Breakfast Anytime - And Beer Matches

Tonight, I'm thinking Breakfast Burrito (recipe to follow) paired with a Kriek (Cherry) Lambic Beer.

Why on Earth would I suggest a beer to go with this dinner? Beer, like wine, whiskey, scotch and all the other liquers out there, have history that spans whole regions of the world. Finding one you like is a matter of trial and error. Maybe lambic is more your thing than Budweiser. I assure you, Lambic is no ordinary beer.

Lambic, for you purists, is a sour spontaneous-fermenting beer that in its unblended state is cloudy and uncarbonated. If you buy Belgium Lambic (the only place the 'real' stuff comes from), you'll be drinking beer aged 3 years that is characteristically dry and has a bit of sour to the finish.

Subgenres of lambic include
Gueuze - blend of 1 yr and 3 yr old beer, traditionally dry and sour
Faro - blend of lambic and freshly brewed beer, often with the addition of brown sugar or syrups
Kriek - lambic made with sour cherries which create initial and secondary fermentation, traditionally dry and sour
Fruit - Using names such as kriek, framboise or frambozen, cassis, etc. doesn't mean what you have is made from lambic. Syrup is the key here: adding syrup to a subpar beer creates an entirely different experience for your taste buds, and has been practiced widely in several Lambic products put out in recent years.

Having said that, it's up to your palate. I enjoy the syrupy lambics, unwholesome though that may be. I really like the sweet-sour notes of the Kriek lambic (which is tart but refreshing), it helps brighten the meal in my opinion. The reason I suggest the lambic with this meal is taste as well as lifestyle. Sometimes you have to let yourself relax. There is an amazing feeling about pairing the food you made with your own hands, with a complex and challenging beverage someone else worked to create. Be adventurous.



Breakfast Burrito
6 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
8 oz breakfast sausage, uncooked
8 oz salsa, prepared
8 oz lettuce
6 oz Monterrey jack cheese
1 pkg burrito shells

Suggestions: Using 1 pan is possible with this dish, but it should be a non-stick pan. Life is just easier with non-stick when it comes to eggs. The type of sausage you get is part of your over-all flavor. If you like spicier dishes, you can use hot sausage and use mild salsa to refresh the flavor in your burritos.

1.) Brown sausage over medium low heat.

HINTS: If you're using pork sausage, it's important to remember that pork smokes at a lower temperature than other meats. Don't panic! It's okay, you're not burning your sausage. Low and slow, steady as you go: that's you're rule when it comes to pork. Don't turn it too much; less is more when it comes to meat.

2.) While the sausage is cooking, whisk eggs with milk. Make sure the yolks break, encorporating all of the egg into the light mixture.

3.) Remove sausage from pan. Using the drippings from the sausage ensures a tasty meld of flavor in the eggs. Not required, especially if you're concerned about fat or salt content.

4.) Begin pouring the egg mixture into a warm pan over medium-low heat.

HINTS: Leave the eggs alone! The longer you can wait to flip and stir, the fluffier the eggs will be. Just like meat, the less you mess with it, the better the final product.

5.) While eggs cook, wash lettuce leaves lightly and slice or tear into strips. The added crisp, light flavor will keep the meal from feeling greasy. The crunch is also a nice change from the other textures in the burrito, which keeps your mouth interested.

6.) When the eggs reach a done-ness you prefer, remove them from heat. Build your own burrito.

HINTS: Some people prefer runnier eggs. I'm a "make sure it's done" kind of lady when it comes to eggs. I wait until the texture looks light, but nothing looks wet. Also, when building your burrito, remember that cheese and salsa should enhance the eggs you worked so hard on, not hide them. Show off what you achieved!