Category Archives: Food and drink

Dry Hopping: Techniques

Posted on October 16, 2014 by alex

  Hops play a number of roles in the brewing process. Depending on when they are added, they contribute bitterness, flavor, aroma or something of all three. The bitterness comes from alpha acids contained in hops, while flavor and aroma … Continue reading →

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13 Uses for Cucumbers That Will Amaze You

Posted on October 13, 2014 by alex

Cucumbers are very easy to grow and make for a delicious treat. But did you know they can prevent hangovers, or clean the kitchen sink? Below is a list of tips and tricks you can do with cucumbers that you … Continue reading →

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20 Practical Uses for Coca Cola – Proof That Coke Does Not Belong In The Human Body

Posted on October 12, 2014 by alex

Coke is the most valuable brand in history, and “Coca-Cola” is the world’s second-most recognized word after “hello.” However, the beverage itself is an absolute poison to the human metabolism. Coke is very close to the acidity level of battery acid and … Continue reading →

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Ditching the bag in BIAB

Posted on September 29, 2014 by alex

After being a long time traditional all-grain brewer for many years I started reading about different all-grain brew techniques and decided to give BIAB (brew in a bag) a try. Since I was trying to streamline the brewing process while … Continue reading →

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The Secrets of Czech Brewing

Posted on September 28, 2014 by alex

An open fermenter at Kout na Šumavě in the Czech Republic. Photo by Jeff Alworth. Every beer-drinking country has a particular relationship to the beer it brews. Germans treat their lagers as a sacred trust, and breweries often have the … Continue reading →

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How to Make Pho

Posted on September 28, 2014 by alex

The beauty of Vietnamese pho, a vermicelli noodle soup, is that it’s a choose-your-own-adventure of layered, contrasting flavors. This particular recipe is a favorite of F&W’s former test kitchen supervisor, Marcia Kiesel, who cooked and ate pho all over Vietnam … Continue reading →

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Spiced Beef Pho with Sesame-Chile Oil

Posted on September 28, 2014 by alex

ACTIVE:1 HR TOTAL TIME:3 HRS PLUS OVERNIGHT CHILLING SERVINGS: 6 The rice vermicelli soup pho is a staple all over Vietnam and this spicy beef version is the specialty of Hanoi. At home in Connecticut, Marcia Kiesel often eats it … Continue reading →

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Beef Pho Noodle Soup Recipe (Pho Bo)

Posted on September 28, 2014 by alex

Who doesn’t love noodles soup? In the Vietnamese repertoire, beef pho noodle soup is a classic. In fact, it’s practically the national dish of Vietnam. Below is my family’s recipe for the quintessential Vietnamese food — pho noodle soup. You … Continue reading →

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Hopped Cider

Posted on September 26, 2014 by alex

To paraphrase William Shakespeare, who probably quaffed his fair share of hard cider: “To hop, or not to hop, that is the question?” At least, that’s the going question for modern cidermakers looking for new methods of enhancing their ciders, … Continue reading →

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Patersbier: The Lawnmower Beer of Trappist Monks

Posted on September 24, 2014 by alex

This might surprise you, but the monks who toil away making your favorite Belgian dark strongs and tripels aren’t typically quaffing their high-gravity creations. With strict schedules of religious observance, brewing and other daily tasks, the monks need to keep … Continue reading →

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