For the holidays, I was asked to join a virtual potluck. Since the digital realm precludes me from bringing oodles of beer (which is my trademark!), I was partnered with a fellow writer and tasked to clack out a book review and a tasty, tasty recipe. Below, check out the links to more cookbooks and recipes. Remember, if you get hungry, it’s not my fault. Continue reading →

Meet the Jucy Lucy, a burger that breaks the rules: cheese on the inside?! And no “i” in the word “juicy.”

Ladies and gentlemen, can you imagine a world without sandwiches? That would mean lunchboxes lacking PB&Js, delis deficient in turkey-and-Swiss, Cuban lunch counters lacking the Cubano—in short, a life not worth living. Luckily, that long-ago innovator took knife to loaf, slicing bread and paving the way for centuries of handheld edible innovation, which is proudly on display in Susan Russo’s sumptuously photographed The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches.

In this chunky cookbook, the San Diego–based author and brains behind  Food Blogga delves deep into the sandwich universe. Smartly, she sprinkles in equal measures of history and trivia alongside the hundreds of recipes for double-handed delicacies ranging from New Orleans’ olive salad–slathered muffuletta to Chicago’s hot, juicy Italian beef—and even the Fluffernutter too.

While I consider myself sort of a resourceful, freeform sandwich maker (whatever’s in my fridge goes between two slices of bread), I was most captivated by the stories of regional delicacies such as the chow mein sandwich popular in New England and the spiedie. While the name may recall a tight-fitting swimsuit, the spiedie has its roots in spiedini: the Italian word for grilled skewered meat, seafood or vegetables. Slide the skewer into a submarine roll, and you’ll soon be eating the pride of Binghamton, New York.

Hungry yet? Try this easy, tasty recipe for one of my favorite calories-be-damned indulgences: the inside-out Jucy Lucy cheeseburger, which is the joy of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Continue reading →

Photo: Silverfox09

To commemorate today’s crazy shopping kickoff, I’m selling discounted signed copies of Brewed Awakening. For $21.95 ($4 off list price till 11/28), you get an autographed copy of the hardcover, full-color book (please send me any dedication you desire), two full-color coasters of the book cover, plus a limited-edition button or two. Cost includes shipping and handling within the continental United States. I will also seal the envelope with my own two hands.  I will also lick the envelope, too, if that’s what you want.

And now back to your regularly scheduled shopping blitz.

P.S. Yes, the book costs a bit more from me than Amazon, but this way the sales directly support the author. And you get a signed copy. And buttons. Buttons!

Meet me and you, too, can own this pin!

After spending the last five days promoting the heck out of Brewed Awakening, I can safely say that my bloodstream is at least 12 percent beer—largely composed of imperial stouts and other delicious treats of the craft beer world.

From Brooklyn to Portland, Maine, to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to Boston and back home, I’ve met hundreds of beer drinkers that reaffirm my one core belief: There are no jerks in craft beer. Everyone has been wildly friendly, rolling out an IPA-soaked carpet everywhere we go. Yet I’ve learned a few core lessons that have helped me survive:

* Bring more pins! I’m a button fiend, and I decided that it would be great to create pins for the tour (see above). But I had no idea how many pins people would snap up. We burned through nearly 300 in just four days. But never fear! We will make more on the double. And perhaps some special-edition pins t00.

* Eat dinner. Going on a book tour is a lot like a wedding. Everyone is so eager to chat that food sometimes falls by the wayside. One day, I had a single fried egg till 7 p.m. Strangely, there’s never a shortage of beer.

* Sleep in. The evening book events sometimes stretch deep into the night. An extra hour of shut-eye makes me bright-eyed and bushy-tailed—and eager to have another beer, then another.

* Enjoy the ride. It’s easy to get caught up in the crazy stresses and constant travel. It’s a bit like riding a tornado. But I’m happy to endure sleep deprivation and minor morning hangovers. After 11 years of being a freelance writer, I’m finally in charge of my destiny, writing about a subject I love best and spreading the good-beer gospel. Sometimes I pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.

P.S. This week, I’ll be hitting Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Manhattan, Brooklyn and New Orleans. Phew! Check out my schedule and come say hey!

I wrote a book!

Nearly 18 months after this long, crazy-making book-writing journey began, the day is finally upon me: My book on the craft beer revolution, Brewed Awakening, has finally been released. Thank heavens. Writing a book is a marathon, not the hourly blog-post sprint or even the leisurely monthly stroll to the finish line. I’ve been excited and angry, nervous and world-weary with this whole process. I’ve bitched. I’ve moaned. But you know what? Today, I couldn’t be happier.

Eleven years ago yesterday, I arrived in New York City with little more than a backpack and, well, not a single dream. I did not come here to make it big in journalism. I came here because my friend had a free bedroom in Astoria, and my only other option was going back to Ohio and sharing a bunk bed with my little brother.

But over time, I could not resist the trumpet call of journalism. Or maybe I was just sick of being a receptionist. No matter what, I’ve spent the last decade toiling away, taking assignments both terrible and terrific, writing so, so many words. However, that’s neither here nor there. What matters now is this: It’s November 1, and I’m holding my first book in my hands. It’s time to have a beer. Care to join me for a pint?