Monica Bhide 
(istock photo)
Can a wine lover love beer? Oh, yes… specially when they are presented to you by someone like Greg Engert! He is a terrific beer sommelier who taught me about beer, about how to pair beer with food and most importantly, how much I still have to learn!
You can read the story here — Drink your grains. I would love your comments and your insights.
And the recipes with the story are amazing - Get recommended beer pairings and recipes for Shaved Fennel, Apple And Arugula Salad,Scallops With Fregola And Corn and Cheesecake In A Peanut Butter Cookie Crust.
Here’s what I like about good cookbooks: First, I can easily sense if the recipes have been kitchen-tested by the author. It’s hard to explain, but it’s probably because I cook well and can spot a cookbook wannabe even with eyes closed. A lot of factors contribute to the authenticity of the the recipes, too. The availability of the ingredients, the ease of the directions, the creativity mixed in with the traditional aspect of the dish, the photos, the way recipe is written and finally the end-result, the dish itself. If all these fall in place, then I buy the cookbook.