message above (to support and foster vs. push and set up gates), I want to share what I learned in preparing and experimental cooking for this fantastic event this year.

  • Candy makers are a special breed and talent. I set out to make candied fruit and candied citrus rind. Knowing a dash of chemistry and a whole load of patience is involved, I’ve found out it’s not for me. I have a newfound appreciation for candy makers, home to pro.
  • Rehydrating vegetables is a fun pursuit. As a lover of cooking, it’s not hard to convince me to try something new. The aha! moments come when you let go and do just that – try. The mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes I rehydrated were a hit, idea wise for all, flavor wise for some. Regardless, they all tried it – that’s the key.
  • There are always others going through the same obstacle course you are. I found one of my comrades in cooking with beer had gotten a lot of crappy pushback when designing his menu too. Both of us are pros, both are willing to flex and collaborate – and we both decided to move forward and figure out how to do it rather than dwell.
  • People like to be entertained and learn something neat, clever and new. Okay – so I know the entertainment factor is high on the list. It was affirming to get the comments from attendees that they didn’t normally eat/try the vegetables, yet they did so and their eyes were opened. I tell people the best tool for tasting is an open mind, which leads to an open palate, and it’s true.

P1120071I’ll go back every time I am invited to this well run, well-done community benefit. With that one rare exception, everyone was gracious, helpful and understood we were there for a bigger reason: To help the community by participating in a fun and delicious event.

Till the next glass ~

gcj

You can find Ginger at the links below and also follow her on Twitter. 

Entertainer, Flavor Maker, Speaker & Presenter, CEO Ginger Johnson & Women Enjoying Beer TEDxNapaValley  Talk

Now, Approach The Fridge… by Ginger Johnson

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Ginger Johnson / Photo: LaurenDahnIt seems the very first step in cooking these days is to scour articles, farmers markets and biopics of “great” restaurant run by frenetic chefs. For some.

While that may be true for the igottabefirsttotrythisoutbeforemyfriends crowd, t’aint so for me.

My philosophy has developed and evolved over the years. My mom tells My Fine Husband she would have never guessed my current interest in food and cooking was lurking somewhere. As a little girl, I’d be in the kitchen when asked to help, otherwise I was out playing or otherwise occupied, sans kitchen focus.

Since it’s difficult for me to pick any one thing as my inspiration, primarily since it changes, I’ll list a few influencing factors.

What does the fridge hold? What do I have that I feel inspired to cook with?

  1. What needs to be eaten or used before it goes to the mighty compost in the back yard? Expiration is a mighty motivator.
  2. What do I feel like eating? Moods affect the prep and ensuing dishes that emerge from the kitchen.
  3. What might My Fine Husband requested? I appreciate requests, especially since they are more suggestions of an idea, rather than rigid. There are a few go-to’s I don’t mess with though flexibility is in our palates in general.
  4. What would make a fun nibble-your-way-through-it meal? Small plates surely originated in a kitchen wherein someone simply set out the this and that’s, bits and bobs as a friend calls them, to finish up. I call it Clean Out The Fridge (though the larder is fair game too).

So however you approach the fridge, kitchen or food, let your ideas evolve. Be comfortable with adaptations and new combinations, at different times of day. Quiche for dinner, fish for breakfast.

If you like it, enjoy it. If it intrigues you, try it. And I’d suggest you read read read…find people whose writing speaks to you. All the more inspiration and motivation for you to utilize.

I already like to eat. I already love to cook and fritter in the kitchen. Giving yourself permission to fully embrace and enjoy the entire experience is where the joy can be found.

Cheers ~

gcj

You can find Ginger at the links below and also follow her on Twitter. 

Entertainer, Flavor Maker, Speaker & Presenter, CEO Ginger Johnson & Women Enjoying Beer TEDxNapaValley  Talk

Cooking and Booking by Ginger Johnson

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Ginger Johnson

Ginger Johnson

Cookbooks. These two words may instill excitement or fear in you. In me, it provokes curiosity and enthusiasm.

See, I look at cooking as one of the great joys of life. Farther up the this-is-what-I’m-thinking the chain of custody, I love food. I’ve always enjoyed grocery shopping and buying, sorting and unpacking the bags of lovely food brought home to enjoy. Smelling, examining, planning, cleaning, storing, and then eagerly awaiting the next cooking time are all part of food to me.

To that end, I want to share a few cookbooks I like to use as resources. Mentioned here are less known books since the well-known ones are, well, well-known. It’s fun to shed light on smaller tidbits of wonderful in the cooking realm.

Since I’m rarely the Follow That Recipe cook unless there’s chemistry involved, the cookbooks provide more of an inspiration station in my kitchen. Enjoy these suggestions, they’re in no particular order. And know we appreciate your suggestions in return.

  1. 10,000 Tastes of Minnesota, Women’s Club, Minneapolis, MN, 1990

For full disclosure, my mom helped with this project. The Woman’s Club solicited, vetted, cooked (3 –5 time each recipe), corrected, and published this book from member contributions. I’ve vivid memories of my mom working on it AND our family trying new recipes, daily, for The Book. While it’s regional, what I love about it is that it’s a reflection of another time and the recipes are solid and tasty.

  1. Allagash, The Cookbook. Allagash Brewing, 2012

cookbooksIt had me at the cover. A deep blue woodcutesque image on the front of the pillowy hard-bound book entices the reader to open the pages and see what’s inside. Gorgeous photography – one of my good book indicators – greets you and sucks you in. Beyond the aesthetics, it’s a book with ideas I haven’t seen elsewhere that I want to try.

  1. The Beervangelists Guide To The Galaxy, Fred Bueltmann.

I’m a Fred fan. First meeting Fred at SAVOR in 2012 at a Salon which I was moderating turned out to be a big boon for me. We’ve become friends and colleagues, even given a Fred & Ginger beer & food pairing session GABF 2013 and share some similar flavor philosophy. This book is a good read too, with Fred’s voice clearly extolling ideas and considerations for our eatings and drinkings.

  1. The Soup Bible, B & N Books, 2002

A go-to book for me, this is terrific to use and adapt to sauces and gravies, cold and hot, thick and thin soups….all varieties. Yum.

It’s hard for me to stop…after one last look at the shelf….

  1. The Williams-Sonoma Cookbook, 2008.

Yes, this may be a big cookbook, all the same it’s a gem in my kitchen. Great instructive photos, explanations, very doable recipes from the simple to the fancy, never stuffy though. Their other smaller cookbooks (Risotto, Chocolate, etc. series) also have earned shelf space.

Cheers to books of cookery, ideas, and mouth-watering images. A lot of work goes into writing one and it’s definitely on my radar to do so as well. Maybe I can mix it up soon….what can I make for you?

Till the next glass ~

G

Go Here: Seek out bookstores in your neighborhoods, towns, cities and in your travels. They’re a treasure trove of discoveries waiting to be made and bought. Keep in mind, new books are the way authors and writers make money. Used books have their place AND we support the arts with new purchases in harmony with used.

Try This: “Walk The Stacks.” This valuable advice I got years ago from a long time friend. Walking the stacks means going to the local bookseller and simply slowly viewing the choices on display. What catches your eye? Who would be fun to buy a gift for (you or otherwise)? Act on impulse and take home a few goodies that catch your eye and imagination.

If you have questions about the beer industry, food pairings, speaking engagements and events, you can find Ginger at WomenEnjoyingBeer.com or Ginger@WomenEnjoyingBeer.com

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It’s Chocolate Season!

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Ginger Johnson

Ginger Johnson

Okay, just like beer, every season can be chocolate season. I have chocolate on the brain though since I regularly visit Dagoba Organic Chocolate (they’re based in the town I live in, which helps). And if I’m thinking about something, that usually means I’m cooking with it.

And indeed I have been cooking with chocolate. And beer. And loads of other good ingredients.

Here’s a little tip about me: More often than not, if I think, “dessert sure sounds good” for some reason chocolate enters the picture. I love lemony things, savory treats and all varieties of desserts, at about any time of day. Though my tooth isn’t craving massive amounts of sweet, a little at just the right time is a day maker.

Over the weekend, for instance, I was craving oatmeal raisin cookies. You know, slightly chewy, feels-good-to-eat-them sort of wheels of baked wonderfulness. So to my cookbook shelves I went, in search of an oatmeal raisin cookie recipe.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Oddly enough, some of the cookbooks I thought would yield at least one had none. Alas – not one to give up easily, I persevered and located pay dirt in my 1987 Good Housekeeping All American Cookbook. Whew!

Since a recipe to me is an inspiration, rather than a step-by-step instruction list, I like to riff. This time I subbed out a few things AND added a heaping tablespoon of unsweetened Dagoba cacao powder.

Bingo!

The cookies came out with good texture, were slightly crispy, and the cocoa gave them a nice extra depth of flavor without making them very sweet. The raisins have the sweet part wrapped up and the recipe has my seal of approval.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I hope you explore and experiment when you cook. After all, recipes that delight you have to start somewhere!

Oh – and pairing these cookies with a tasty Milk Stout, Coffee Stout, and rich Porter would be truly rewarding. To the maker, go the spoils. Join me?

Till the next (cookie &) glass –

g

Go Here: Support your local Chocolate maker. Don’t know who they are? Use the Internet at your fingers tips to seek out and then buy and try their wares. All tasting has a hit or miss factor, so keep trying until you find one you like.

Try This: Adding chocolate to recipes provides a new layer of flavor depth. For instance, adding a nice chunk of a dark chocolate to a red meat or tomato based slow cooked chili is delightful. Adding a teaspoon of cocoa powder to a marinade gives it a subtle under layer of flavor with other complementary ingredients. Adding a heaping tablespoon to my cookie mix above lent it a nice deep blush as well as a soft cocoa-yness.

If you have questions about the beer industry, food pairings, speaking engagements and events, you can find Ginger at WomenEnjoyingBeer.com or Ginger@WomenEnjoyingBeer.com

 

Spring Greens by Ginger Johnson

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Ginger Johnson of Women Enjoying Beer

Ginger Johnson of Women Enjoying Beer

The Growers and Farmers market across the country, and globe for that matter, are magical places. The people bustling around, the vendors answering questions and selling goods, the locations usually packed with folks.

I love it all. And I’ve liked these markets from the first time I went. It was a very large outdoor farmers market in Minneapolis, Minnesota. My memory is a bit fuzzy since I was still in the single digits yet I clearly remember a few things. The seemingly endless rows of stands, vendors and booths. The brilliant colors of a mid summers selection of grown goods. And the enormous caterpillars that love dill!

Today these markets are still a marvel to me and one I’m thankful for. Having been and continuing to be a vendor at select events across the continent, I know how much work is involved. Early mornings, full days where you greet everyone for the first time each time, and the methodical tear down. Only to repeat it the next day, weekend or month.

The markets in my area are plentiful and much anticipated by the communities they service. On Tuesday of this week I headed to one of my markets, known as a Growers Market, as it launched into the season. Being still cool and certainly at the beginning of the growing year, the selection of fresh veggies was tight – and an impressive array nonetheless from those who grow them in protected structures.

Delicious Fresh Spring Greens

Delicious Fresh Spring Greens

I went on Tuesday to scout and hopefully procure fresh spring greens for a TV segment I do monthly with a local station. The theme for this week’s program, which the host and I agreed on, was fresh greens. 

So what might this have to do with beer? Glad you asked.

Long after the TV spots are over, the greens will still be faithfully growing. They offer a remarkable serving of nutrients and minerals. Beer in fact does have some very solid nutritional value. Vitamin K, silicon, and Vitamin B for starters.

One of the things I’ll be doing more of is developing dressings for salads of all sorts (green and otherwise) that will be complementary. Beer has a mild acidity that works well with various oils to make vinaigrettes. You can cook beer down to get a thicker consistency sauce to use in making various dressings and drizzles. It’s a very versatile ingredient, just as your spring greens are.

I figure combining two winning ingredients – beer and spring greens – will only yield tasty, refreshing and healthy dishes.

Till the next glass ~ g

Go here: Search out fresh markets – searching online will offer numerous results, like via USDA and Local Harvest. Contact Chamber of Commerce’s as well as Visitors Bureaus – they want to help you find what you want and support local businesses.

Try This: Use beer in vinaigrettes by replacing the vinegar with beer. Be aware of what flavors you’re after and the bitterness as well as the sweetness of the beer + the end food that will be carrying the dressing for best results.

If you have questions about the beer industry, food pairings, speaking engagements and events, you can find Ginger at WomenEnjoyingBeer.com or Ginger@WomenEnjoyingBeer.com

Cheers to Cassoulet, I say! by Ginger Johnson

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Ginger Johnson of Women Enjoying Beer

Ginger Johnson of Women Enjoying Beer

Cassoulet. Pronounce it “cass-oh-lay” and let it roll off your tongue. It’s a fun word to say and in my world if a word is fun, particularly in reference to food, I want to explore it further.

In the case of cassoulet, I’m going to venture forth and start making them. Oh sure, as a from-the-hip cook I’ve certainly already riffed unknowingly on cassoulets, using any nature of long slow cooking escapades and ingredients. They’ve usually been good and it feeds my permanent experimentation jones. Now it’s time to actually make a traditional cassoulet, following a recipe so I can see what the real deal tastes like, smells like, feels like, looks like, and sounds like.

The dish is named after the vessel in which it is traditionally cooked – the cassole. It’s been an earthenware container, glazed inside, that’s functioned as the cooking and serving pot all in one.

While I’ve yet to either purchase or be gifted a cassole, I’m going to move forward using a roasting pan or high sided ceramic baking dish. Today in fact I’ve got rabbit in my fridge that’s begging to be included….though rabbit is not one of the traditional ingredients I can see where it fits the feeling of the origins of the dish (see, there I go again). I do have a few of the other usually included items: white beans, garlic, and tomatoes. If I follow Julia Childs’ recipe then I need to take a trip to my markets. Hmmmm…think that’s another permissions slip to grocery shop. And it’s a very small nudge I need to do that!

Herb Bouquet http://www.allaboutyou.com/craft/making/prepare-a-bouquet-garni-48527

Herb Bouquet
Photo: AllAboutYou.com

I’m talking about cassoulet today because my writings here on Your Home are usually beer centric and cassoulet is an excellent example of adding beer to the mix. White wine is called for in this recipe. I could easily substitute a soft delicate Kolsch. I could and do rehydrate beans using beer. And of course I’d want to serve a complementary beer with the finished dish. 

Being a provincial, nutritious, use-a-lot-of-various-ingredients kind of meal, selecting a beer to match nicely with the flavors will be a fun pursuit.

What do you say – care to join me? It’ll be ready at 7.

Till the next glass ~

Go Here: Your local library had lots of cookbooks for you to explore. When you need inspiration, are researching a particular food (like cassoulet) or want to read food herstory, go to your local branch and grab a few cookbooks from the shelf. Find a comfy spot to peruse your choices and take a few home with you.

Try This: Cassoulet. Some of the ingredients are perhaps less common though the end result will surely yield a delicious warm and hearty dish. It’ll be best shared with friends so get a crew together and dig in!

Editors Note: The recipe above includes an Herb Bouquet.  For those who have not been introduced to these little beauties as of yet they are  is a bundle of herbs usually tied together with string and mainly used to prepare soup,stock, and various stews. The bouquet is cooked with the other ingredients, but is removed prior to consumption. For more information please follow this link.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yummy Beer Humus by Ginger Johnson

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Ginger Johnson of Women Enjoying Beer

Ginger Johnson of Women Enjoying Beer

Today brings us to the third recipe that I presented at the Big Beers Belgians & Barleywines festival in Vail a few weeks back. It’s only fitting to go out of January with a trifecta of new recipe ideas, being into a “New Year” and all…here are the other two (1 & 2) from previous Your Home posts.

This humus made with beer has a few unique attributes.

1. The humus itself is a dry mix that you can reconstitute with whatever liquid of your choosing. About a year ago I decided to get some from one of the enticing bulk bins at my local co-op. Wow! I love it and try to have it on hand. It’s supremely flexible, tasty, nourishing, and fun. It’s also nimble to suit a whole host of various diets, making it a hard working steady larder presence.

2. Since it’s a dried mix, you can zip it up as much as you wish. You can leave it simple and classic, as it comes. I added a few goodies to it, since I have a hard time following strict directions!

A colleague of mine recently asked me: does the choice of beer impact what you plan to cook or prepare? To that I say Of Course! Just as a chowder recipe may call for potatoes, a salsa for peppers, and a soup mix for broth. Ingredients are major players in the end result. Yes, technique and creativity factor in. Simply be mindful of the end flavors you are aiming to create and develop. That should help guide you in these decisions.

Mile High Beer Humus

Warm up:

  • 1.5 c liquid – in this case I’d use roughly 1/3 beer to 2/3 water (or vegetable liquid or….) For the record we used Boulevard’s Sixth Glass, a very full flavored and high alcohol beer; tread carefully in quantities for both taste and alcoholic value. 

In a mixing bowl, measure:

  • 1 c dried humus mix
  • 1 – 2 T olive oil 
  1. Once the liquid is warm, pour it into the waiting mixing bowl.
  2. Stir it with a whisk of fork to mix thoroughly.
  3. Let sit for 5 – 10 minutes to fully absorb the liquid. 

Add:

  • Diced red pepper
  • Chopped fresh cilantro
  • Lemon juice to taste

Salt & ground black pepper. NOTE: The mix I use comes pre seasoned, so taste it first before adding any more spices.

Photo: Ginger Johnson

Photo: Ginger Johnson

I served this with a ripped chunk of French bread, a piece each of crisp carrot and celery (leaving the leaves on makes a great presentation!), and a small piece of delicious Midnight Moon cheese.

This recipe is a crowd pleaser and best enjoyed with a small glass of the beer you used in its preparation alongside to sip. Inviting friends to join you makes it all the yummier.

Till the next glass –

g

Go Here: Find a local creamery, call them and see if they offer tours or have regular public hours. I’ve visited a few and love seeing the ground level operation, from start to finish. Some don’t allow visitors due to careful sanitation measures, hence checking on any public tours or events they host is a good thing to ask about.

Try This: The humus mix makes this super fast. I also make hummus from all sorts of beans, and adding a touch of beer either in the rehydration of dried beans or in the final mixing can give a nice spark of flavor. Play around, see what works for you.

If you have questions about the beer industry, food pairings, speaking engagements and events, you can find Ginger at WomenEnjoyingBeer.com or Ginger@WomenEnjoyingBeer.com

Vail, Big Beers and Cooking with Beer: Grown-up Slow Cooked Pork and Beans by Ginger Johnson

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Ginger Johnson

Ginger Johnson

If you read last week’s beer column, you know we shared a delicious recipe that I made at the Vail, Colorado based Big Beers Belgians & Barleywines Festival. We’ll keep the mouth watering going today!

I grew up with lots of green beans, both fresh and canned, yet not a whole lot of the other type of beans. Perhaps we had beans in the occasional chili or other conventional bean-inclusive recipe, though beans were fewer and farther between.

So the last few years have found me really beaning out with an emphasis on rehydrating beans, using them instead of canned. I choose to rehydrate because even organically labeled canned beans have high levels of sodium, something my body doesn’t need in excess.

Once I started rehydrating, it was all a happy down hill snowy slide for me! I save all prep and cooking liquids in my kitchen for further use and enjoyment. About the only liquids I don’t reuse in actual cooking are from prep and cleaning. I give these to my compost bucket or plants since it’s still perfectly good for those purposes.

Fast forward from my bean exploration to the aforementioned fest. Knowing the audience would be quite savvy and perhaps ahead of the average beer fest pack, I put some pressure on myself to really develop some unexpected tasty dishes. Beans provided a big part of the success.

I used Collage in this dish, a collaboration beer made by Deschutes Brewery and Hair Of The Dog Brewing. Credit is due to savvy pro Kimberly Lord Stewart for the name (Grown-up Pork & Beans) per this article she wrote about the fest and our session. I was calling it Roast Pork & Beans, though I like her turn of phrase better.

One key in cooking with beer is to think of it as an ingredient, as a flavor contribution, and as a liquid.

Grown-Up Pork & Beans

This recipe can be easily adapted for quantity, no matter the size of cooker or pot.

  • Get your slow cooker out and make sure it’s clean.
  • Pour your dried beans into the crock.
  • Pour the beer of choice over the beans, covering completely + 1 inch liquid buffer. I poured in about 24 ounces/750 ml worth of beer then added fresh water to level.
  • Turn the cooker on low. Leave it alone for 2 – 4 hours, looking in periodically.
  • If your cooker is a hotter one, watch the heat closer. If it’s got a cooler element, then you may want to turn the temp to medium or high.
  • After about 2 – 4 hours, stirring only once or twice to prevent sticking, turn the heat up to high for 2 – 4 hours.
  • Look in every hour to make sure there’s enough liquid to cook and totally rehydrate. Add liquid as needed. I will often add various waters like vegetable or potato (from previous cooking and steamings) or even pickle brine for a bit of accent if it fits with the flavors.
  • Add some medium marbled pork chops about an hour into the high cycle, stirring them in to cover completely.
  • Add chopped onion, brown sugar or a bit of molasses, a chunk of dark unsweetened chocolate, coarse salt and cracked pepper, and chopped greens like kale, mustard or chard. Stir these in completely.
  • Keep cooking the P&B until you like the flavors, at least 10 hours. An overnight low setting is a great way to really get the flavors to meld and mingle. I prefer after 24 hours of cooking.
Cypress Grove Chevre Bermuda Triangle

Cypress Grove Chevre Bermuda Triangle

This is a dish that gets better and better with time…until it’s gone. It’s really flexible and can be easily adapted to vegan, vegetarian, meat centric, or what have you. Have fun exbeerimenting with beer in your prep and cooking. Enjoy this recipe served with the beer you used in cooking.

I included a nice piece of Cypress Grove Chevre Bermuda Triangle as well as a sliver of Dagoba Dark Chocolate and french bread.

The whole point today is that beans are super agile and delicious both as a cooking medium and as a featured ingredient. So is beer.

Till the next glass ~

g

Try This: Rehydrate a type of bean with various liquids, both overnight – cold in the fridge for a slow soak, as well as with the help of heat on the stovetop or in the slow cooker. If you use heat, be sure to go slow and steady and watch the liquid level so they don’t dry out. It’s always better to have more liquid at the end then tough under hydrated beans.

Go Here: The Cook’s Thesaurus has a helpful page on beans – check it out here. Kim mentioned this place in Denver as well – now it’s on my list to visit!

If you have questions about the beer industry, food pairings, speaking engagements and events, you can find Ginger at WomenEnjoyingBeer.com or Ginger@WomenEnjoyingBeer.com