The Session: Beer Desserts

Almost 15 years ago, one of first beer books I ever bought was Beer Basics: A Quick and Easy Guide by Peter Lafrance. It, along with Michael Jackson's New World Guide to Beer, were my guides through my early days of learning styles and exploring the various American "microbrews" in the mid-1990's.

In the back of Lafrance's book is a chapter on beer and food and a few recipes can be found therein. Here's the recipe for a dessert called Naughty Gretchen:

Naughty Gretchen

(Yields: 1 serving)

2 scoops chocolate ice cream
1 12-oz bottle of dark or amber beer
One cherry

Place the ice cream in a blender. Add the beer to the ice cream and blend until frothy. Pour into a tall glass and place a cherry on top.

(Jim Gagnier - The Broome Street Bar, Manhattan, New York)

Now, I have a more strict recommendation for the recipe as I have exclusively used stout in this recipe, usually Guinness Extra Stout, and with stout it is delicious. I can't vouch for other styles.

Mr. Lafrance's book seems to be out of print but still available through various online resellers. Lafrance also has a website called Beer Basics with a couple of attached blogs and a newsletter.