Book Title: The Ultimate Beer Lover’s Cookbook
Author: John Schlimm
Publisher: Cumberland House Publishing
Contact: Paige Lakin, 615.832.1171 X16
Cost: $26.95
With most American hunting seasons closed until September, I use my summers to catch up on some reading, begin emptying out my game freezers, and enjoy a few cold ones. You can imagine my intrigue when I saw The Ultimate Beer Lover’s Cookbook, written by John Schlimm, a member of the Straub brewing family. Here is a cookbook that provides over 400 recipes, including many for wild game, but best of all — all of the recipes contain beer!
While I frequently skip the introduction sections of books, I made it a point to read Schlimm’s, which includes interesting facts about beer’s place in history. Did you know that studies have shown that the antioxidants, niacin, riboflavin, B6, folate, protein, and fiber found in beer could actually be good for your heart? Better yet, beer’s high potassium and low sodium content could even help us maintain healthy blood pressures! With these tidbits in mind, I have no problem with adding beer to my recipes.
A review of a cookbook would be incomplete if some of the recipes were not tested. Using some of my favorite lager, I used some Delaware-harvested pheasants and fresh, New Jersey-grown asparagus to try two recipes from The Ultimate Beer Lover’s Cookbook:
- Fried Pheasant Strips (p. 182), and
- battered Asparagus (p. 83).
I am always looking for new wild game recipes, and The Ultimate Beer Lover’s Cookbook seems to provide some excellent ones. The battered asparagus had a light, almost nutty taste. I could taste the beer, and I wholeheartedly recommend the recipe. With eight-year-old twin daughters who eat chicken fingers like candy, I think their review of the Fried Pheasant Strips says it all. “Dad, these are awesome! Can you make them again tomorrow?” The pheasant strips truly were good. (Now if I could just get them to enjoy asparagus as much…)
Adhering to the theme of this site, I focused solely on the wild game recipes in The Ultimate Beer Lover’s Cookbook. However, it is important to point out that the cookbook includes recipes for everything from appetizers to desserts, breakfast to dinner, and milkshakes to mixed drinks.
Again, best of all — all of the recipes contain beer!