Browsing Tag

beer

Beers Knees Cocktail

April 25, 2018

The Beers Knees cocktail is a drink that feels like it was made for me. Gin, honey, lemon, and beer! It’s from Booze & Vinyl, a book that is going to lead to all kinds of fun for upcoming parties. 

Beers Knees Cocktail Recipe from the book Booze and Vinyl by Andre Darlington and Tenaya Darlington | FakeFoodFree.com

After the kitchen remodel was finished up last year, it was finally time for my husband to work on getting his home office in order. The first step involved finding a slab of black walnut that he finished as a beautiful table. Second, getting a record player for that table along with some new vinyl. 

He’s the music person in the family so I simply get to reap the benefits of the music being played. But we have some other related things in common, our enjoyment of throwing a party with friends, and making and drinking cocktails. 

So when I received a review copy of Booze & Vinyl: A Spirited Guide to Great Music and Mixed Drinks by André Darlington and Tenaya Darlington a little while back, as you will see, it was downright perfect. 

Continue Reading…

Favorite Books for 2017

December 15, 2017

Favorite Books for 2017 | FakeFoodFree.com

I don’t read nearly as often as I feel like I should or as often as I want to. I make an effort to set aside time during the week, but most of my reading time still ends up being when I’m traveling, on a plane or between exploring new destinations. 

There are so many books I want to read. The list is endless. I’m usually reading a couple different titles at the same time. 

This year I have encountered some excellent books so I thought I’d share this as a bit of a gift guide in case you have food and drink lovers in your life who also love reading. 

I have four that inspired me and really stood out over the past several months. 

There is still time to order these books online or hop in your favorite local book retailer to see if they have a copy. No affiliate links here, but one book was sent to me as a review copy as noted. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Continue Reading…

Dry-Rubbed Grilled Whole Chicken with Chili-Lager Barbecue Sauce

June 13, 2017

This juicy grilled whole chicken is brushed with a rich and tangy barbecue sauce made of dried chilies and beer. It’s the perfect recipe to ring in a season of grilling. 

This post is sponsored by Petaluma Poultry – Home of ROCKY® and ROSIE® Chicken.

 

Dry-Rubbed Grilled Whole Chicken with Chili-Lager Barbecue Sauce Recipe | Fake Food Free | Sponsored Post

This probably sounds silly, but the first time I grilled a whole chicken, I considered it a huge culinary accomplishment. I say it sounds silly now because it is really not that difficult at all.

It looks fancy, sure. But it’s one of the most hands-off forms of grilling you can do. Once you rub down the bird with the herbs and seasonings of your choice, you simply place it on the grill and let it cook while all that flavor gets sealed inside. 

Continue Reading…

Warm Spiced Beer

December 15, 2015

Warm Spiced Beer | Fake Food Free

I find that beer temperatures vary by the location. When we lived in Brazil, the beer was so cold that ice was often inside the bottle. In Europe, it’s always been on the warmer side. Cold beer somewhere in between these two was the standard in the States for years. Then came the craft beer boom, and with it, the understanding that some beers are best served at warmer temperatures. 

 But until we made it Poland, I had never had hot beer. 

Continue Reading…

Thanksgiving Cooking for Two: Beer Basted Turkey and Olive Pecan Sourdough Stuffing

November 22, 2015

My husband and I often celebrate Thanksgiving by ourselves a few days before we join our families for the big meal. This year I decided to share some recipes for those who might also be doing some Thanksgiving cooking for two. This is the first post in the series. Be sure to check out the side dishes that go with this main course. 

Thanksgiving Cooking for Two | Fake Food Free
I’ll be the first to admit that Thanksgiving isn’t my favorite holiday of the season. It doesn’t make much sense, though. I love fall and pumpkins and I love to cook. Seems like I’d be all over a holiday that has those things well covered. 

I can offer no explanation other than my fondness of a winter wonderland, warm cocktails, cookies and cheesy Christmas movies. It simply beats out Thanksgiving every time. 

Despite it not being my favorite, I still like to cook and I like to get creative. We typically travel to the homes of our families for Thanksgiving dinners. (Yes, dinners. As in two in one day.) There, the family has traditional covered. But it rarely satisfies my need to try some new and creative. 

Continue Reading…

Food, Drinks and Beautiful Views in Maui, Hawaii

April 21, 2015

Food, drinks, and beautiful views. Just a few of the reasons why even the most touristy of locations can’t ruin a trip to Maui, Hawaii.   

Food, Drinks and Beautiful Views on Maui | Travel recap at Fake Food Free              

“Yeah, it’s a bit of a touristy area, but it will be fine. It’s a quick trip and Hawaii is so close now. We’ll be back.”

Famous last words when travel planning.

When we decided we would visit Maui, I spent some time researching accommodations. Our first thought was to get a remote rental where we could relax and cook a little using local ingredients.

Then when booking our direct flights from Oakland we got swayed by the great package deals, so we went ahead and added the hotel, too.

So with our tolerance for crowds way up, we arrived on the island, eager to finally see Hawaii.

Continue Reading…

Gold Potato and Bacon Croquettes with Jackpot Beer Cheese Sauce

September 16, 2014

Gold Potato and Bacon Croquettes with Jackpot Beer Cheese Sauce | Fake Food Free

The challenge? Come up with a potato recipe that can be classified as Potatoes: Vegas-style! We go to Las Vegas every year so I started thinking of all the words I associate with that sparkly, shiny town.

Gamble – Maybe a little too negative and not something you really want to take with a new recipe.
Strip – As in the street, but it still leaves a little too much to the imagination.
Winner – Maybe.
Jackpot – Now you’re talking.

So I started thinking about what I would consider a jackpot of flavors. You can never (and I mean, never) go wrong with potatoes and bacon. And sharp cheddar, of course. Cheddar then makes me think of beer, as in beer cheese. I tossed around ideas of how to put it all together and finally decided on some crispy, crunchy baked croquettes that resembled playing chips with their disk shape. It has to be gold potatoes, by the way, because there are few cities as golden and shiny as Las Vegas.

Continue Reading…

Spicy Cilantro-Lime Michelada Recipe

May 5, 2014

Create a cocktail that is full of fresh, spicy flavor with this Michelada recipe!

Spicy Cilantro-Lime Michelada Recipe | Fake Food Free

Our local Mexican restaurant makes the best Micheladas. In fact, I’d never had a Michelada before my husband convinced me to try one during a meal there less than a year ago. The spicy original flavor is delicious, but they make about eight or ten flavored ones, too. The guava version is darn tasty as well.

I had an easy description of the drink in my head, ready to type, but then a little research showed me that explaining it was going to be more difficult than I had anticipated. That’s because I’ve learned there is a bit of controversy about whether you call this drink a Michelada or a Chelada.

In their book, Beer Cocktails, Howard and Ashley Stelzer say that the Michelada is the drink that contains no tomato juice (just lime, beer, salt and Worcestershire or Maggi seasoning). It’s the Chelada that has the added tomato or Clamato juice. But they also say that there are many others that believe it’s the exact opposite.

Last night we watched the Mexico episode of Parts Unknown and wouldn’t you know it, Anthony Bourdain had a Michelada. From what I could tell, it didn’t look like there was tomato juice added.

But our local restaurant has something different to say about it. The menu states that Micheladas became popular in Mexico in the 1940s when people started mixing beer with hot sauce or salsa, and it must include lime and salt to be a true Michelada.

Since my first experience with a Michelada was with tomato juice, that is what I’m going with here.

A few weeks ago, I was sent a sample of Tecate Light and that is really how I decided that this year’s Cinco de Mayo post would be a Michelada. After tasting it, my husband and I both thought it would be perfect mixed in with the tomato juice, lime and spicy seasonings.

Instead of using a prepared tomato juice, I decided to juice fresh tomatoes for a raw juice and add seasonings. I used a centrifugal juicer to make the juice and I fed through a handful of cilantro with the tomatoes. I spiced it up with hot sauce, garlic powder, black pepper and salt and added plenty of lime juice. The one thing I didn’t have was the Maggi seasoning. That is sometimes substituted with Worcestershire sauce, but I didn’t have that either. If you have either on hand, you can add a splash to make it more authentic.

Spicy Cilantro-Lime Michelada Recipe | Fake Food Free

The combination of the raw tomato juice with the cilantro and Tecate Light made this Michelada light and refreshing with a pleasant, lingering burn from the hot sauce. As tomato season gets into full swing, I have a feeling this may become our go-to summer cocktail. Cheers and ¡Salud!

Spicy Cilantro-Lime Michelada Recipe

Servings: 4

5 small tomatoes (I used Romas)
¼ cup packed cilantro leaves
1 ¾ oz. fresh lime juice
1 oz. hot sauce (I used Cholula)
¾ tsp fine ground sea salt
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp ground black pepper
2, 12 oz. cans light Mexican beer, cold (I used Tecate light)
Ice

To rim the glasses
3 tsp fine ground sea salt
Zest of 1 lime
Large pinch of ground cayenne pepper

Lime wedges

Make the juice by processing the tomatoes and cilantro in a centrifugal juicer. Stir in the lime juice, hot sauce, ¾ teaspoon of sea salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. You can also speed this up by popping it in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

On a plate, stir together the 3 teaspoons of salt, lime zest and cayenne. Rub a wedge of lime over the top edge of each serving glass and rim with the spicy lime salt.

Fill each glass half full with ice. Pour 3 ounces of tomato juice into each glass. Top with 4 to 6 ounces of cold beer. Add a lime wedge and serve.

 
Spicy Cilantro-Lime Michelada Recipe | Fake Food Free
 
Disclosure: The Tecate Light used in this recipe was sent to me for review purposes. I was not required to post about it and received no compensation for doing so. 

Slow Cooker Black Calypso Beans with Beer and Bacon Recipe

October 25, 2013
 Pull out the slow cooker and make a pot of these beans with beer and bacon. This recipe uses a wheat beer that pairs well with the cilantro and squeeze of lime for a bowl of comfort food with bright flavors. 
 
   Slow Cooker Black Calypso Beans with Beer and Bacon | Fake Food Free
 
With their black and white patterns, Black Calypso beans look like a bag of little dairy cows. They are my very favorite bean, and while appearance does play a significant role in that, so does the way they cook. With a smooth and creamy texture they stand out among other beans for me.
 
Slow Cooker Black Calypso Beans with Beer and Bacon | Fake Food Free

I picked up a bag from Rancho Gordo a while back when visiting the CUESA farmers market at the Ferry Building. Then, on a recent visit I came across a recipe card that combined beer with beans. That recipe added the beer after the beans were cooked, but it sparked an idea for a slow cooker recipe for the Black Calypso beans sitting in my pantry.
 

Black Calypso Beans from Rancho Gordo

I used a wheat beer in my beans because I wanted a lighter, citrus flavor to go with the cilantro and lime I would add later. I think a heavy, dark beer would work great, though, too.

The beans cooked up rich and creamy as expected with that familiar bite that comes from cooking with beer. We’ve been eating them all week with a side of fall vegetables and topped with a fried egg.

Slow Cooker Black Calypso Beans with Beer and Bacon | Fake Food Free

 

Slow Cooker Black Calypso Beans with Beer and Bacon Recipe

Inspired by Drunken Beans by Elianna Friedman, CUESA Market Chef

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 lb. Black Calypso beans, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
1 small onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 slices thick-cut, pastured bacon, chopped fine
12 oz. wheat beer
5 cups vegetable stock or water (or a combination of the two)
1 to 2 tsp sea salt
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Lime wedges for serving

Prep

Place the beans, onion, garlic and bacon in the bowl of the slow cooker.

Pour in the beer. Add the stock or water (I used a combination of 2 cups of stock and 3 cups of water).

Stir all the ingredients and cook on high for 7 to 8 hours, or until the beans reach your desired tenderness.

Before serving, stir in the salt to taste. How much you need will depend on what type of stock and how much water you used. Stir in the cilantro.

Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Whole Wheat Banana Snack Cake with Chocolate Guinness Frosting Recipe

April 8, 2013

When presented with an open beer (minus the ¼ cup you used in a recipe), most people would drink it. It’s a logical solution and one I’ve implemented myself numerous times.  But when I made the Guinness Braised Kale with potatoes and poached egg for St. Patrick’s Day, I found myself debating whether to drink half  a beer or make a cake.

I chose cake.
 

This isn’t your super sweet, rich, decadent dessert cake, which is why I decided to add snack cake to the name. It’s filling with the fresh flavor of banana, and the frosting will curb any craving for chocolate. Maybe even a hankering for dark beer. If you don’t mind a splash of booze and hearty whole grains for breakfast or as a snack, then I suggest you forgo finishing off your next pint, too.

 

Whole Wheat Banana Snack Cake with Chocolate Guinness Frosting

Makes: 9 servings

Ingredients

¾ cup mascavo (muscovado) sugar
¼ cup olive oil*
2 eggs
1 overripe banana, mashed
1 tbsp Guinness beer
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
 
Frosting
1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp Guinness beer
 
Prep

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease an 8×8 inch square pan.

Add the sugar, oil and egg to the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium for about 1 minute. Add in the banana and mix on medium to medium-high 1 minute more. Mix in the 1 tablespoon of Guinness.
 
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
 
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool.
 
To prepare the frosting, add the butter and powdered sugar to the bowl of the mixer fitted with the whisk or paddle attachment. Beat together the butter and powder sugar on medium and then medium-high until combined, and almost smooth, about 1 minute. Add the cocoa and 1 tablespoon of the Guinness. Mix on medium-high until the frosting is smooth, about 90 seconds. Mix in the additional 1 tablespoon of Guinness, based on your desired consistency for the frosting. The full 2 tablespoons was perfect for me.
 
Frost the cooled cake, cut into 9 pieces and serve. 
 
*Be sure to use regular olive oil with this recipe because it has a more mild flavor. Virgin olive oils may add too much of an olive-like taste. 
 
 
 
Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out. 
Want to create beautiful food and product photos that you can't wait to share?!
Discover your style, control the light, and shoot using the tool you know how to use (yes, your phone included). Learn about free resources, Live Q&As with Lori, and online courses you can take from anywhere in the world!
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.