Right!!! One of the many marvels of living in Europe is all the different types of beer you can drink, and of course, the food you can eat while drinking those great beers. While many automatically think of Germany when reflecting on European beer, one of my favorites is Real Ale found in England. Real Ale, also known as cask conditioned ale, is brewed from traditional ingredients, matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed, and served without the use of carbon dioxide using a hand pump. (See www.camra.org.uk for more info about this beer delight) There is nothing like the sight of a freshly poured Real Ale, except, of course, the experience of drinking one!!
 
Real Ale is usually served just a bit warmer than we normally drink beer and is dispensed without adding carbonation. As a result, the beer is full of flavor, unlike some mass-produced American beers whose flavor is masked by too much water and carbonation. The classic food match with Real Ale is Fish and Chips. You can find a great recipe for Fish and Chips at http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/RECIPES/RECIPES/Fish/fishandchips.html As you can probably tell, I love a good cask conditioned ale. But when it comes to really good European beer, Belgium offers the quintessential beer experience. With over 300 hundred breweries offering an amazing assortment of beers, this small country is a brewing powerhouse. Beyond the beer, Belgium has a very sophisticated beer cuisine, or cuisine à la bière. Instead of trying to decide what wine to have with dinner, many Belgian restaurants offer you the choice of which beer to serve with each course. Many restaurants, in fact, offer entire menus made and served with the traditional beers of Belgium. The Spinnekopke, or "Spider's Head" in Brussels is one restaurant offering fine examples of traditional Belgian beer cuisine. (www.ebru.be/Restaurants/RstSpinnekopke.html) This month's recipe, Brussels Style Pork Chops, is a hearty winter recipe and an excellent example of cuisine à la bière.
 
Europe certainly remains a beer heaven, but today the United States is experiencing a beer renaissance, and many local breweries offer interesting and tasty beers that exceed their European inspirations. Some are even making fine cask condition ales. In the Philadelphia area there are several small breweries that easily match the quality of European beer, and are definitely worth the trip to experience the beers on tap. Victory, Yard's, and Iron Hill offer brilliant ales in the Philadelphia area, and in Harrisburg, Tröegs makes exceptional beer. On my next excursion to Philly, I'd be happy to join you for a pint!
 
From the front lines of good food, your correspondent,
 
Angelo