Beer Cook Book author Susan Nowak talks to David Radtke, of the Tin Drum chain in Brighton, about using cherry beer as an ingredient.
David Radtke's father was Polish and he does serve some intriguing speciality Polish beers at his three Tin Drum gastro-bars in Brighton (named after the Gunter Grass novel set in Danzig) - but it is to Belgium he turns for his most popular beer dish.
This is duck breast with cherry beer sauce, made with cherry red, syrupy Belle- Vue Kriek from the Brabant region, a sort of sweet 'n' sour beer fermented with wild yeasts to a winey complexity. In smart Belgian restaurants you'll find any amount of dishes using cherry beer. Duck, of course, with that lambic acidity cutting through the fattiness, and wild rabbit, which is gorgeous when simmered in cherry beer. "I love to use the slightly tarter Liefmans Kriek [cherry] to stir-fry thinly-sliced red cabbage with sultanas, and to make my most popular dessert, cherry beer syllabub, a confection of whipped cream, cherry beer and almonds," said David. "In the evening the bars have their own specials boards, but we have a main bar menu for the three pubs at lunch time, and this dish has proved very popular with our regulars."
The dish was devised by executive head chef Patrick Davy, who marinates the duck breasts overnight in the kriek, then reduces the beer with fresh Morello cherries to make a jus. The duck breast is pan-fried in butter to give a crispy skin, and the pan de-glazed with the kriek to make the sauce. Carve the duck breast onto a pool of sauce and accompany with spring greens, braised red cabbage and fondant potatoes. Other beer dishes on the Tin Drum's menu have included Leffe Blonde ice cream, which David says has proved popular with regulars.
It is made by boiling milk and cream.This is poured onto egg yolks and sugar, which are mixed and cooked until it thickens. Once cooled down this is mixed with a reduction of Leffe Blonde beer and churned. The three Tin Drum bars in Seven Dials, Kemptown and Hove serve all fresh food prepared on the premises, with ingredients sourced locally where possible. David says that people often drink beer with their food, although this is usually in the bar area and from the bar menu. He explained that the outlets are upmarket neighbourhood bars with a mainly professional clientele and with 35% of turnover in food. "Our food trade is critical to the success of our operation and we always aim for the highest quality, even if that means we don't make huge margins," he says.
Turning the tables A new book on beer and food, The Brewmaster's Table, has just landed in this country from across the pond, writes Jo Bruce. It is written by New York Brooklyn Brewery's brewmaster Garrett Oliver - dubbed the Robert Parker of beer - who believes the right beer is a perfect partner to any dining experience. The book has the sub-title Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food, and if by the end of this you aren't converted to the beer and food brigade, then nothing will twist your arm.
Don't let the cheesy front cover put you off, as this book is full of useful info on the subject, such as the history of beer, the principles of matching beer and food, wheat beers, the British ale tradition, the Belgian ale tradition and the Czech-German lager tradition. It also looks at new trends, such as American craft brewing. At the back is a useful reference guide to beer and food, which gives you some quick suggestions on what beers match with what food. Among Oliver's suggestions are apple pie with Imperial stout or strong Baltic porter and cream stout.
For Ceaser salad he recommends Weiss bier, American wheat beer or Kolsch. To match cod he suggests British bitter or pale ale and for game a strong dark Trappist or abbey ale. The Brewmaster's Table costs £22.50 and is published by HarperCollins.