Dokus Publiching, Arlington, VA
soft cover, $18.00, 288 pp.
Guido Deboeck advises international institutions such as the World Bank about technology, but it’s clear his passion in life is rooted in the region of Belgium southwest of Brussels, where his great-grandfather founded the Girardin Brewery 120 years ago.
In Un“Beer”ably Delicious, Deboeck has written a far-reaching account of beer culture. In it, he conveys the traditional brewing culture of Pajotteland, where his family has produced spontaneously fermented lambics for four generations. He surveys the history of brewing, its development in Belgium, and the growth of Belgian-inspired craft brewing in North America. And if you had any doubt whether beer belongs in your life, Deboeck summarizes why beer is good for your health.
The bulk of the book is devoted to 150 recipes for foods cooked with beer, or foods that pair well with beer (the ring-binding of the book makes it clear this book belongs in the kitchen). Finally, the book concludes with notes on Belgian beer tourism, restaurants, and brewery reviews.
If the book skips back and forth between Belgium and the United States, this reflects the author’s experience, learning about beer in the Belgian tradition, but picking up a love of stouts, porters, and other English-inspired beers as a homebrewer in the United States.
All the proceeds from the sale of Un“Beer”ably Delicious will go to support kids with AIDS in Africa. You can take an advance look at an abbreviated e-book at http://www.dokus.com, where you will also find ordering information; or contact [email protected].
There are not many books in English about Belgian brewing, and this is the first to combine personal background from a brewing family with extensive material on beer cuisine. Delicious, indeed.
