|
A
TASTE OF TEXAS
So, you want to blaze new trails on the map of your tongue? Head to
Texas. First stop: Dallas, where palate-pleasing combinations of beer
and food are offered by Yegua Creek Brewing Co.
Founded in February 1994, Yegua Creek's menu offers specialty foods
made in the area, from the ancho chile infused cacciota of the Mozzarella
Company, to fresh pasta made by the nearby Raviolissimo, to ranch-raised
game and venison. What could be more perfect to go with new Texan
cooking but the full-bodied flavors of freshly brewed beers?
Imagine a wheat beer sharp with yeast, paired with a rich appetizer
of spicy black bean ravioli with an asiago cream sauce, gently seasoned
with achiote, an earthy spice commonly used in Southwestern and Mexican
cooking.
Or
try the "beerbecued" buffalo brisket tacos and chicken-cilantro
tamales, paired with the hoppy, copper-colored pale ale known as Icehaus
( not "ice" brewed, but named after the original moniker
of the vintage building occupied by Yegua Creek, the Republic Ice
House).
Traditional Texas prairie cooking also gets a lift from lighter lager
and pilsner style brews. Matt Martinez, chef-owner of Rancho Martinez
and No Place Restaurant, serves simple, straightforward Texas classics,
such as chicken-fried steak, chili, and Gulf seafood. "Basic
TexMex cooking is still very hot," says Martinez.
But
the nuevo rancho style of cooking with field mushrooms, wild game
and American-made queso blanco, is gaining in popularity. For example,
Martinez serves an appetizer of corn pancakes, topped with grilled
Gulf of Mexico shrimp, sauteed bell peppers and onion, portabello
mushrooms, and lean wild boar chorizo, drizzled with warm melted cheese
thinned with chicken stock.
"Most
people order a simple, quenching Lone Star or Shiner Bock with this
one," says Martinez. "The smoky flavor of the sausages go
great with beer." In Texas, most people consider beer to be the
natural partner to Mexican food.
"TexMex
food is spiced with cumin, garlic, oregano, chiles, salt and pepper.
With foods that are this flavorful, you want to drink something that
is sparkling and cool, like a lager."
But the appeal of Texas foods extends beyond pairings with Texas-brewed
beers. The natural affinity between the intensely flavored ingredients
of Southwestern food extend to pairings with a wide range of brews.
Yegua
Creek Brewing Company
7123 E Mockingbird Lane, Dallas
214-824-2739
Matt's
Rancho Martinez
6332 La Vista Drive, Dallas
214-823-5517
Matt's
recipes for Cowboy
Drunk Beans
and BBQ
Brisket
|